Our client uses a contractor pool to execute maintenance work identified by store managers across a large number of geographically distributed stores. They required an effective mobile solution to manage their processes.
Client Background
Our client is one of the largest retailers on the African continent. The client makes use of a contractor pool to execute maintenance work identified by store managers across a large number of
geographically distributed stores. Once a work order is created by a store manager it gets queued for an operations manager to review and approve the work. After the work has been approved
by the operations manager, a process gets triggered where contractors quote for the work to be done. The operations manager reviews the quotes and then either approves or rejects the work.
After the execution of the work, the invoice also gets reviewed and there is a final review by the finance department before the costs get sent to the ERP system, which is SAP in this case.
Key Challenges
- The operations managers are often on the move and do not always have access to a laptop or desktop computer with which they can access On Key.
- In On Key documents need to be downloaded before they can be viewed. This causes frustration in cases where a single work order’s documents need to be reviewed by the same person at multiple stages of the process.
- No way of enforcing reasons for certain status changes in On Key. This means a lot of back and forth to find out why a certain status change was performed.
- In the process where contractors use the contractor portal, the information was only reviewed and if discrepancies were picked up the whole transaction had to be credited and the entire invoicing process had to be performed again by the contractor.
Client Quote
“This app has given managers the freedom to continue with their work without being bound to their desks and is very easy to implement”
~ Process Implementation Specialist
Pragma Intervention
- The app forms part of the On Key Action set of focused mobile experiences, aimed at simplifying asset management activities.
- The application was built as a reactive web application which enabled it to work on both desktop and mobile devices.
- A single work order details’ view now shows all of the relevant work order information which is needed for decision making including header information, task information and spare information.
- A document previewing component was also developed so that documents could be previewed in the app with no need to have physical copies saved locally.
- In the configuration page a list of source statuses and target statuses can be configured with the option to set whether a remark/comment is optional or mandatory when putting a work order in a specific status.
- The Contractor Portal was updated so that it would allow the submitted invoice to be reviewed before costs are committed.
Value Add
- Enabled operations managers to review work orders and their documents while in the field.
- Faster validation of work requested by branch managers.
- A compact view of all the relevant work order information simplifies decision making.
- Elimination of unnecessary communication to find out why certain work orders and invoices were rejected.
- Quicker turnaround times when discrepancies are found on invoices as they can be identified before wrong transactions take place.
Tools and Technology
- On Key Approval and Sign-off app