Established partners PODFather and TouchStar Technologies have supplied a number of business optimisation solutions to assist Nationwide Window Cleaning in managing over 100 cleaners across the UK. The systems include resource planning, electronic job sheet and vehicle tracking.
Nationwide Window Cleaning (NWC) is an independent UK window cleaning provider. NWC undertake a wide variety of work from single sites to national portfolios and have particular expertise in servicing the needs of financial institutions and high-street retailers. With each site having multiple schedules of work with varying frequencies, NWC needed systems which were reliable, easy to use and provided full data transparency.
NWC supplied their existing work schedule in a spreadsheet to the PODFather development team, along with a specification for the details they needed to capture on the PDA software. Within two weeks, NWC produced a customised PODFather system, with a scheduling facility for managing approximately 10,000 sites across all of their cleaners.
PODFather is a cloud based mobile software solution designed for businesses operating in various logistics, construction and field service sectors. The integrated PDA and web-based back office solution allow NWC to plan and manage their jobs and resources on a daily basis, with real-time visibility of job progress as their cleaners complete each job using the mobile job completion system.
In parallel, TouchStar Technologies installed a tracking system on to each cleaner's vehicle. Once the high-specification GPS device is installed in the vehicle it processes data from GPS satellites to calculate its position. Its powerful internal processor constantly monitors the status of the vehicle (e.g. is the ignition on? is the driver driving aggressively? Etc.) and attaches this status information to a GPS positional log.
The tracker then uses the GPRS data network to transmit these GPS logs to a data collection server at regular intervals. This data is then accessible via a PC or laptop using a secure application.
Thornton Tasker, Managing Director of NWC Group said, "We were amazed at the speed which the teams at PODFather and TouchStar understood our business requirements and converted them into pragmatic solutions. We had tried and failed with a different mobile software system so all of our cleaners already had PDA hardware that was compatible with the PODFather program and they took to the new system with ease."
Thornton continues, "We now have state-of-the-art back office systems that allow our staff in the office to manage both ad-hoc and planned maintenance activities. We have complete transparency of work carried out, jobs still outstanding and the availability and position of cleaning personnel."
"The handheld system for our cleaners is also hugely beneficial as they receive complete job instructions wherever they are, and complete the job sheet recording the details of what was carried out along with photos of completed work, customer name and signature to approve job completion."
"The combination of the two systems has ensured that we are meeting our core business objectives. In particular we are increasing the productivity of cleaning personnel and improving service levels for our valued customer base."
About TouchStar Technologies Ltd
TouchStar Technologies Ltd has been supplying turnkey data collection and mobile computing solutions for industrial and commercial applications since 1982. 'Blue Chip' organisations such as Coca Cola Enterprises, Wincanton Logistics, Ford Motor Company, Corus / Tata Steel, GSK, British Airways, Air Berlin, BP and Total have benefited from a highly professional approach to project fulfilment.
The services that TouchStar can extend to clients include;
- thorough analysis of client's overall system requirement. Resolution of integration issues with legacy systems
- system design and manufacture, including bespoke software and hardware development if required
- system commissioning and installation
- full local post-sale system maintenance and service, including 'rapid response' call-out for any customers that require it
About PODFather
Valley Technology was founded in 2000 and has a long history of developing and supporting solutions for enterprise environments. The company name changed to PODFather Ltd in 2013 to reflect the focus and commitment to the PODFather platform. PODFather has formed partnerships since its launch in 2006 with industry leading hardware manufacturers and mobile networks to ensure it delivers solutions which fit the requirements and budgets of its customers.
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