BigChange Provides a Platform for Growth at Commercial Window Cleaning Specialist The Price Group

Posted on 1 November 2019 by Martin Port

The Price Group, one of the UK’s pioneers in high level cleaning services, has implemented BigChange’s 5-in-1 Mobile Workforce Management Platform.

The all-in-one system provides intelligent job scheduling, a mobile app for operatives and real-time tracking of all vehicles across the fleet. The new system completely replaces a number of different software applications with a complete business solution.

First formed in 1970 as JV Price Ltd, the Hemel Hempstead head-quartered company has built a reputation as a specialist in window, façade and exterior cleaning. Today, The Price Group has diversified into associated services and the hire of specialist equipment such as access platforms. With regional depots in Birmingham and Gatwick and around 80 full-time operatives, Price operates a fleet of 60 vehicles including vans, truck-mounted access platforms and spider lifts.

BigChange has replaced a number of different systems to provide Price with a completely paperless solution for the business. Initially the company wanted to simply replace their vehicle tracking system as it was standalone and not linked to their management system.

Charlie Price, Group Managing Director of The Price Group, says:

“Previously we had a service management system, a tracking system, an auditing software package and various spreadsheets,”

“When we saw what BigChange offered we realised it could replace everything we had with a single system. We really liked the joined up approach and although it’s not what we planned, we have now replaced all our legacy systems. What we have now is way beyond our original expectations and has been key to our digital transformation.”

Price logs incoming calls on the BigChange CRM from which actions are automated such as emails to customers and the scheduling of work. Surveyors use tablets for site surveys supported with photographs and video so the work teams know what to expect on site. Quotations are then issued and PO’s raised as required for the job to proceed.

Using the BigChange JobWatch app Price operatives receive jobs on their tablets which then provide navigation to site where onscreen workflows ensure correct health and safety procedures and site assessments are completed. JobWatch is then used for job sheets, before and after site photos and customer signature sign-off. The helpdesk then check the job sheets to address any issues prior to invoicing and transfer of the required financial data to Sage.

Price explains:

“We now have a much faster turnaround of everything – from the sales process to job completion and invoicing. For the management team everything is on a single platform and easily accessible and the live reporting gives us 24/7 visibility of all jobs,”

“Now we have a totally paperless system and we estimate improvements in efficiency are already approaching 10 percent. Additionally the BigChange solution is easily scalable and affordable so we can grow the business without any of the traditional barriers imposed by IT and system suppliers.”

Price has also noticed operative engagement has also improved with JobWatch.

he adds:

“Our operatives really like the fact that they no longer have to fill out paper forms. In turn the office no longer has to decipher poorly written notes and illegible – sometimes water soaked – paperwork,”

Price also use the integrated BigChange tracking to assess driver performance and the company has recently introduced a drive safe campaign with a monthly bonus incentive.

Price explains:

“The objective is to reward the good and re-educate the bad.”

Price says:

“One of the things we really like about BigChange is that they are always pushing to improve the system. The ethos of the company is also very good. As a business we like to provide a great service at a fair price and that is exactly what BigChange do.”

“The RoadCrew team are fantastic. We operate a 24/7 emergency service and most scheduled jobs start prior to 6am so our operatives really appreciated there is someone on hand at BigChange to provide support at any hour.”

CEO’s Blog – My new wellbeing crusade

Posted on 28 October 201917 June 2022 by Martin Port

About two years ago, I realised that I needed to make some changes in my life. Building a business can take a toll on your health and I was eating badly and hardly exercising.

I took on the challenge of losing 60lbs in six months. To keep myself focused, I created a JustGiving page to raise money, and pledged to donate £60 to Cancer Research for every pound lost. It was hugely motivating and I hit my target, raising more than £5,000 in total.

But now, I find myself sliding back into old habits. I’ve put on 1 stone since losing that weight last year. I need to set myself a new target and get back to healthy eating and exercise.

The fact that I’m back at square one and battling my weight again is hard to take. It got me thinking about wellness at work, and the changes that I would like to make to ensure everyone at BigChange feels good, and looks after their health.

I love using technology to solve problems so we have launched the BigChange Community app. The idea is to create a resource packed with useful features to help my team – and me – to stay happy and healthy.

