Is it Time to Update your Operations?

Instead of a clipboard, many companies are sending workers into the field with custom designed Apps.[/caption]Construction, Energy, Mining, Agriculture, Forestry, and the Oil & Gas industry are increasingly seeing the advantages of designing custom Applications for their in-field workers. As opposed to, as one executive we talked to put it, “sending people out with clipboards and pencils and hoping it does not rain” in order to get the data to ensure your operations are running safely and efficiently, many companies are moving to App based management of their operations. Data management and field data capture can be a challenge for any large company, but if you are a large resource management company with multiple remote locations that must be monitored and serviced on a regular basis, the challenge of ensuring all the data gets where it needs to be and can be recalled and analyzed easily can be one of your biggest costs and risks. As secure smart phones and tablets become increasingly ubiquitous, more and more companies are finding it is imperative to move from paper based inspection and recording systems to handheld devices, often integrating with mainframes and data bases to keep all the records secure, in one place, easy to collect, and easy to recall.

A picture (or video) can save a thousand words, or a thousand dollars. Literally.

The ability to load video, pictures or GPS information to a file is one of the more powerful functions of App based management. No need for a maintenance worker to try to describe or explain what needs attention – they can photograph or record exactly the information they need to and upload it to the central system where managers, purchasing agents, or engineers can look at it and arrange repairs knowing exactly who and what they have to send and spend. This can save time and money, often a lot of money if you can eliminate the need to send an expensive team out to determine what the problem is before you send a team out to fix it.

Keep maintenance on track and inventory where it needs to be

Many businesses are finding hand-held in the field apps, integrated with their desktop based management systems, can be an important addition to ensuring everyone on the team knows what needs maintenance attention, where inventory can be found, and verify things are running smoothly. Reps who service machinery can take down key data, take photos or video if necessary, and have it all put into a central data base where it can be preserved. monitored and analyzed. Reports can be run when needed. You can verify you have met regulatory requirements both internally and externally. Designed properly, nothing gets missed, and opportunities to improve efficiency, safety, or profitability can be found. Dollars spent on creating the right App can yield many times more in return though cost savings and increased profitability.

Stay on top of Regulations, and prove it

Following all the rules and regulations is increasingly important for just about every industry. Whether you are in a heavily regulated industry like oil & gas or mining, or in a new industry, regulatory commissions and Government Ministries will want to be able to confirm you have met all the regulations at all your locations. The field data management capabilities of a well-designed App can allow you to verify and document the steps you have taken to ensure compliance. Whether your challenge is monitoring yields or machinery operation, supply and inventory management, or regulatory requirements, Essential Designs and its team of senior programmers, have worked with some of Canada’s biggest resource companies in the mining, oil and gas, and exploration sectors to design custom, easy to use apps that allow employees to get the right data to the right place when necessary, and help companies reduce costs, get connected, improve accountability, and boost their bottom line. Essential Designs has created in-field Apps for the mining, Oil & Gas, and Telecommunications Sectors. We have a team that specialized in working with businesses to create the ideal mobile or web based applications for a wide variety of businesses. Contact Us today to discuss whether a custom designed applications could make your business more efficient and improve the bottom line.