Quest goes for growth after investing in BigChange

Posted on 6 September 2019 by Martin Port

Quest Waste Management, a domestic and commercial cleaning company specialising in serving the drainage industry, has embarked on an ambitious expansion drive following the implementation of BigChange’s mobile workforce management system JobWatch.

Quest, which was founded in November 2014 and operates across the UK from its base in Ossett, West Yorkshire, plans to double in size over the next three years, expanding its existing team of 26 people to more than 50. It has committed to spending almost £800k over the next six months on specialist wet waste removal and recycling vehicles to gain extra capacity to meet growing demand for its services.

Quest’s expansion plans rely on its use of JobWatch, BigChange’s pioneering mobile workforce management system, which it adopted in 2018. JobWatch combines CRM, smart job scheduling, vehicle tracking and a series of mobile applications to eliminate paper record keeping and automate many of the manual processes undertaken by mobile workers.

The use of JobWatch means that Quest can now see the status of its entire fleet in real time and book new jobs within seconds. It expects to double the number of jobs its team can complete without requiring further back office employees to manage its growing waste management operation. Quest estimates that its use of BigChange has already eliminated the need to print, scan and store more than 150,000 pieces of paper a year across its operation.

Ivan Smyth, Managing Director at Quest Waste Management, comments:

“Quest is expanding with confidence thanks to BigChange. The insight and agility we gain through using JobWatch means we are winning more business; we are expanding as a result and we are able to offer a level of customer service that is unrivalled in our industry. When a customer calls, we can tell them within seconds whether we will be able to do the job and when we can arrive.”

“JobWatch has transformed our business. Before BigChange we managed our operations using a daily spreadsheet and a mountain of paper. Each job would require at least 20 pieces of paper – including risk assessments, method statements and maps – as well as the timesheets and vehicle records that mobile workers compile each day. We’ve eliminated this paperwork, we can now run our mobile workforce operation 24/7 from anywhere with an internet connection, and we’ve gained a lot more insight into our operations.”

Additional insight into mobile workforce operations

The use of BigChange has provided Quest with new sources of data that it is able to interrogate for rapid insight into its operations. It is helping the company to demonstrate compliance with the terms of its HGV vehicle operator licence and gain certification for ISO 9001 Quality Management System, ISO 14001 standard for Environmental Management and ISO 45001 Health and Safety Management.

Martin Port, founder and CEO of BigChange, comments:

“Quest is a great example of what happens when ambitious companies start using BigChange, gaining complete visibility of its operations and a scalable, state of the art means of managing its mobile workforce. Quest has made huge strides forward in terms of efficiency and customer service with JobWatch, and gained the insight and agility it needs to expand the business with confidence.”

CEO’s Blog – Cutting carbon for all the right reasons

Posted on 1 September 201917 June 2022 by Martin Port

For a while, in the early 2000s, it seemed like every company was planting trees or offsetting its carbon. It was all a ploy to convince consumers they were environmentally conscious when, frankly, they weren’t.

The consumers have wised up. Between the Volkswagen emissions scandal and the backlash against bottled water companies claiming to be ‘environmentally responsible’, there is now a lot of scepticism out there about companies’ green credentials.

I don’t believe in greenwashing. I believe in doing your absolute best to consider the environment when making business decisions. More often than not, the greener choice is the best option for your bottom line.

Here at BigChange, we have gone paperless. Come to our office here in Leeds and you won’t see a single desk printer or filing trays full of paper. Everyone works off their laptop or tablet. That’s better for the environment because we’re not cutting down trees for paper but it is also great for keeping overheads down; no paper means no stationery.

We are also helping our customers to go paperless. We estimate that the 1,000 plus clients on our JobWatch system have saved 13,000 trees from the paper mill. Working with BigChange also helps these companies to cut down their emissions because our job scheduling and tracking technology reduces the miles travelled and saves on fuel. That has the potential to have a big impact on the environment.

I don’t believe we have gone far enough to reduce our carbon footprint. We already recycle and collect food waste separately. Staff are encouraged to take public transport instead of driving to work and to meetings. We are switching our lightbulbs to LEDs, and looking into green energy options for the office. We try to procure sustainably and don’t provide unnecessary plastics like cutlery or cups. But I want to go further.