There will be access to a GP’s advice 24/7; discounted gym membership (we contribute £20 per month to each employee); an online health checker and nutritional information. The app will also provide mental health support, featuring a helpline for emotional support.

This app will help my team to manage their health and mental wellbeing, and reduce stress. If they find it useful, then I would also like to recommend it to BigChange’s customers. Wellbeing at work is so important and many of the companies we work with employ sales people, drivers and engineers. These workers can really struggle, being out on the road for long hours.

The app will also have a business benefit. It has a first day absence service. If someone feels unwell and needs to take a day off, this would trigger a swift call back from the triage desk. They will run through the reasons for the absence and may refer them to an occupational health nurse. This would have the benefit of getting people who really should be in work back into work, prevent absenteeism, but also deliver important medical advice to those who are poorly.

I’m going back on MyFitnessPal. I’ll be bringing back my JustGiving page to raise some money for the British Heart Foundation. I am determined to keep the weight off this time.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CEO’s Blog – The 4.5-day week: revelations, setbacks and victories

Posted on 18 October 201917 June 2022 by Martin Port

Back in June of this year I announced that we were bringing in a 4.5-day week in anticipation of moving to a four-day week by 2021.

I’m really passionate about this idea. We live in a modern age powered by automation. We should all be working less, taking better care of our mental health and spending more time with friends and loved ones.

Lots of people told me I was crazy. I said that we would see an uptick in productivity and employee engagement, and no decrease in service. They told me it was likely to put more stress on managers, and that lots of people wouldn’t take the extra half-day.

It turns out: I was right. And you were also right.

Today I walked around the office and spoke to people across every department about our Flexi Friday initiative. I wanted to know if they were taking the half-day, what they were doing with it, and how the system could be improved.

Overall, it’s been a success. People across all teams say it’s a major bonus of working here. New recruits told me it was a factor in their choice to work at BigChange. They couldn’t wait to finish probation so that they could also benefit from the extra time off.

“It feels like I get a proper weekend now,” said our HR director, Sonal. “It’s a big advantage of working here,” Julie from credit control told me. “The extra time off is more valuable than money,” said Isaac, 23, who joined us straight from university.

My straw poll today really brought home the dedication of my team. Tom, who works in commercial, said: “It encourages me to keep on top of things during the week but, if there’s work to be done, I won’t always take it.”

Sonal is meeting with all the managers next week to get a full report but said anecdotally that Flexi Friday has been well-received and there have been no complaints so far.

But there are issues with the new system. I worried that some of the customer-facing teams would struggle to take half days every Friday. That has been the case. Instead they take a half-day at other times in the week but it’s not the same.

Not everyone is able to go flexi. My head of professional services said that he’s told all his friends about it and they’re jealous – but he’s yet to actually take an extra half-day because he has too much on.

BigChange is growing so fast that some teams have just enough people to handle the workload. They simply can’t spare anyone on a Friday. Managers are handling the extra work of allocating resource admirably but there’s no doubt the extra employees absences put pressure on them.

One thing is clear: we need to recruit a lot more people. We can’t expect managers and teams to wholeheartedly embrace Flexi Friday without extra hands on deck. That is now a priority for me: there needs to be cover for every role. That’s the only way to make 4.5 days truly workable.

We are coming towards the end of 2019 and hurtling towards the New Year. I don’t have long to iron out the kinks before we move to a four-day workweek. But we are making progress, and there has been no detrimental effect on service or delivery. Hats off to the team for making this bold idea a moderate – if not runaway – success. And thank you to all the doubters for keeping my feet on the ground. If you have any advice on getting over these last few hurdles, get in touch.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

BigChange Mobile Technology Streamlines and Protects GAP Hire Equipment

Posted on 17 October 2019 by Martin Port

GAP Hire Solutions, the UK’s largest independent equipment hire company, has deployed a cloud-based mobile workforce management system from Leeds-based BigChange.

The system has boosted the efficiency of GAP’s operations by equipping field operatives with rugged tablets running a mobile app called JobWatch which includes black box vehicle tracking as part of the system.

The 5 in 1 BigChange solution allows completely paperless working, connecting to the GAP hiredesk in real-time to provide management and customer services with 24/7 visibility on deliveries and collections of equipment.

