Why ATV chose configurable field operations software

From a distance, there seems to be a lot of options when it comes to field operations software – but frequently the choice is clinched by unexpected benefits that go beyond the initial wishlist.

Back when the team at ATV Contract Services – a leading UK landscaping contractor operating across rail, highways, housing, and general landscaping – started looking at digital field management, their old systems were slowing them down and making visibility of sites difficult. Their processes relied on cumbersome Excel documents uploaded to WhatsApp each night, severely limiting strategic planning to only a week or two in advance.

The deciding factor was configurability

When assessing the market, ATV’s choice – Re-flow Field Management – came down to one crucial element: flexibility.

“We looked at several different platforms,” said Ben Hensman, commercial director. “And we felt that Re-flow was so configurable. We felt like we could really tailor it to our own business. That was important.”

This adaptability is foundational to the platform. As Re-flow’s CTO recently described the philosophy: “Re-flow out the box has some pre-defined forms and uses, but really it's a platform that's flexible for us to configure for what companies need. We work with the clients to understand what you need to get out of the system, rather than telling them.”

Configurability in practice

This hands-on flexibility manifests in ATV's everyday operations, transforming basic processes into branded, client-specific assets:

·       Branded complianceThe company can have their own signatures on their documents, put their own company logos on. They can create PDFs, versions of different documents that they want to use for specific clients.

·       Workflow designThe robust form builder allows the team to quickly create simple or complex forms – whether developing a new in-company auditing system, making a new toolbox talk form, or capturing data for clients.

The impact: control, savings, and growth

For ATV, the ability to tailor the platform drove a fundamental shift from operational chaos to measurable control.

Overall the benefits of a digital management system reached into every part of the business, from digitised forms to clarity of site progress from the office, and more:

“The biggest thing about Re-flow is the forward planning,” said Charlie Stocks, contract manager. “We can see so much more where lads are going, what they’re doing, what kit they’re taking. Lots of kit would get mixed up and duplicated kit on different jobs; Re-flow limits this as you can allocate each item to a job.”

Will Bale, operations director sees improvements across the company. “We’ve got so much more visibility it’s so much easier to looks at our utilisation and our profit and loss because we have constant live data getting fed back from sites.”

“As soon as we onboarded with Re-flow we have noticed a lot more spare time to perform other duties. It has taken a lot of the responsibility away from us. The lads have got the information they need at all times. So it’s cut down phone calls back to the office and having to make site visits to ensure that the information has been passed on.”

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