I’m not kidding myself. BigChange is not going to be carbon neutral. Not unless we employ a consultant to do all the offsetting and tree planting. We are expanding internationally and that means I need to get on planes – hardly the most ecological way to travel. Being paperless means more devices, which also consume electricity – it’s not a perfect solution.

I don’t want to be a hypocrite on this issue but I believe it’s important to stick your head above the parapet on issues you care about. I want to encourage other bosses to do what they can to reduce their environmental impact. It’s not about being perfect, or greenwashing your image. It’s about doing your absolute best to minimise the negative impact your business has on the planet.

Let’s all support each other to make the right decisions for this world and the next generation. If anyone has some suggestions on how I can make BigChange a greener business, I’d love to hear them.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CEO’s Blog – The tech CEO gives up tech (for a week)

Posted on 18 August 201917 June 2022 by Martin Port

I’m not surprised that so many Silicon Valley technologists have become advocates of the digital detox. The developers behind the likes of Facebook and Google have seen the impact that gamifying apps has had on the average phone user.

We are all addicted to our phones and we use them for everything, from email to photos to social media.

There’s even a new organisation, which was founded by ex-techies, called the Centre for Humane Technology, which is calling for the software giants to stop competing for our attention, and instead devote themselves to helping consumers achieve “Time Well Spent”.

I’m not going to wait for the tech giants to design an app to help me enjoy life. I’ve decided to take control.

I recently went on holiday to Cyprus. As readers of this blog will know, I usually struggle to switch off – even when I’m away with the family. So this time I started locking my phone away in the hotel safe. At 10am, it was gone, and I wouldn’t allow myself another look until 6pm. It stays in the room when we have dinner too.

As digital detoxes go, this was pretty ‘lite’ but I noticed it had a profound impact. I have been fully focused on my family. The conversation has been flowing. My wife and I have had a chance to properly unwind (although she’s still been using her phone, despite my best efforts).

When we went out for dinner in the evening, I noticed just how many people were absorbed in their phones. They would sit in silence, or speak in short sentences. That could have been us this holiday.

I realise it’s not easy to attempt a digital detox, especially as a entrepreneur with a growing company. But there are a few things you can do to make the process easier.

1.) Do it during the summer holidays

Have you noticed the volume of email dropping right down? That’s because a lot of people are taking time off to be with their children. Take advantage of a quieter August and plan your detox to coincide with school holidays.

2.) Get a PA

There is no way I would be able to detox without my PA. She handles everything urgent on my behalf. You need to be able to put down your phone, knowing that someone you trust can field emails and calls.

3.) Build digital detoxing into your company culture

You need to show your team that they are not expected to check their emails on holiday. Start by cutting communications in the evenings and on weekends. Lead by example, and don’t send emails out of hours. If you can delegate, other people will too. When someone goes on holiday, make sure there are processes in place that mean they don’t need to check in. When anyone is out of the office, there should be another person who can pick up the slack.

4.) Enjoy the detox

There’s no point locking away your phone if you’re going to hate every minute. Prepare yourself for the experience, and enjoy unplugging from technology. Take the time to have conversations with real people, and to notice the world around you.

I’ve become a digital detox evangelist on this holiday. When I see people round the pool on their phones, I’ve been telling them to put them down. They have had their revenge: when someone saw me writing this blog on my phone, they told me off.

Steve Jobs famously wouldn’t let his kids near the iPad. Bill Gates says his family has strict rules on screen time. If the world’s most famous technologists feared the impact of too much screen time, we should too.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

BigChange Puts AGS Pest Control On the Right Track For Business Expansion

Posted on 14 August 2019 by Martin Port

AGS, provider of facilities management services to Transport for London (TfL), has completed the implementation of a mobile workforce system from BigChange.

The system, which sees field technicians equipped with tablets connected in real time to a control centre, has been rolled out initially across the company’s fast-expanding Pest Control division.

AGS provide a range of services for the upkeep of public transport facilities across London, including the Underground, rail lines, tunnels, rail and bus stations. As a contractor to TfL, AGS provide everything from cleaning, maintenance, painting and specialist coatings. The Group’s pest control division was formed two years ago as part of a strategic move to expand the AGS business nationally.

David McMillan, General Manager, AGS Pest Control says:

“The UK pest control market has undergone some major changes in recent years and we have identified a need for small, specialist and highly mobile teams to deliver fast-response services,”

“BigChange provides a highly agile and accessible platform that will underpin this expansion and allow us to easily collaborate with like-minded companies nationally.”