The benefits have made an immediate impact on GAP Survey & Safety and it’s expanding customer base. The specialist division hires out specialist equipment and instrumentation to surveyors and civil engineers. Operating from 15 locations across the UK and employing 60 people, the division is growing rapidly.

GAP holds stocks of the latest total stations, GPS satellite network rovers, lasers and other precision instrumentation, as well as other surveying kit. The specialist equipment is not only expensive, but it is also being continually enhanced as the technology evolves. As a result, the hiring of equipment is increasingly popular, especially amongst civil engineers involved in set up at construction and infrastructure sites.

Jim Burke, GAP’s Survey & Safety Division Manager, says:

“We invest in the very latest surveying equipment including costly instrumentation which is often supplied with a box full of accessories,”

“In the past we didn’t have a way to provide proof when making a claim for damage or any missing accessories.”

GAP uses BigChange to manage the whole operation with all hired equipment being accurately logged and tracked from the initial order, through the depot and workshop, to delivery and collection. The tablets are used to photograph equipment prior to despatch, on delivery and when collected with GPS location and time recorded automatically with each image. For added security drivers can also photograph at handover so there is a record of the person taking delivery.

Burke explains:

“BigChange has changed everything by providing indisputable evidence when equipment and accessories are returned damaged or incomplete. It’s put an end to the challenging conversations we used to have – the digitally held records remove any doubts. Customers are much happier now we can show them tangible evidence for the first time. BigChange has eliminated what used to be a major management headache,”

The 5 in 1 JobWatch app links to BigChange vehicle telematics fitted to GAP Survey’s fleet of vans. Company cars are also fitted with the trackers so anyone can collect or deliver equipment knowing that the system automatically records their activity. Drivers use their tablets in place of traditional hire paperwork with improved time and location stamped records plus additional photographs when required. The devices are also used for daily vehicle safety checks.

Apart from the paperless delivery and collection management application, BigChange is having a big impact on operational efficiency. All jobs are scheduled, routed and tracked using BigChange and this is improving resource utilisation and reducing unnecessary mileage. Hire controllers also have continual, real-time visibility of the fleet allowing deliveries and collections to be managed better and dynamically – optimising resource utilisation and allowing a more responsive service.

Burke comments:

“BigChange gives us the ultimate controllability over our operations,”

“The real impact of the system has yet to really be felt as it’s relatively early on but already it has boosted efficiency and is underpinning rapid year-on-year business growth. And the more accurate hire records have also certainly improved profitability and cash flow.”

Burke adds:

“GAP’s mission as a company is encapsulated in what we call the GAP CODE; Communication, One Team, Dedication and Efficiency. BigChange is all that so it fits in perfectly with the philosophy and aims of the business,”

CEO’s Blog – Why I love Mondays

Posted on 14 October 2019 by Martin Port

Mondays get a bad rep but here at BigChange they are everyone’s favourite day of the week.

That’s because of our regular “Motivational Monday” initiative. Once a month, we invite someone exceptional from the world of sport or business (or anywhere really, as long as they are inspiring) to come in and talk to the team, share their stories and give advice.

Last week, we had Sharron Davies MBE in the office. She represented Great Britain in the Olympics and won a silver medal for the nation. She told us about how arduous training was – getting up at 5am and eating just a single meal each day to stay lean – and how hard it was to survive as an athlete in the old days, before sponsorships deals and TV contracts. It was just fascinating to hear her story.

Last month, we had Mr Motivator, the legend from GMTV morning television. He revealed that he’d been homeless for a time but managed to turn his life around. Other noteworthy speakers have been: Kevin Keegan OBE, football star and manager; Gerald Ratner former CEO of jewellery chain Rateners; Olympic gold medallist Sally Gunnell, the model turned entrepreneur Caprice; the racing driver Nick Hamilton; John McCarthy, who was taken hostage while reporting the crisis in Lebanon; and Mike Newman, who broke the land speed record despite being blind, and has founded the charity Speed of Sight. These are just a handful of the incredible people that have come into the office and chatted to the team. These are small sessions. We can ask questions and have a coffee together – it’s really an amazing thing to do.

