Suits you sir - bespoke system

LCC's bespoke software system, the IBMS,was created by the company to handle multi-site contracts. It worked so well that it is now being rolled out to all clients.

Gerardine Coyne spoke to Christine Wilson, operations administration director


"Six years ago we won our first large multisite contract with LloydsTSB, and one of the requirements was that we provide an independent helpdesk,"explains Wilson. "We looked at the available off-the-shelf software packages, but they weren't great, so we decided to develop our own.


"The system was based around periodics and quality auditing at first,and over time other modules were added as client needs dictated. Now all our clients are entered into the system, it's just the level they use it at that varies."
The LCC Integrated Business Management System (IBMS) draws together the variances within national contracts to provide internal strategies and processes speedily and, most importantly, to provide complete transparency and freedom of information to clients.


The system offers: Bespoke Help Desk,Human Resources Data File, Contract Information, Client Contact Details and Fleet Management Equipment Records. Contract Management modules include: Employee Details, Training Records, Periodical Scheduling, Quality Auditing and Health & Safety Auditing.


The IBMS is fully integrated with the company's e-mail system,with further links to the company's website. "Within the last 18 months we have created individual client logins through the LCC website. Clients can use this to see updates and information live, in real time." The IBMS can be bespoke to each client and 'can satisfy virtually any request'- from reactive management meeting specified SLAs and KPIs - to recording waste trails for sustainability projects.


"For example we were recently awarded a multisite contract with a lot of plants to water and maintain and sanibins in the washrooms," says Wilson."The client asked us to track the subcontractors that look after the extra facilities. So we had to develop the system to add sub contractors' transfer notes,waste streaming and safety audits etc."


First site
Information is site based. It can list the nominated on-site staff and their job functions and any applicable notes can be documented, such as access hours, square footage, car park and lobby. Internally, the IBMS offers a complete contract management resource which is underpinned by the 24/7 Help Desk, available to both staff and clients.The information provided by the Help Desk is recorded as an Incident Log and is kept as real time, live data which can be tracked at any time, also providing the management team with a Corrective Action Plan (CAP).


"When the girls on the helpdesk get called by a client, for example, someone saying,"My windows are filthy," they can check the frequency of cleaning, and tell the client that they were last cleaned five months ago, hence the build up, and that they are due to be cleaned in another month.


"If an emergency response is needed, we can SMS our mobile supervisors and when the task is done they report back on the results and the time taken to deal with the problem and everything is then logged in the system. Everything goes into the monthly client report.

The full history is apparent, so needs can be identified and changes made."
From the main screen incidents can be viewed by Status (Active/Closed), Incident Group (Service Failure,Additional Request), Escalation Level, Client, Site,Employee and Region. The Help Desk uses a traffic light system to keep track of all incidents and their Corrective Action time progress. A range of Incident Reports can be generated by the Help Desk.

Periodical (or any other) cleaning/non cleaning tasks can be programmed within IBMS to produce a schedule of works which is instantly available to the management team and the client. The overall planner can produce a task worksheet for an individual employee and also produces a full schedule of the works carried out using a traffic light system to track progress.


"The document management system saves everything electronically via the helpdesk.There is no paper.We used to have drawers and drawers of files for every single branch of a company, so environmentally it's helpful too."


Reporting for duty
The detail provided by the IBMS culminates in a Contract Review Report which is presented to the client at each formal Monthly Review Meeting.The objective is to establish trends of behaviour over a specified length of time and analyse them.The summary provides an overall performance level which can be linked into a rebated saving on labour costs, should performance fall below the predetermined set levels.


In addition, an annual survey in an agreed format to ascertain building user views on individual elements of the cleaning service is conducted. A broad cross section of users is consulted and the findings compiled into a report to develop ongoing improvements.


"Originally the system was set up for multisite contracts but we are now pushing it through to all our key accounts,"says Wilson."If a company has a large site, it means that we can audit individual areas. For example, there will probably be toilets on every floor, so we can audit by floor location or by area. It gives an in depth service.


"The biggest plus is that within reason we can keep developing and adding modules because it's our system,developed by our IT department.You just can't do that with an off-the-shelf product."