For more than 20 years, leading German business development software company Matusch, has been developing the Equipment Planning and Organisation System (EPOS).
With everyone from the CEO to the construction site worker and crane operator armed with smart devices, there is a growing need to link all stages of a projects construction through technology. Such technologies improve a business’s internal and external communications, implement updates in real time, and generally improve the productivity and efficiency of organisations.
Although slow, digitisation in construction is gradually taking place, giving digitised companies in these sectors significant advantages over those that are non-digitised. Competition is driving further digitisation.
COVID-19 has officially been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation and thus countries around the world are taking drastic measures to flatten the curve of infections.
Many companies are asking employees to work from home to avoid their workforce being infected and potentially spreading the disease.
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Given the risk, companies who embrace digitisation and remotely work are likely to reduce potential losses, as they’re able to maintain a productive workforce despite the logistical challenges.
E.P.O.S. is a modular software system developed and optimised especially for the crane rental, access equipment and oversized and heavy transport industries. E.P.O.S. is designed to function as the information centre for businesses in these sectors.
There are a number of features within the E.P.O.S. system which are designed to streamline the way a business’s internal departments communicate as well as how the business interacts externally with its customers.
The E.P.O.S. scheduling program automates the communication and the generation of paperwork with staff working on site. This minimises the amount of direct contact allocators and office staff are required to have with the truck driver, machine operator and supervisors and others out on site.
The E.P.O.S. Online Application replaces existing job dockets and delivery notes. This information is now sent directly to tablets being operated by drivers, supervisors, operators and other staff onsite.
With the Online Application feature, the job data is exported directly from E.P.O.S. to the tablet operated by the driver, crane operator or onsite staff. Job related documents can also be sent directly to the tablet. The customer is able to read the detail relating to the job and confirm it is correct by signing off on the completed job with a digital signature.
The signed off digital job docket is then directly available to the office staff. In real time, they can adjust working hours of staff and machines ready for invoicing. The driver, operator or onsite staff don’t have to worry about taking back signed off paper dockets to the office, and the customer automatically receives the details relating to the signed off job docket with the electronic invoice.
Online Site-Inspections is another key feature of the E.P.O.S. system.
The Online Site Inspection feature enables the entire process of site-inspections to be managed on a tablet. The data acquisition can be carried out directly on site and this information is automatically transferred back to staff based in the office or home office.
There is no longer a need for site staff to return to the office with completed on site-inspection paperwork and photographs. Details relating to the job site can be completely managed online, enabling office staff to continue working on the data and information collected from the site in real time.
In today’s business environment, mobile apps are playing an increasingly important role. The E.P.O.S. system mobile apps mean useful functions can be conducted, in the field, via a smart phone. E.P.O.S. mobile apps have been specifically developed to assist management, sales staff, drivers and operators, mechanics and delivery staff.
Sales staff can instantly call up details of a customer’s history directly, update records in real time and file onsite-inspection reports in E.P.O.S. mechanics, drivers and operators are able to enter their working hours and details of jobs and repairs they might be working on. When delivering or handing over rental equipment, all the relevant details can be viewed by the customer who takes delivery with a signature directly on the smartphone or tablet.
Images and documents can be linked to a quote, onsite-inspection, customer or job assignment and automatically stored in the Integrated Document Management System (iDMS) which is integrated in E.P.O.S. system.
The iDMS provides useful functions for employees of various departments which can perform without having to be in the office.
With the iDMS it is possible attach numerous amounts of supporting documentation and images to every activity such as quotes, jobs and invoices in E.P.O.S. For example, pictures from a site inspection, freight lists or ground plans from your customer are accessible for everyone at any time. It’s a simple case of dragging and dropping the documentation or images and sending the files as an email attachment. The iDMS also provides a function for searching and recovering old documentation.
Online Scheduling provides access to schedules for internet browsers requiring quick information when out in the field or in their home office. Location-independent access options for mobile devices such as smart phones, tablets or laptops is a key feature of the Online Scheduling. The schedule is always readily available and accessible from anywhere. Because the schedule is also mirrored on a web server, it can still be made available and accessed in the event of a local server failure.
Invoice control and approval can be managed remotely with E.P.O.S. Once verified by management, invoices do not have to be printed in order to be released. Invoices can be checked from the home office in E.P.O.S. and marked for release. If requested, the customer can receive his invoice electronically by email.
For further information please follow this link where you will find a short video summarising the advantages of digitisation with E.P.O.S. at www.matusch.de/en/e-p-o-s-short-video/ or email: eposscheduling@gmail.com