We set aside a significant budget to get these people to come in and talk to us but it’s money well spent. Not only do these stories inspire the existing team, it’s also one of the reasons we successfully hire so many great new people. These Monday Motivations also pick me up when I’m feeling tired out or low. I’ve learned something valuable from every single person that’s come and given a talk. Sometimes it’s just a reminder of the importance of tenacity. Other times, I get more practical help: Mr Motivator gave me a few tips on how to sit and stand that help my posture, and I follow that advice every day.

At BigChange, we want to change the perception of Mondays. That’s why we make it possible for people to meet their icons at Monday Motivation. It shouldn’t be a drag to go to work; it should be a joy.

What are you doing to make Mondays better for your people? Let me know in the comments below.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CCTV Monitoring Focuses on Growth with BigChange Mobile Workforce Tech

Posted on 25 September 2019 by Martin Port

CCTV Monitoring, one of the fastest-growing construction site CCTV installation and monitoring businesses in the UK, has rolled out a mobile workforce system as part of a cloud-based business system from Leeds-based BigChange.

Equipped with rugged tablets running a 5 in 1 app called JobWatch, CCTV Monitoring engineers are tracked and connected in real-time to the central system giving management 24/7 visibility of their field operations.

CCTV Monitoring has a team of CCTV and security specialists with engineers that can be deployed quickly nationwide to provide a complete CCTV service from site assessment to installation, monitoring and servicing. Based in Emley, West Yorkshire, the company also operates a 24 hour state of the art monitoring station for key building sites across the UK. CCTV Monitoring services some of the biggest names in industry including Kier, Balfour Beatty, Morgan-Sindall, Galliford Try, Willmott Dixon and Skanska.

BigChange has provided a complete end-to-end solution to CCTV Monitoring which handles the entire business process. From logging incoming service requests on CRM software, to work scheduling and job allocation, through to routing and tracking to live job reporting, invoicing and management reporting.

Stuart Capstick, Managing Director of CCTV Monitoring, says:

“Initially we simply used BigChange as a CRM but we knew straight away that it provided a tremendous opportunity to improve the way we worked. The potential became very clear when we installed some large screens in the office and we could all immediately see our entire operations in real time and see the exact status of each job,”

he adds:

“BigChange really has revolutionised our business and it helps that it is very intuitive, very easy to use; it’s just ‘out there’,”

Founded 2005, CCTV Monitoring was formed to resolve the problems caused by opportunistic and professional theft from construction sites by using cost effective, technologically based CCTV alternatives to manned guards. The company secures sites in the most effective and technologically beneficial way; including an environment-friendly solar-powered system for remotely monitoring sites without the need for mains power.

With BigChange CCTV Monitoring has improved the way resources are allocated as the system gives an instant overview of each engineers’ location, status and capability. Linked to GPS trackers on their vans, engineers use their tablets for navigation, job sheets, timesheets, parts ordering and vehicle safety inspections. The devices can also be used for capturing time and location stamped photographs; providing indisputable evidence from site should future customer queries arise.

Capstick says:

“With BigChange we can get the right people to the right job quickly and efficiently; we’ve seen a very significant increase in productivity since implementing BigChange;”

he adds:

“Our profitability per job is now typically 30 percent greater than before. That profit is being ploughed back into the business to invest in new equipment and support our expansion plans nationally and into new markets,”

Like other adopters of BigChange CCTV Monitoring sees the system as a platform for growth. After consolidation last year, the company is expected to grow by 40 percent in 2019 with expansion not only in the construction sector but also into new markets and new areas of service such as access control and fire prevention.

Capstick explains:

“The thing about BigChange is that we are no longer constrained as a business. We can expand freely without needing to worry about our IT capability – it is all on the cloud and mobile. As they say old ways won’t open new doors and we have a new way – BigChange gives us fingertip control of the business and with the flexibility of the system we can easily tailor it to bring on new services.”

With the introduction of BigChange, customer services have had a big boost through improved communication with clients. With better and more up to date information clients are kept in the picture with emails with expected time off arrival on site and job completion reports, backed with photographs.

Capstick says:

“For many clients we already provide live CCTV feeds through our monitoring service but they were pretty much in the dark when it came to our installation and service work. With BigChange that has changed and now we can keep them in the picture,”

“It’s good for business in other ways as well as previously we were going out to do chargeable reactive maintenance work but our records were not updated; on this alone BigChange has increased our annual billings by around £30k a year in fees previously not charged.”