AGS Pest Control are using JobWatch, the 5 in 1 mobile app from BigChange linked in real time to BigChange back office CRM and work scheduling. JobWatch replaces a series of separate systems to provide a fully integrated IT solution for paperless working throughout the company.

McMillan says:

“We have previously equipped our technicians with tablets but they were simply used to take pictures and send emails. It was not a connected system so it required a lot of laborious data entry and frankly wasted time for both our field technicians and office administrators,”

“We wanted a system that would do everything and BigChange offered the best solution.”

With their TfL contract AGS face challenging working conditions. often underground or trackside and are bound by stringent safety and security procedures. The array of paperwork has been eliminated with the introduction of JobWatch that provides on-screen workflows and fully digital working.

In London, AGS technicians are not patch based but get allocated jobs across London. The system helps to ensure the right technicians are assigned to the right jobs based on their skills and certifications. With parking difficult in London travel by van is minimised and BigChange scheduling software assigns the best daily working schedule for each technician based on jobs location.
The TfL work is fault based and service requests are via the TfL system that will soon be integrated with the BigChange system to provide a seamless digital workflow from start to completion. With a pool of over 60 mobile operatives the pest control specialists are sometimes supported by crews to undertake supporting work such as clearing vegetation and removing litter.

McMillan says:

“BigChange provides us with an overview of everything that is happening in real time. With colour coded status reports I can instantly see how we are doing and deal quickly with any outstanding issues. It’s a brilliant management tool,”

“The other thing we really like is that it is a fully integrated system that does everything we need; it joins up all the dots.”

AGS operate 24/7 with night and day shifts. Work is usually scheduled the day before deployment with technicians receiving jobs on their tablets. The devices are then used for all tasks onsite such as risk assessments, certifications, job sheets and customer sign off on glass. On completion the job details a sent directly to the client with the AGS Control Centre dealing with any issues and additional service needs, with quoting and invoicing as required.

AGS has ambitious plans for expansion nationally and BigChange provides a platform that will underpin this growth.

McMillan comments:

“Being a cloud solution we can expand without any IT infrastructure restraints and we really like the flexibility of the system. In our business there are numerous types of reports and different clients have different requirements; it can get very complicated. With JobWatch we can simply configure report templates to meet any requirement. This is important as we plan expansion nationwide,”

AGS also see a future in collaboration.

McMillan explains:

“With the pest control market opening up in recent years we believe there is void to be filled by specialists around the country. With JobWatch we can easily share work by giving contractors access to the JobWatch app or by collaborating with other companies who are part of the fast-growing BigChange network,”

“Smaller operators can compete not only by sharing resources and intelligence but by using JobWatch there is a professional system in place that provides all the functionality and credentials needed to deliver big company services but with more reactive and better value services.”

BigChange Delivers 40% Productivity Gain for HSS Groundcare

Posted on 14 August 2019 by Martin Port

HSS Groundcare, the only national groundcare hire and maintenance service in the UK, has rolled out new mobile technology that has boosted field engineer productivity by 40 percent.

Providing visibility of operations nationwide, the new system supplied by Leeds based BigChange connects back office cloud software with mobile devices and vehicle trackers as part of a paperless, real-time system.

HSS Groundcare is part of the HSS Hire Group, the £350 million turnover business employing almost 2,500 people across 250 UK locations. The specialist groundcare and landscaping service operates from 12 locations nationwide and looks after 21,000 individual assets. Although HSS Groundcare supply and hire equipment, such as lawnmowers, chippers and strimmers, the primary activity is the servicing and maintenance of equipment and the company provides a same day call out service.

HSS field engineers are equipped with rugged tablets running JobWatch, the 5 in 1 app that replaces all paperwork. As well as digital job cards, the devices allow access to a library of useful documents such as procedures and equipment manuals with technical diagrams. On the move the tablets sit in dashboard cradles and provide navigation and BigChange GPS trackers keep customer services up to date on the whereabouts of each engineer.

Previously HSS Groundcare relied on spreadsheets and mobile phone communications to manage the field operations but, as the division was expanded, this system quickly became overloaded and too cumbersome to use with the increasing volume of work.

Colin Newton, HSS Groundcare Director says:

“Utilisation is the key for us and since implementing the BigChange system this is where we have seen enormous benefits. We need to keep our engineers as busy as possible and with this system we have increased utilisation from around 50 percent to 90 percent,”

“Gone are all those idle hours sitting around the depot and our engineers are much happier busy doing their job.”

