Across companies and at multiple locations, contractor forepersons are spending hours filling out spreadsheets to manage work. They then submit those sheets to the general foreperson for review, who makes changes and asks questions. Then the sheets are looked over again to ensure accuracy. This makes for a long and cumbersome process.
Many times, these processes are manual. They are managed through stacks of paper, which often contain outdated versions of forms. Changes are communicated via phone calls, texts, and emails, which can get lost in the shuffle. Timesheets may not be finalized until the week payroll is due, cutting close to deadlines. These processes result in lost revenue.
Digitization and automation are possible through an electronic system with real-time visibility and instant logging of data. All relevant staff members can instantly see when work is completed. Information can be transferred seamlessly between contractors and the utilities they’re working with. Invoices can not only be more accurate, but they can also be automatically generated. Hours are saved by not having to format, reformat, review, and prove invoiced jobs.
This isn’t just a dream. It’s an option available right now.
Fast, Accurate and Automated Utility Callouts
Implementing automated utility callout and scheduling software can ensure that you have the right people you need to fill shifts, during both daily operations and after-hours emergencies. Using a system like ARCOS Callout, all of your business and union rules can be considered in seconds. Rosters can be pre-built and ready to call at a moment’s notice. They can also be automatically rotated, update, or reordered.
In this way, you can find the exact number of resources you need in a brief time frame. You can ensure that the individuals called are qualified for the job at hand. You can call multiple people at once. All without ever having to actually pick up a phone.
With ARCOS Resource Assist, contractor resources can be integrated seamlessly with your own internal organization. This gives the same visibility you’re used to having for your own resources, to outside companies, improving efficiency and transparency.
Accuracy and Invoice Validation
A fully automated Resource Management platform not only increases efficiency through electronic data capture and distribution of work orders to field crews, but also reduces manual entry and extensive reviews of work orders. You get a real-time view of all resources and jobs, as well as detailed and accurate past reporting. With ARCOS Crew Manager, you can even schedule into the future, too. This expands wrench time and reduces administrative work.
As the situation on the ground evolves, changes in the field are common. With Mobile Workbench, those adjustments can be communicated in real-time with an electronic paper trail keeping track. It connects mobile devices to a browser-based back office that can be accessed anywhere. This makes invoicing simple and minimizes the need for disputes and partial payments.
ARCOS: Your Competitive Advantage
Almost every major utility in the United States is using ARCOS to automate their callout process and organize crews, helping to get the lights on faster during emergencies and complete daily work efficiently. If so many are already using ARCOS in their daily lives – why aren’t you?
Bringing ARCOS into your daily activities will instantly allow access to the work completed and accurate reporting and billing, while bolstering the data you need to respond and restore faster. When it comes to managing the bottom line in real-time, the ARCOS Resource Management platform provides utilities and contractors with one source of truth for assigning field order assignments, managing work progress, and collecting job detail as it happens – all while gaining a full competitive advantage and differentiation in the market by offering an automated delivery of work orders, approvals, and as-built changes.
Want to learn more? Contact us today.
