Bobst boosts customer service and safety with mobile apps from BigChange

BigChange is a specialist in mobile workforce management, offering a system that transforms the way companies manage their mobile operations. JobWatch from BigChange is a paperless tool for planning, managing, scheduling and tracking a mobile workforce. This all-in-one mobile workforce management platform combines back office software, mobile apps, fleet management and real-time vehicle tracking in one system. Using JobWatch, customers can manage their entire operation, from quote all the way through to invoice.

For Bobst, the app-based system has eliminated traditional paper timesheets, with its technicians and product specialists now managing all work activities and traveling time on their smartphones.

The workforce app links in real-time to the BigChange cloud-based back office management software that handles everything from work scheduling and routing, to fleet tracking and machinery safety alerts.

Thirty Bobst personnel operating across the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia are using BigChange-equipped smartphones. The introduction of electronic timesheets has boosted customer service for Bobst, as well as saving considerable time and ensuring quicker, more accurate invoicing. Previously, paper carbon-copy-type timesheets were completed and posted to the office by the field service personnel, then manually transcribed by a team of three people prior to invoicing.

Alan Letford, head of customer services at Bobst UK and Ireland, said: ‘The introduction of the BigChange system to replace paper-based processes has had a significant and far-reaching impact across the business and especially in customer service. We now have up-to-the-minute, accurate data reporting, with timesheets signed-off by customers on the app. That means we can send an immediate confirmation to the customer and raise an invoice straight away. Timesheets and job-cards are automated saving a huge amount of time.’

He continued: ‘Previously it could take up to three weeks to get an invoice processed; now it is pretty much instantaneous. There is less ambiguity now and invoice disputes have been reduced as everything is much clearer from a customer perspective.’

Further, Bobst technicians all drive company cars and BigChange incorporates vehicle tracking, giving customer service teams a real-time view of the whereabouts of the company fleet. Soon customers will receive automated notifications on the expected arrival time of their technician. The tracking also allows business versus personal mileage to be recorded at the touch of a button and monitors driving behavior from a duty of care perspective when on the road.

With technicians maintaining equipment at customer sites, health and safety is an important aspect of the customer care provided by Bobst UK and Ireland. Letford is also head of health and safety at Bobst, and has taken a lead in introducing safety procedures. Recently accredited as an Alcumus ‘Safe Contractor’ member, Bobst has developed health and safety functionality within BigChange.  This allows field service technicians to send confirmation using the correct PPE, risk assessments and any identified safety issues – such as a serious health and safety machine defect – direct from their smartphones. The system requests sign-off with a customer signature on-screen and then triggers an automated advisory letter.

Letford concluded: ‘It would be fair to say BigChange has revolutionized our customer service and given us a really useful tool to support our health and safety accreditation. It’s fantastic that BigChange is so easy to use and simply available on a standard smartphone or tablet.

‘We are currently the only Bobst Customer Care center to introduce electronic timesheets and the team at BigChange has been very responsive in enhancing the software to meet our needs.’