With clients including local authorities, sports grounds and golf courses, HSS Groundcare provides services that include repairs, servicing, fault monitoring and operator training. A landscaping service meanwhile includes groundworks and the application of compost, mulches and fertilisers. With contracts with many different organisations, each with distinct service packages, managing and accounting had previously been very complicated.

With BigChange, job sheets and reports can be easily tailored and managing business has become a lot easier. The system is also proving invaluable for meeting KPI obligations. With contract performance typically assessed on criteria such as response times, time taken to fix equipment and the first time fix rates, JobWatch provides instant and accurate data on all jobs. Through the tablets, engineers can also access historical information looking at, for example, what repairs were undertaken previously.

Newton says:

“Previously we couldn’t keep track of the work and reporting to customers was particularly difficult. JobWatch gives us all the information we need and that is vital for customer service. Not only can we keep customers informed – on for example the engineer’s ETA or when their equipment has been fixed, but we can also monitor the performance of equipment. We can also spot recurring faults which might be caused by operators themselves. That added dimension to our service sets us apart in the eyes of our customers.”

JobWatch is integrated with the company’s bespoke hire system call SPANNER allowing data to be freely interchanged for accounts and stock control. For example, engineers record parts used or needed on their job cards and this automatically updates the central stock control system and actions parts requests. Engineers can also record labour and parts for recharging and customers get an automated report on completion of the job.

Newton adds:

“BigChange has given us a massive improvement in efficiency and as well as the improvement in resource utilisation – more or less doubling the number of jobs we do a day. We are also saving fuel through optimised routing and scheduling. The added visibility is also allowing us to better plan ahead so we can schedule everything, including annual planned maintenance work, to optimise the use of our resources.”

Newton explains:

“JobWatch was resisted at first by some engineers but now our engineers love it. In fact, they refuse to take any jobs that are not in the system. From a management perspective JobWatch gives us consistency across the business as we all use the same worksheet format; so whether different engineers are in different regions, we all rely on the same standard data reporting.”

Using the BigChange powered tablets, engineers capture photographs on site to provide evidence of work done and the customer signs off work with an on-screen signature.

Newton adds:

“If a job fails we can see exactly why and with time stamped photographs and tracking logs we have indisputable evidence and that means there is really no cause for a debate and we can invoice immediately.”

BigChange has also helped improve customer services according to Leah Hague, Outsource Asset Manager, HSS Groundcare.

“For customer services the key benefit is visibility. With the tracking we can immediately see who is where and see if a job has started and how long it is taking. With live reporting from the engineers we can immediately see the status of every job and everything is attached to a job card – documents, photographs and the customer signature sign off – so everything is in one place and immediately accessible.”

CEO’s Blog – Am I the only one who has a problem with vaping?

Posted on 12 August 201917 June 2022 by Martin Port

I really want my colleagues to live happy, healthy lives, and will do anything I can to help them on that journey.

At Masternaut the business I founded previously, I ran an initiative called Cash for Quitters. I offered my colleagues a cash bonus of £1,250 (and gave £1,250 to Cancer Research UK) in exchange for going smoke-free. I successfully helped 12 people give up smoking for good, which was a great achievement.

One of my Masternaut team now works with me at BigChange. He still doesn’t smoke cigarettes but he has taken up vaping. I felt this was a backwards move so I started doing some research.

Vapes have only been around for a short time. The first electronic cigarette was created by Hon Lik in Beijing in 2003. Yet, less than two decades later, the health warnings are starting to build up.

The Food and Drug Administration in the US has stated that vapes and e-cigarette are “not safe and effective in helping smokers quit”, while the Surgeon General has warned that the liquid and smoke can contain a number of toxic chemicals, including acrolein – a weed killer[1].

I worry about the members of my team that vape, and it bothers me that so many young people, who would never have started smoking, are choosing to vape because it’s seen as cool. Even children are being lured in by all the sweet flavours – some are even based on confectionery.

Beyond the health risks, vapes are really bad for productivity. It’s bad enough that smokers take regular breaks to light up, people who vape feel they can do it all the time because it’s “not as bad as smoking”, which means even more time outside, distracted from their jobs.

