The Barcode Warehouse is providing an integrated mobile computing and printing solution to A & R Hepburn (Engineering) Ltd, part of the Richard Irvin Services Group, that will help it to further enhance field based operational efficiency and raise customer service levels. "The deployment of this new enterprise mobility technology will enable us to reduce administration time in the back office, improve invoicing accuracy and turnaround time through the use of real-time, accurate electronic data capture and transfer," explained Ross Hepburn, Hepburn's Director. "These increased benefits will crucially allow us to provide improved customer service levels, as well as meet our increasingly important environmental policy goals to reduce paper based processes in our business."
Hepburn, who offers multi-trade solutions to the building services industry covering both commercial and domestic properties, has been using mobile PDAs to manage the scheduling of its field-based engineers for some time. However it realised the significant business benefits that could be achieved by refreshing its existing hardware. A move to more robust, ruggedised mobile computers would help prevent breakage and failure in the field and the introduction of mobile printers would enable engineers to quickly and easily print and leave completed job reports and gas certificates at the customer site.
Following a review of a number of hardware options at The Barcode Warehouse's Newark site, Hepburn took advantage of The Barcode Warehouse's offer to loan them a Motorola MC75 mobile computer and Zebra RW420 mobile printer solution, housed in Zebra's specially developed Route Palette accessory.
"After using the loan devices for a month to test the solutions' integration with our back office systems and suitability in the field, we purchased two MC75s and RW420s and Route Pallets and carried out a successful pilot with our field service engineers," continued Ross Hepburn. "Apart from offering us the best price against performance the devices delivered an integrated solution. Both the MC75 and the RW420 can be transported as one, and their batteries can also be re-charged at the same time in the engineer's vehicle, ensuring both devices last a full shift."
Through the introduction of mobile printing as part of the fully integrated hardware solution, Hepburn's customers are now given a printed record of work carried out by the engineer, along with relevant gas certificates before the engineer leaves site. This process enables Hepburn to reduce administration in the back office as there is no longer the requirement to review electronic job records before issuing paper certificates to the customer. Additionally, if necessary, customers are also able to view or obtain copies of their gas certificates on-line.
"The integrated solution delivered by The Barcode Warehouse has certainly allowed us to improve the efficiency and productivity of our field-based engineers and deliver a competitive advantage through the enhanced level of service we now deliver to our customers," concluded Ross Hepburn. "Our recent acquisition by the Richard Irvin Services Group means we are in the process of integrating IT systems across both companies and it is likely that the integrated mobile computing and printing solution will be rolled out to Richard Irvin's 150 field based engineers."
About Hepburn Group part of the Richard Irvin Services Group
Richard Irvin Services Group with its headquarters in Aberdeen, employ in excess of 500 personnel and are located in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness and Elgin. They specialise is Mechanical and Electrical services to the Commercial & Domestic markets, Sales and Servicing of life jackets & life rafts and Sales and Servicing of radiators, coolers, heat exchangers and calorifiers to the Oil and Gas Industry.
About The Barcode Warehouse
The Barcode Warehouse currently supports over 50,000 hand held mobile computers for a portfolio of blue-chip organisations. This covers airtime, implementation, software, training, helpdesk support, repairs and reporting, taking all the pain away from the client. With its growing Managed Services division, the business is fast becoming the 'first choice' for businesses and organisations considering a major investment in mobile technology. Its Managed Services is underpinned by successful Direct & Solution Sales and Consumables divisions.
The Barcode Warehouse also operates an e-commerce website, with over 34,000 unique visitors each month. It holds a number of long-standing, high-level, accreditations from key vendors including Datalogic, Intermec, Motorola, Psion Teklogix, Toshiba TEC and Zebra.
Add a Comment
No messages on this article yet