Digital transformation and people-led innovation are crucial to logistics companies like Stobart, part of the Culina Group, which is undergoing a significant IT transformation based on consolidating key technologies, moving from paperless to digital, and improving operational efficiency, outcomes, and the user experience across the organisation.
Enterprise Software Systems (ESS) plays a key role in this transformation providing innovative technologies and close collaboration that helps Stobart optimise its driver management, rostering and manning. Across its sites, Stobart uses MyWorkforce, an application developed by ESS to streamline processes and provide a central repository of driver master data such as driver type, shift patterns, holiday entitlement and absence.
While having a centralised and consolidated database was hugely beneficial, the process of booking holidays still involved the completion of forms and gaining timely notification of absences remained a challenge. This led to unavoidable pressures and could impact operational efficiency and success.
To mitigate this, working closely with the business, ESS developed ESL Connect, a mobile application that replaces paper-based processes, provides information automatically to MyWorkforce, and offers a facility for drivers to, amongst other things, manage holiday bookings instantly and provide early notification of absence.
ESL Connect is available on iOS and Android and is a great example of how a system, developed collaboratively, can innovate and synergise. Stobart gains access to key real-time data, providing enhanced visibility over planning, risks and potential manning or rostering challenges whilst the workforce, through the app, can control key aspects of their work life more easily: manage holidays and absence, view business-related notifications, arrange shift swaps and extra shifts and call for fleet assistance on the roadside.
Additional features are already planned to facilitate the current workforce needs, while Stobart will extend its use, rolling it out to other members of staff within the business.
Its use has brought widespread benefits to both business and drivers, according to Stobart Transport Director Steve Ridley: โESL Connect delivers benefits to our customers, our colleagues and ultimately to business profitability,โ he says
Having the ability to automate the process and to fix peoplesโ interpretation of the rules so they are consistent across the business has been invaluable.