Some people even feel it’s acceptable to vape from their desks. The warnings about second-hand vaping emissions aren’t well publicised but studies have shown they can cause breathing and lung problems. This is absolutely not something we would tolerate at BigChange.

The NHS has recommended that smokers move over to vape, claiming that e-cigarettes are 95pc less toxic than the alternative but I worry that this will become the next big health scare of the decade.

So, at BigChange, I’m bringing back Cash for Quitters. We are ironing out the details but I’m hoping to launch in September. It’s possible to test for nicotine quite easily, so we’ll be able to check if anyone cheats. You can even buy testing kits on Amazon now… I thought I’d been successful with my mission and yet here am I, 10 years later, with a new problem to deal with.

I think it’s important that us bosses highlight this issue, and work together to keep employees smoke – and vape – free. Who’s with me?

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CEO’s Blog – I was 57 last week. Am I past it now?

Posted on 4 August 201917 June 2022 by Martin Port

I am not often plagued with self-doubt but turning 57 has thrown me. It’s too far the wrong side of 50. I’ll be 60 in three years and that’s a really scary age.

I work with colleagues two generations younger than me now. It’s made me wonder whether I still have what it takes to build BigChange. Am I older and wiser? Or running out of steam?

In fact, right now, I feel younger than I have in a long time. I’ve lost a lot of weight over the past year (many thanks to all those who sponsored me https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/martin-port). I also feel lighter in spirit. I lost my dad two years ago. In my faith, you say prayers for your loved ones for 11 months after you bury them. Sadly, 11 months later, I buried my mother, so I have been saying those prayers for 22 months. When you experience tragedy, it takes time to grieve and get back on an even keel, but I feel I’m there now.

Older entrepreneurs aren’t as rare as you might think. A recent study by MIT found that the average age of a start-up founder is 42. The people who create high-growth companies are 45, on average[1]. The idea that all founders are pimply 18-year-olds is a myth. In the UK, the average business owner is 51. Ray Kroc didn’t open his first McDonald’s until he was 52. Maybe I’m not so old after all. As long as I’m the right person to be leading this business, I’ll work till I drop.

If BigChange does outgrow me, I would happily see out my days doing charity work. I would be proud of my legacy, either way. But I feel like I’m still the best person for this job. Yes, I’m older. I’m also calmer, more rational. I’m better with people. When you’re young, you want everything to happen yesterday. I’ve learned to bide my time and be patient. You can’t build a global success overnight.

I used to enjoy material things. These days, I’m content with my lot. I don’t need to buy anything. My focus instead is on creating wealth with the business, and helping our customers to grow.

People ask me if I’d consider selling the business, now that I’m getting on a bit. I reply that I’m a buyer, not a seller. I’m pushing on. I may have reached my scary age but I still feel like I can conquer the world. I’m seven years into my journey with BigChange and I feel more ambitious than ever. I want to turn this into a billion-pound business.

I believe I have another 20 years in me. You’ll have to carry me out the door.

https://www.businessinsider.com/young-startup-founder-myth-average-age-of-entrepreneurs-42-mit-study-2018-4?r=US&IR=T

https://www.finder.com/uk/business-owners-uk

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

CEO’s Blog – A true entrepreneur is always selling

Posted on 30 July 201916 June 2022 by Martin Port

Fans of this blog will know: I never switch off. My every waking moment is spent thinking about how to grow BigChange and make the service we provide even better – much to the frustration of my family.

Part of being ‘always on’ means that I’m looking for leads all the time. It’s the entrepreneurs’ way: every interaction is a potential networking opportunity. If you are growing a business, you need to view every single person you meet as a potential advocate or customer for your company. This is a lesson I learned from my father, who was always talking to people. It’s also a skill I’ve passed on to my son’s, Joseph my 22 year old once found a brilliant partner for BigChange just by chatting to the people at the next table in a restaurant while we were out for dinner. I was so proud!

Here are some of the ways I turn any situation into a sales opportunity:

Trains, planes and automobiles

Whenever I’m travelling, I talk to people, and I travel a lot. I like to make eye contact with whoever is sitting opposite me and ask, “How was your day?” or “How’s business?” Or an old faithful is: “Do you know what time this train arrives in London?” That’s a reliable conversation starter, as it usually leads to us both moaning about delays, expensive fares and poor service. You never know who you’ll meet if you talk to strangers and, at the very least, you might make an interesting new friend.

