New technology drives service improvements

Acumen, the provider of industrial site services and waste management solutions, has deployed the latest mobile workforce technology to streamline and expand its business. The system combines CRM, Job Scheduling and Mobile Apps used by back-office personnel, drivers and field operatives connected in real-time to cloud-based operational management software; all part of a 5 in 1 solution from Leeds-based BigChange.  
 
Employing 90 staff Acumen offers a range of waste management, site clean-up and associated environmental products and services. The company has embarked on an ambitious growth plan to double the size of the business in 5 years. Acumen realised it needed to completely transform its IT with a modern, future-proof system that could handle the very varied operational needs.
 
“We had a multitude of different systems operating in silos with stand-alone systems for waste management, vehicle tracking and CRM that were all disconnected.  We realised our wish for an all-encompassing system that could do everything and handle the complexity of our business was a tall order,” says Kris Sutton, Acumen’s Finance Director.
 
“Initially we looked at BigChange just as a works management tool to get rid of paper reporting but it soon became evident that it offered a lot more and crucially the software could be easily customised. That was a revelation as we had not found anything else that came close to meeting our group-wide needs.  Now we see BigChange as central to our growth as we are no longer constrained by any IT system,” explains Leon Kirk, Acumen Group Managing Director.
 
Acumen operates from 7 locations and provides services throughout the UK. The company operates liquid and solid waste treatment and recycling solutions, contracted total waste management services and industrial cleaning services.  Acumen works closely with many Blue-Chip industrial clients and regulators such as the Environment Agency.
 
BigChange mobile apps are used for everything from electronic consignment notes, job-sheets, time-sheets and expenses, health and safety, defects reports to job quotes and invoicing. Drivers clip their tablets into dashboard cradles when on the move and service operatives access the apps using their mobiles phones.  The data is real-time synchronised with the centralised BigChange cloud system giving management visibility of the operation across all divisions and locations.
 
“BigChange gives us a single overarching systems to provide complete and real-time management visibility.  We can drill down from a high level business performance reports down to the details of individual jobs.  BigChange has really revolutionised our operations and the cost is no more than our previous system but it does a lot more and has already replaced 5 separate systems.” Says Kirk