BigChange named among UK’s fastest growing technology businesses

Posted on 24 September 2019 by Martin Port

BigChange, the mobile workforce technology company, has been included in the Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100 league table, which ranks Britain’s private technology, media and telecoms (TMT) companies with the fastest-growing sales, for the second year in succession.

The Leeds-based company, which entered the league table for the first time in 2018, was named in the Sunday Times as the third fastest growing private technology company in Yorkshire and 59th in the UK overall, with annual sales growth of 77 percent over the last three years.

Martin Port, founder and CEO of BigChange, comments:

“BigChange has a great growth story and we are delighted to be named as one of the fastest growing UK technology businesses for the second year running.”

“Fundamentally, our success comes down to helping customers become greener, more efficient and deliver even better levels of service. We’ve created 120 high value jobs here in Leeds, we’ve recruited a great team and we are continuing to grow quickly through new product innovation, geographical expansion and strategic acquisitions.”

BigChange provides a pioneering mobile workforce management system called JobWatch that is used by over 1,000 organisations globally. JobWatch combines CRM, smart job scheduling, vehicle tracking and a series of mobile applications to eliminate paper record keeping, automate manual processes and facilitate collaboration on the go between companies. BigChange works primarily with organisations in the construction, facilities management, field service, transport, logistics and waste management industries.

CEO’s Blog – A call to arms for all British employers

Posted on 24 September 201917 June 2022 by Martin Port

It’s not often that I attend an industry event and leave feeling as though my eyes have been opened to something completely new.

But at the recent Women in Logistics conference organised by its founder BigChange Director Ruth Wearing, I was completely bowled over by one speaker: Jennifer Swain.

She works for Clipper, one of the UK’s leading logistics companies. Clipper, like many British companies, is likely to be hit by staff shortages in the wake of Brexit. Unlike many companies, it decided to take decisive action. However, the action it has taken is truly extraordinary.

Clipper has created a Fresh Start programme to widen its talent pool and help support long-term unemployed people into work. The initiative was created in partnership with several charities, all supporting vulnerable, excluded, or disabled people who have struggled to find work elsewhere. Clipper has teamed up with the likes of MenCap, the charity for people with special needs, Scope, which helps those with physical disabilities, Tempus Novo, which works with ex-offenders, and Emmaus, a charity for the ex-homeless, to name but a few. These charities represent around 11m people between them: an extraordinary talent pool that has been almost entirely untapped.

Fresh Start is an incredible example of what’s possible when you marry corporate social responsibility with smart business strategy. It’s inspiring how they have tackled an issue – finding great people to do manual work – but done it in a way where everyone benefits.

It’s not easy to run a project like this. You need to make sure your offices are completely accessible to those with disabilities. You need to make sure you are able to support those with mental health issues or special needs. You need champions on the ground to mentor and guide new recruits. You need to be completely flexible, and allow people to work when they can. Clipper has achieved a Disability Confident Committed award for its approach.

There are a few firms out there doing great work like this. Timpson, the cobblers and locksmith chain, was a trailblazer in employing ex-offenders. Recycling Lives, the waste management company, a BigChange customer is another amazing business that supports the homeless, ex-offenders and the long-term unemployed into meaningful work.

Clipper has now employed many capable staff through Fresh Start. These people are likely to be incredibly loyal and long-serving because they have been given the opportunity to forge a career with a great company. I take my hat off to Clipper.

This has spurred me on to think of how we can do more to help people who have struggled to find work into a rewarding job here at BigChange. I have a vested interest in making this work: as the father of two children with special needs, it’s a cause close to my heart. They are wonderful young adults one does work for BigChange in a software testing role and my other son works on a care farm.

This country needs innovators like Clipper, who take a problem and find enduring and ingenious solutions. Let’s all join the charge.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CEO’s Blog – Entrepreneurs bring such energy to a business. Have you felt it?

Posted on 24 September 201916 June 2022 by Martin Port

What is it about entrepreneurs? There is a feeling that hangs in the air when you visit a business where the founder is present. It’s hard to put into words, but it’s a charge, a sense of urgency.

