LOOS FOR DOs, the multi-award winning supplier of toilets and showers for outdoor events, has seen its business grow exponentially since introducing a new 5 in 1 mobile management system from BigChange.
The cloud-based system links a series of mobile apps to back office management software applications including asset management, live tracking, job scheduling and routing.
Formed in 2002, LOOS FOR DOs provide portable event toilets and shower trailers to major events such as the Farnborough Air Show, the London Marathon, Victorious Festival and even Royal Weddings. Last year the company hired over 19,000 portable toilets and supplied 124,656 loo rolls; enough loo roll to stretch from their head office near Alton, Hampshire to Mecca in Saudi Arabia!
Nicky Warner, Director, LOOS FOR Dos commented:“At the start we were managing everything with a white board and Post-it notes.”“We looked extensively for a system that could handle the complexities of our business. The BigChange solution proved to be not only the most comprehensive but the most modern with an easy-to-use drag and drop design.”With 30 full time staff and additional contract drivers for the events season, LOOS FOR DOs has over 1200 moveable assets which are managed using the BigChange system. The company does not shy away from taking on the most logistically challenging jobs such as festivals for 85,000 people spread across large sites to marathons, where LOOS FOR DOs deliver over 300 toilets to multiple locations along the route as the sun rises.
Warner explained:“We have become the specialists in events which have particularly complicated logistical requirements”“Without BigChange we simply could not handle the complexities with the resources we have. JobWatch allows us to manage the whole operation in real time and adapt quickly when things change. And events are by nature chaotic so having a flexible real-time system really makes our lives a lot easier when things do not go as planned.”“The JobWatch mobile apps can be easily configured to handle every conceivable task and type of equipment and with seamless, real time connection with job scheduling and route planning, it really is a dynamic all-in-one management solution.”Considerable pre-planning is needed for events and the BigChange scheduling software is used to plan asset allocation, delivery, servicing and collection. Once the job starts LOOS FOR DOs drivers, installation and service teams manage their tasks using JobWatch on their tablets or smartphones. The tablets clip into cradles in the vehicle to provide GPS navigation to the destination – using map coordinates rather than post codes for precise locations.
Warner commented:“For customer service, the system is proving to have huge benefits. It’s not just that we can ensure a more reliable and adaptable service with minimal invoice disputes, but there are nice touches that boost customer appreciation and the retention of their business”.“For example, we send the customer a message when their equipment is on route and when it is likely to arrive. And since the customer service team can track a vehicles’ progress, customers are called if there is a delay. We now get very few calls from customers asking where their delivery is.”JobWatch is used for Job sheets, recording asset delivery and collection and in the situation where there are ‘no shows’ and site access is not possible, the arrival time recording and GPS location provide undisputable evidence that can be supplemented with a photograph showing, for example, a locked gate. Drivers also use a JobWatch app to do their daily vehicle checks and defects are instantly reported to the maintenance team for workshop scheduling. The system also monitors driver performance with monthly metrics reports highlighting incidents of speeding and harsh breaking.
Warner Added:“The system handles just about everything that used to be paper based so we have been able to replace not just worksheets but also inspection forms, compliance and health and safety documentation”. We can send documents electronically to the driver to capture a signature on glass. It speeds and simplifies this necessary paperwork allowing us to improve compliance and health and safety at the same time.”Summing up, Warner concluded:“Since introducing the BigChange system we have been able to experience double-digit growth as we are no longer restricted by our systems. Not only that but we built a reputation as the company that can deliver a reliable service even when the logistics are particularly complex. We simply could not manage this work without the system and it has become very much embedded in our business.”