One tip I would add is to have a sticker with your company logo on your laptop when you’re working on the train. People are often curious. The other week, the guy sitting next to me on the train looked me up on LinkedIn and told me, “Your CIO used to work for my company!”

LinkedIn Find Nearby

The LinkedIn app has a feature that allows you to see connections around you. If you activate the ‘Find Nearby’ option, you can see if any professional contacts are on your train or at your event so you can say hello in person. I love it when technology actually makes a face-to-face connection easier instead of harder. You can find out more about Find Nearby here: https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/75689/using-the-find-nearby-feature?lang=en

Networking events

I used to be really sceptical about organised networking. I thought it was a rip off, full of people who were unlikely to generate sales for my business. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I’m a big supporter of the BNI movement, which hosts breakfasts for professionals. It’s amazing! You have to provide testimonials before you can attend, so everyone there – whether they are a plumber or a software developer – comes highly recommended by people they have worked with. Even if you don’t generate sales from these events, it’s a really useful way to practice your pitch and grow in confidence. A lot of people who run businesses aren’t the best at promoting themselves or their businesses, and even serial entrepreneurs like me benefit from a bit of practice now and then.

Exhibitions

I attend a lot of trade fairs with BigChange and I have several tried-and-tested ways of getting people to stop and talk to me. I’m going to let you in on a couple of my secrets (no charge!). The first is to try and shake someone’s hand as they approach. Most people can’t help it, and you both end up laughing and having a chat. The other is to say, “I’m sure I know you”. When they say they can’t remember you, look at their name badge and say, “Michael! It’s you!” Even when you confess that you’re complete strangers, it’s a conversation starter!

What’s the strangest place you’ve made a contact or sale? Share your tips in the comments!

Martin Port
Founder & CEO

BigChange Gives Hatton Traffic Complete Control Over Mobile Workforce

Posted on 25 July 2019 by Martin Port

Hatton Traffic Management is rolling out the latest mobile technology as part of a resource management system connecting field operatives to fleet controllers in real time.

Supplied by Leeds IT company BigChange, the system is already providing significant improvements in efficiency and service with a switch to digital working and the elimination of paperwork.

Based in the North East, Hatton Traffic Management operates nationwide from 10 locations and provides complete range of traffic management systems for anything from motorway closures to city wide event traffic management, rail crossings and portable traffic light control. Working with local authorities, event organisers, highways agencies and many of the UK’s largest infrastructure companies, with clients from Balfour Beatty to the BBC.

With the rapid expansion of the business in recent years, Hatton Traffic Management has expanded its portfolio of services to include permanent sign supply and installation, mobile elevated work platform services, and equipment hire and sales. Hatton is also one of only a limited number of companies in the UK offering both temporary and permanent Vehicle Restraint Systems (VRS).

Simon Watton, Software Developer, Hatton Traffic Management says:

“As the company expanded we outgrew our previous IT system and began an exhaustive search for something that would handle our diverse needs. We found systems were very good at one thing but were unable to handle other aspects of our work; we really wanted a single system to manage everything. It soon became clear that BigChange was the only supplier that offered the flexibility we needed,”

Once quoted work is accepted, schedulers at each location automatically receive job details for their region.

Watton says:

“That’s a really useful feature.”

“Each depot simply has visibility of their jobs but centrally we see the whole picture.”

Hatton currently has 107 field operatives and once jobs are scheduled and allocated, the appropriate operative receives the job on their rugged tablets. The tablets run the BigChange 5 in 1 app called JobWatch which replaces traditional worksheets and an array of cumbersome paperwork that operatives used to have to carry and complete.

Hatton operates a fleet that include hybrid cars, euro 6 drop side vans and impact protection vehicles. All vehicles are equipped with dashboard cradles for the tablets that provide routing and navigation. On site tablets are unclipped and used for risk assessment ensuring operatives complete a safety and procedural check list before proceeding. The tablets are used for photographing the site on arrival and throughout the job through to the final off-hire equipment collection.

Darren Ryan, Regional Manager, Hatton Traffic Management says:

“Previously it took ages to get back all the paperwork but now it’s all digital everything is much faster and our operatives don’t need to come into the depot before starting a job.”

Watton adds:

“There are so many variables in traffic management and any number of different parties are involved introducing factors beyond our control. BigChange gives us – and our clients – a level of visibility that really has transformed our service and made things a lot easier to manage.”