The closest thing I’ve seen to this effect is in football. Sir Alex Ferguson, the legendary football manager, created that same sense of urgency. Players called him ‘boss’ and he presided over Manchester United’s most triumphant period, winning 38 trophies. Fergie may have been a divisive character but there is no doubting his ability. He is still the most successful manager in the history of football. But what about the succession?

I recently conducted an employee survey at BigChange. The results were overwhelmingly positive. People love working here, they respect me as a leader, and they are happy with the training and opportunities available to them. But there was a red flag: some of my colleagues think that I am too involved in the day to day running of the business. I attend every meeting that I can, and maintain a presence across every department. I make no apologies for this approach. This is how I keep my feet on the ground and stay aware of the needs of the customer.

Colleagues also commended on how visible I am as a founder. When people talk about BigChange, my name always comes up. But isn’t that the way it should be? I started this business seven years ago: we are still young, we are still growing. I feel that it’s too soon for me to disappear into the background. There is still so much I want to achieve.

I don’t know whether to take these comments as a compliment or a criticism. But I do know that I want to listen and take action if there is any way I can improve as a leader.

With that in mind, maybe it’s time to appoint a Chief Operating Officer. That would give other leaders in the business room to spread their wings, take more risks, and have more agency at BigChange.

This survey has also helped me realise that having me as the main man is a risk. If I were hit by a bus, it would be hard to replace me. As we scale, I need to let specialists take on more responsibility.

Don’t get me wrong. I want to remain the driving force behind this business. I’ll be here for the next 10 years, at least. And that decision is not about ego, it’s practical. Our backers funded me, as an entrepreneur. That’s what investment is all about: belief in an individual’s ability to execute a vision. But it makes sense to bring in another leader to complement me, and bring more diversity to the leadership team.

I want people to feel the same charge, when they come and see us at BigChange, as I experience when I visit founder-led companies. I believe I can still create that feeling here, while handing over some of the day-to-day duties to brilliant, capable people – or a person – who will do the job even better than me. It’s time to be brave, and let go.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CEO’s Blog – Brexit is nothing; Corbyn is the real threat to the UK

Posted on 12 September 201917 June 2022 by Martin Port

Brexit has dominated the news agenda for the past few years but it is now the least of my worries. Jeremy Corbyn’s radical economic agenda is the biggest threat to this country, and to entrepreneurs like me.

What has happened to our political system? The country voted to leave Europe. Whether you support that decision or not, the people have spoken. The duty of Parliament is to carry out that vote. Yet politicians are doing all they can to stall the process. Jeremy Corbyn is using the unrest as a way of bringing about a general election. This is worrying.

If he gets into power, we are in trouble.

Why do entrepreneurs create businesses? Yes, they want to disrupt industries, create new technologies or bring brilliant ideas to life but they also want decent remuneration in exchange for working day and night – and taking the risk of building a company and creating jobs. Corbyn plans to axe Entrepreneurs’ Relief if he gets in. This would mean that entrepreneurs in this country will no longer pay 10pc tax when they sell their company; the figure will rise to as much as 50pc.

Just the idea of this tax hike is enough to stifle ambition. I’ve heard of entrepreneurs trying to sell their businesses now, before a Labour government has the chance to decimate any chance of a financial reward. That means business owners’ expansion plans are being cut short – who knows what impact that could have on the UK’s economic growth over the next few years? How many new jobs will no longer be created?

Corbyn also plans to nationalise some firms and force entrepreneurs to give out shares to workers. Don’t get me wrong – I am all for employee ownership and share options – but we should not be forced to give away our companies. It should be down to the owner of the business. Can you imagine the impact on the stock market if Corbyn seizes power?

This idea of a new ministry for workers rights, which would have powers to imprison company bosses at will, is just going to heap more regulation on UK businesses. The CBI has said that Corbyn’s proposals will “turn the UK back decades”. The CBI’s deputy director-general, Josh Hardie, says: “The vast majority of firms thrive on strong employee engagement, invest in training and prioritise wellbeing. They support jobs, sustainable wage rises and enforcement of employment law. A fundamental re-write of regulation is the last thing the economy needs right now.” I couldn’t agree more.

Corbyn is an anti-Semitic Marxist and the last person that should be running the country, Give me a “no deal” any day. We survived World War II. Food and medicines still made it onto our island when we were at war. We can survive crashing out on October 31st. I know we would not survive a Corbyn-led government.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO