BigChange is afoot at GAP Hire Solutions
Following the announcement last year that GAP Hire Solutions had transformed its business with a BigChange to mobile operations, GAP has now completed the BigChange roll-out across the business.
Over 500 GAP vehicles have been fitted with the system and over 600 staff have been trained on best practice. Called JobWatch, the cloud-based system incorporates a range of mobile apps with live tracking and job scheduling. It also links in real time to GAP’s back office systems, such as their central hiredesk and financial systems.
The mobile apps include electronic signature capture with proof of delivery (POD) and proof of collection (POC) records being automatically uploaded onto GAP’s Smart Office system. This eliminates the need for customers to call depots as all information is available immediately online.
The system has built-in data messaging and satellite navigation that automatically routes vehicles to their destination. GAP’s customer services team is able to see the exact location of every vehicle in real time to keep customers informed of ETAs and coordinate with the driver to ensure the correct drop-off location.
Frank McGrory, GAP’s Head of IT, explained: “Our company is driven to be forward thinking and innovative, with a focus on providing environmentally friendly and efficient hire solutions to our customers. Key aims of the BigChange project include enhancing customer interactions on-site, driving delivery efficiency with live scheduling and tracking, and significantly improving back-office processing and administration to make life easier for our customers and employees.
“Thanks to this rollout, we envisage that we will see a reduction of 8% in fuel use and a 5% reduction in the overall distance travelled by GAP’s HGV fleet. We also forecast a reduction in paper used from over 3.2 million to around 500,000 sheets. For example, we will be reducing the number of printed copies of despatch notes to a single copy with immediate effect.
“There are several aspects of the system that we are still looking to utilise more and ultimately customers will have the ability to access records of their hires themselves.”
GAP Hire Solutions has over 140 locations strategically placed across the UK, with eight divisions offering a wide range of hire equipment and services. Traditionally known for plant and tool hire, GAP moved into hiring non-mechanical plant, such as fencing and barriers in 2009 and established their Lifting Hire & Sales division in 2011. In 2014, GAP diversified further and launched their Welfare Services, Event Services, Survey & Safety Hire and Vehicle Hire divisions to offer their customers a complete hire solution under the one GAP umbrella.