The BigChange solution is entirely cloud-based providing easy access anywhere, anytime and this has made roll out nationally straightforward. The fleet is also equipped with BigChange satellite trackers so Hatton always know where everyone is so customers can be kept informed. Historical tracking data – linked to the worksheets and photographs is also proving useful for handling customer queries and as a check for invoicing and timesheets. JobWatch is also used for vehicle checks and to assess driver performance with the flagging up of excessive idling, speed and harsh braking.

Watton says:

“Our work is very diverse and different clients have different guidelines and procedures. This is where the BigChange solution is particularly good as we can tailor workflows, worksheets and anything else depending on the type of job and customer requirements. We also like the fact that the system is being continually evolved.”

JobWatch also provides access to a document library giving operatives instant access to all documentation relating to a job; vehicle cabs are no longer cluttered with reams of paperwork.

In terms of benefits the system is still being rolled out nationally but for those now implemented Hatton reports significant benefits in efficiency, service and cost savings.

Watton says:

“It’s too early to quantify savings but BigChange is clearly providing big improvements in efficiency. Just the fact that operatives can go straight to site is saving on miles and fuel and allowing more jobs to be done on any given day. Ridding everyone of paperwork has similarly boosted productivity – both in the office and in the field.”

Tom Bailey, Managing Director of Hatton Traffic Management comments:

“As a family-owned and family-run business, we pride ourselves in being able to adapt quickly and provide innovative solutions to client’s operational needs. With the BigChange system now being rolled out nationally we have in place the latest generation technology that is already providing significant benefits to our efficiency and service.”

CEO’s Blog – Help! Should I take a sabbatical?

Posted on 25 July 201917 June 2022 by Martin Port

I have been building BigChange for the last seven years. During that time, I suppose I have technically taken the occasional holiday but never more than a fortnight and I’ve always been on email the whole time, so it wasn’t a total break.

I recently received an email from a business associate who wants to take a sabbatical from work. He had been with the business five years and wanted to recharge his batteries. This got me thinking: how do we avoid burn out as entrepreneurs? And when is a good time for a sabbatical from your business?

I have lived and breathed BigChange since we launched but there are times when I feel tired and in need of motivation. I have found that four things can help get me out of an energy rut.

Have a huddle

For me, there is nothing more energising than getting the whole company together to talk about our plans for the future, and our latest achievements. Mondays are the toughest day of the week for me. Unless I have worked Sunday, I come in to a mountain of emails and I find it difficult to get excited about the day. This is why I schedule a 9am huddle to kick-start my week. It takes just 10 minutes but we get the team together and talk about how we are going to increase sales, the latest improvements to customer service, new hires, and ways to drive the business forward. These huddles give me a real boost. Even colleagues who work remotely dial in, and we record the whole thing to send to people who can’t be there. Listening to those recordings is motivation in itself.

Treat the team

I feel that we spend too much time emailing one another and not enough time having face-to-face interactions. This is why I like to have events booked in where I can spend time with my team. These people remind me why I love building this business: they are loyal, driven, and creative. My colleague Geoff is about to celebrate his 65th birthday, so I am taking the whole team out to bingo in his honour. It’ll be a great night out and give me the valuable time with team members that I need to stay motivated.

Get a PA

One of the best ways to avoid burn out is to have a brilliant executive assistant who can take care of all the admin and diary commitments. I finally appointed a new PA and she is helping me manage my time much better. I am spending less time trying to correct my spelling and grammar in emails and more time with customers, or focusing on strategy. That has been hugely motivating for me.

Good coffee

Someone asked me what I do when I’ve had a hard day and building a business is an uphill struggle. I make myself a coffee. But not just any coffee. I have my own machine that makes my coffee just the way I like it. My Jura machine doesn’t make an ordinary cup of Joe – mine’s an illy full strength bean to cup – it’s a real treat, and picks me up whenever I am low.

Even though these four strategies have been fundamental to avoiding burn out, I am still toying with the idea of a sabbatical. I’d love to give my team the chance to thrive without me. It would also prove that I have the right processes in place, which mean I don’t need to be around all the time. But how long should I take? Is four weeks enough time to recharge? And what should I do? Go to a mindfulness retreat or some kind of entrepreneur camp? All ideas and recommendations gratefully received. And if you have other smart ways you avoid burn out, please share those too.

Martin Port
Founder & CEO