The updated version is in turn based on a system first supplied by MapMechanics in the early 1990s. It consolidated the gains and introduced further improvements including a reduction of several hours a week in the scheduling task.
Exclusive to Phocol, and known as ‘Collections’, the package draws together two key PC-based software systems supplied and supported in Britain by MapMechanics – the TruckStops routing and scheduling system and the GeoConcept geographic information system. It enables schedules at Phocol to be made by allocating journeys to civil enforcement agents interactively on screen maps, then transferring the data to TruckStops for automatic scheduling.
KEY ADVANCES
One of the key advances is the introduction of a feature which adds extra power to the route selection process. The system continues to use GeoConcept to extract call points from the company’s database and display them on a digital map. The company’s route allocators can select calls for individual enforcement agents interactively, simply by drawing a freeform shape around the area containing the required call points.
The home addresses of all agents can be permanently stored, so they can be displayed automatically and selected as the start and end points of journeys. This feature is ideal when it comes to processing the data by TruckStops, which can schedule journeys to start and end at any point (in this instance, an agent’s home), not just at fixed bases.
*The term “civil enforcement agent” came into use in recent years to replace the word bailiff, following a Government white paper.
Using a series of simple dialogue boxes, planners can now give names to areas, allocate jobs to agents, agents to routes and journeys to specific dates - and save all the relevant details for subsequent routing. Grid references of call points are also captured and stored automatically. GeoConcept achieves all this by querying an underlying Microsoft Access database. Once the calls have been allocated, the system displays them in an “agent work schedule”, an easy-to-understand grid listing work against agents’ names and days of the week.
Once all these details have been assembled, they can be passed directly to TruckStops for routing and scheduling. There is nothing to re-key and no data to transfer from one system to another. The whole process is triggered seamlessly at the press of a single button. In the words of Phocol ICT director Neil Walters: “The new system eliminates paperwork travelling round the office.”
Improved Map Display
The map display itself was also enhanced. In place of the raster street-level data used before, which essentially presented a “picture” of the street plan under review, the system now uses NAVTEQ vector street-level data. “This means we can suppress features like lakes that aren’t relevant, and see our call points much more clearly,” added Neil Walters. “As we wanted to make the call points as easy to see as possible, this feature has particular importance. The system can now display calls in different colours according to their status (calls requiring a visit, calls allocated to an agent so far etc.). “
To improve the call point selection process, MapMechanics supplied a geocoding file, which gives the system a much higher chance of pinpointing the location of each address, and for instance, placing it on the correct side of the street. “This is invaluable for helping us avoid routes where agents have to cross main roads or other obstacles,” commented Neil Walters.
A further new feature, “sweep”, allows the company to plan journeys that include the whole of a target area (west London, for instance), and then shades the map a different colour to show which parts have been allocated so far – with the relevant agents’ names displayed on each selected area.
According to Phocol managing director, David Rayner, “Efficiency is the key to success for a business like ours. With the later version of the MapMechanics system, not only have we saved planning time in the office, we’ve also saved time for our agents out on the road. All of which equates to better collection rates – which is what it’s all about.” He added, “Operating this system is one of the easiest IT functions I’ve ever come across.”
Benefits:
• 30% reduction in fuel
• 40% improvement in productivity
• 45% saving in staff costs
• Collection rate up to three times the national average
• Reduction in scheduling time
• Improvement in overall efficiency
|
