CDC Draincare has expanded significantly since introducing new technology from BigChange that wirelessly connects field service engineers to a centralised management system.
The job management system has replaced a number of disconnected systems with a single platform that provides real-time visibility of all jobs nationwide, across different businesses and office locations.
Established in 1997, CDC Draincare operates 24/7 responding to drainage call-outs with services that include removing blockages and repairing, maintaining and renewing drain and sewer networks. With offices in Leeds and Manchester, the company operates nationwide and also operates a specialist grease management business, Grease Guru, for servicing the catering industry.
“BigChange has provided a platform for us to freely expand the business, allowing us to transform with a seamless and paperless solution. We’ve doubled the numbers of jobs we do nationwide but with BigChange automation, we’ve not had to increase staff to manage the extra workload. So, we’re probably twice as productive in the office,” said Simeon Turner Group Operations Director, CDC Draincare. “And through better scheduling and resource allocation, we’ve increased field service productivity by about 20 per cent since introducing BigChange.”
CDC Draincare multi-skilled engineers are equipped with mobile devices running a BigChange app that synchronises in real-time with the office. The BigChange job management system incorporates customer relationship management (CRM), job scheduling, live tracking, resource management, job finance and business intelligence. It’s a completely paperless end-to-end solution providing real-time insight to anyone that needs it.
CDC Draincare previously had a number of systems that included vehicle tracking, accounts and job management. However, everything worked separately and they really wanted an all-in-one solution that would also integrate with their accounts system.
“Our existing job management system was poorly supported and not integrated with vehicle tracking and accounts,” said Sarah Turner, Compliance Manager, CDC Draincare. “BigChange proved to be a revelation as it could do everything we wanted – plus it incorporated tracking and integrates with our accounts software.”
BigChange is proving useful for fleet management. The integrated vehicle tracking monitors driver and vehicle performance and engineers use their mobile devices to undertake their daily vehicle checks, digitally. Customer services have a live view of engineer movements and ETA’s can be provided to customers automatically.
Safe working and compliance are important priorities for CDC Draincare and sister company Grease Guru, who deal with fat, oil and grease build ups in commercial kitchens. The BigChange app provides workflows that guide engineers through the correct health and safety procedures and ensure risk assessments are completed correctly.
“BigChange is a great tool for managing safety, compliance and training,” said Sarah Turner. “The app helps guide users while onsite so we can get new staff up and running quickly – and adhering to our health and safety standards.”
Much of CDC Draincare’s work requires a rapid response, typically with a one-hour response. Providing information of job status to customers is therefore crucial and BigChange provides complete visibility, with completed job cards, tracking logs and time-stamped photographs from site recording before and after job photographs.
CDC Draincare is taking advantage of integration between BigChange and XERO accounting software. With contact and invoice data automatically synchronised between each system, double keying is eliminated. This saves hours in manual administration, as well as minimising inconsistencies and improving data quality.
“Our previous system was too faffy to use and everything was disconnected; with BigChange everything is in one place so it is so much easier to use and offers complete visibility of all jobs 24/7,” commented Kirsty Riggs, HR Manager, CDC Draincare.
We are rapidly expanding the business through organic growth and acquisitions which means we have to manage multiple companies and locations. BigChange has proved ideal as we expand since the cloud-based system can be instantly duplicated for anyone, anywhere – and it’s easy to customise for different services.”
About BigChange
Launched in 2013 and based in Leeds, UK, BigChange is a leading Field Service Management Software Provider trusted by more than 1,900 field-based organisations around the world. BigChange employs over 220 people and is recognised as an outstanding employer with a 2 Star Accreditation from Best Companies.
In 2020 BigChange was awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation, one of the highest business honours in the UK awarded for the company’s contribution to international trade, innovation, sustainable development and promoting opportunity. The company has also featured in the Sunday Times Tech Track 100 in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and was named in the 2018 Deloitte Technology Fast 50.
BigChange is the complete Job Management Platform that’s helping field service businesses across the UK to win more work, take control of their operations and deliver winning customer experiences. Bringing customer relationship management (CRM), job scheduling, live tracking, field resource management, job finance, business intelligence into one simple to use and easy to integrate platform, BigChange liberates customers from inefficient paper-based processes and the complexity of multiple different technology systems that hold their businesses back.
For more information please visit www.bigchange.com.
