Our customer, inFAMous (part of HB Clark), provide soft drinks and soft drink machines to pubs and clubs around the UK. Its installation and maintenance team service a 1,800-strong customer base, covering a geographic region extending from the Midlands in the south to the Scottish Borders in the north.

The critical issue

FAM engineers work directly with pubs and clubs, to service and fix both machine problems and to replenish stock. With a customer account base that is constantly changing, engineers need to be provided with new data. Engineers have in the past, relied on data in the form of a depot-by-depot paper print-out (of up to 120 A4 sheets), and the situation was becoming unmanageable.

Engineers were working with out-of-date information. It quickly became apparent that the printed data was obselete within hours of printing. This system was both inefficient and  wasteful.

ASL’s Solution

After listening to the challenges engineers faced working with a paper system, it became apparent that the solution was to deliver information to engineers while out on the road.  We recommended that FAM trial a Nexus 7 tablet, formatted with the latest version of Android 6.0.1, with Outlook Apps, Adobe PDF reader and Canon Print Inkjet / Selphy.

The efficiency improvements were so significant, that after a successful initial trial, the solution was rolled out to all engineers.

The benefits of Nexus 7 for field workers

FAM engineers no longer have to work with out-of-date information. As soon as the FAM customer account database is updated, and low stocks and faulty drinks machines are highlighted, engineers receive this information via their tablet while out on the road.

This has improved efficiency, customer relations and reduced wastage caused by printing reports.