Oct/Nov 2008

HomeServe, the national home emergency services provider, has implemented a dynamic appointment scheduling system to manage the work of mobile staff in its plumbing and drainage operations. It says the project has already improved both service levels and productivity.

The company has chosen a dynamic appointment scheduling system from Servicepower, while at the mobile end it is using a forms-based solution for handheld terminals from 1st Touch. The integrated application replaces a paper-based system.

Engineers now use PDAs with the tailored 1st Touch forms to keep in touch with their office throughout the day. They send back details of jobs done and time finished, complete their sign-off with customers, make bookings for future visits, and make phone calls. They also receive details of their next job.

In the office Servicepower takes care of the scheduling. Among benefits, says the company, is that engineers are now notified of jobs one at a time. If one job overruns, the dynamic scheduler will re-assign later jobs to other engineers, helping ensure that response times are met.

 

Kevin Carter, programme manager at HomeServe, points out that some of the company's policies are sold on the promise of a quick-response service. 'So we needed a highly responsive back-office system to support our staff and the company's rapid growth.'

HomeServe's insurance service for plumbing, drains, electrical wiring and gas central heating is said to have over 6.3 million policy members in the UK and a further 1.8 million in the USA, France and Spain.

* HomeServe has just extended a telematics system in a major new contract with Eagle-i Holdings.