Erimus Housing has extended its automated work scheduling system to its gas servicing team.
The Middlesborough-based RSL, which manages 13,200 properties, reviewed its system for gas servicing schedules. Each appointment needed considerable paperwork, resulting in an error-prone and time-consuming process for even straightforward jobs. The process became more complex when handling lack of access to the properties and the consequent requirement for repeat visits and possible legal proceedings.
Erimus already had experience of automating some of its core processes, having implemented Blackbay’s Service Connect solution in 2005 for its emergency response repairs and maintenance team, resulting in savings of £250,000.
Blackbay’s new solution enables Erimus to identify which properties are due for servicing. Appointments are then scheduled, with the details automatically sent to the tenants. The scheduled visits are despatched to the engineer’s mobile device and, once at the property, the engineer can carry out the service and capture all data on his device, removing the need for any physical paperwork to be completed.
The completed service data is sent back to the office electronically, after which the completed CP12 certificates are printed and sent to the tenant. In the event of no access, Blackbay’s system automatically triggers the appropriate escalation process without the need for further paper-based work.
David Jamison, maintenance operations manager, Erimus Housing, said “The operational benefits were immediate. With a fully-computerised service, paperwork is eliminated and human error is completely removed from the process. As soon as engineers come to the end of a service, they can be allocated immediately to another. This improvement in managing the engineers’ time has led to better customer service and faster response times.”
