Keystone Excavating Ltd., of Calgary, Alberta, is regarded as a leader, not only for its strong hold on the excavating market over the past 30 years, but for its decision to implement a mobile workforce solution. They wanted a solution that would let them streamline job costing, billing and timesheet management. The chosen solution includes in-vehicle computers installed in their more than 250-pieces of heavy equipment, which work together with mobile resource and process management software.
The Challenges
Before installing this new technology, Keystone’s manual paper processes and radio communications were no longer making the cut when it came to managing workflow in relation to employees, hours, clients, locations, and equipment. As Holly Goulard, Keystone’s Controller, explains, “When I started at Keystone, one timesheet was handled 11 times before being filed.” In another example, truck tickets and timesheets could be lost or submitted after the client was billed for the job, and Keystone would have to absorb those costs.
The Results
Since installing the mobile workforce solution, Holly says that one of the biggest benefits is the ability to capture real-time information. “We see real-time hours and know where every piece of equipment is. We’re billing the real deal. Our HR department knows who worked when and can verify that information.
In addition to reducing the number of people reviewing job codes and hours worked, Keystone has also been able to downsize scheduler staffing requirements, removing four full-time scheduler positions.
It was originally thought that this technology would save about 20 minutes per piece of equipment each day due to better time management, so each operator would get to their next job 20 minutes earlier. In reality, Holly believes the system is exceeding this number. She has also seen a quick return on investment. “The money we invested in this technology was expected to be returned in three years, and it has been returned in one. That isn’t even accounting for the overtime hours we’re saving.”
Because subcontractors make up 30 to 40 percent of Keystone’s business, Holly hopes that round two of this technology implementation will include these subcontractors adopting electronic devices in their vehicles in order to improve efficiencies in this segment of the business as well. But for now, mobile workforce management technology is helping Keystone streamline its operations and minimize its staffing requirements in order to remain competitive, regardless of the economic climate.
