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IT Asset Management Platform (ITAM)

Bourne Financial & Crowne Place

Crowne Place Financial IT Asset Management Platform (ITAM) case study

Crown Place Financial Ltd and Bourne Financial Ltd are sister companies based in the heart of London offering financial infrastructure and services to the financial sector. Looking for a more efficient process than spreadsheets to help them build an accurate asset register and management process for their communication, electrical and IT equipment inventory, the companies approached Assettrac for a tailor-made IT asset management platform that would save them time and provide detailed reporting.

The Asset Management Challenge

Having relied on spreadsheets to track their assets across the organisation as a whole, they had concluded that spreadsheets and manual processes were too high-risk with a high administrative load. As a result, they wanted to move to a system that was quicker and easier to use with the flexibility to build on its functionality, enabling them to develop their processes over time. The key requirements included:

  • To achieve an accurate and specific asset register for communication, electrical and IT equipment (including server equipment) across the two companies.
  • To uniquely tag and identify each asset to be tracked with a list of predefined data criteria: (Unique Asset Number, Description, Model, Quantity, Serial Number, Locations and Responsibility fields).
  • The provision of off-site data storage, security and back-ups.
  • A flexible and easy to manage system that was fully scalable and adaptable for future needs.
  • The ability to control data access and updates by personnel throughout the company.
  • To build complete electronic audit history for each asset throughout its lifecycle.
  • An effective and time-saving way to conduct asset tagging with minimum business disruption.

The IT Asset Management Solution

After an initial scoping meeting, Assettrac analysed their specific business requirements to configure their own bespoke asset tracking and data management system driven by the needs of their internal workflows and processes.

Asset Identification & Tagging

To support implementation in a short timescale, Assettrac provided an on-site survey, tagging assets, collecting and uploading asset information to populate their custom portal for easy management going forward. The data was collected electronically using handheld devices and the survey was completed in a single visit.

The centralised online portal is accessible from any of their locations providing up-to-the-minute asset information. It was important to the company that the system was secure and easy to manage going forward.

  • Assettrac provided a team training and implementation session to ensure all staff could use the system effectively.
  • Secure log-ins were provided for relevant staff providing accessibility for the team to update and control their asset data.
  • Accurate, real-time reports can be generated and shared at the click of a button.

While the online asset management portal is fully manageable in-house, the company benefits from full support from Assettrac’s support team for additional assistance or developments to the system, where needed.

 

Crowne place financial it asset management system implementation process.
“We are extremely pleased with Assettrac (both their software and the service they provided us). The project was completed without a hitch and we are pleased to not only have an up-to-date and accurate record of our assets but also the means to manage our data ourselves and how we see fit.”
City of London image denoting Assettrac's IT Asset Management platform case study for bourne financial and crowne place
Abdullah Jamali
IT & Facilities Manager

Digital Waste Tracking Platform

Cliniwaste

cliniwaste partners with assettrac for asset management portal, software, business process improvements, tagging and tracking

In the UK’s healthcare sector, Cliniwaste is one of the UK’s leading medical waste treatment companies. Operating for more than 20 years, the company processes over 130 tonnes of clinical waste per day for clients in the public and private sector including; NHS Trusts, laboratories, ambulance stations and private clinics.

 

The Requirement: Digital Waste Tracking

While digital waste tracking is an established regulatory requirement in the UK, Cliniwaste wanted to operate its own digital process that streamlined systems as well as providing added value for clients with unrivalled data transparency for the entire waste journey. 

Digitisation that Adds Value by Tracking, Tracing & Reporting 

Key to the requirement was to have faster, more accurate data access and interrogation. The goal was to enable the business to save time and money by simplifying operations, regulatory compliance, admin and reporting. 

Project Objectives

  • Improve tracking accuracy and speed of waste collection.
  • Provide a cradle-to-grave audit trail for all waste.
  • Reporting and dashboards to be easily segmented by location and waste streams.
  • Personalised dashboards for clients with up-to-the minute data on the status of all waste.
  •  C02 dashboard – to help clients track and report on the environmental impact of their waste.
  • Flexibility – a system which easily absorbs demand for increased client capacity.
  • To simplify the reporting process for both estate returns and environmental reports. 

The Assettrac Asset Tracking Solution

The process of implementation was surprisingly fast”, comments Craig Johnston, General Manager. “From the first meeting to launch, it was just a few months. Since then, Assettrac has helped us to continue to develop the system to bring in new datasets and other parts of the waste-handling process and reporting.”

Assettrac’s client services team collected a full picture of the company’s data requirements and business processes which were developed into a customised cloud portal. A custom mobile application was then configured to enable team members in the field to quickly and accurately log the key data on collection, such as type of waste, bin ID, weight and time.

 

To improve accuracy and speed, the system was designed to eliminate the need for laborious manual processes and spreadsheets. Admin processes were digitised, enabling the office team to digitally scan paperwork and quickly identify anything missing.

Before launch, Assettrac provided training for Cliniwaste’s teams both in the office and in the field. The system was launched in stages, starting with waste-receiving and booking-in and then expanded across all areas to be tracked. Once data was populating the system, personalised dashboards were rolled out to clients.

examples of assettrac asset management software in the cloud and on multiple devices with an asset management app

Client Outcomes

  • Improved Processes

    The mobile app improved the speed of collection at client sites and the accuracy of data recorded by Cliniwaste.

  • Audit Trails & Data Visualisation

    Real-time dashboards show charts with live data, making it easy to identify trends and anomalies and to help business planning.

  • Sustainability Standards

    Clients can track and report on the carbon footprint of all waste via a C02 dashboard as well as the final destination of all waste.

  • Faster Reporting

    Compilation of data for annual estate returns and compliance reports is completed in minutes rather than days.

  • Targeted Training to Meet Compliance

    The ability to trace the journey of any bin helps identify waste-handling problems & deliver targeted employee training to remediate.

In our admin team alone, each person is saving 2 hours a day. By using Assettrac we are no longer held back by manual processes such as having to manually cross-reference multiple spreadsheets. Nothing sits in isolation and we can scan, identify and trace every single document and audit point.
Assettrac RTLS and asset management software used at a waste processing plant.
Craig Johnston
General Manager

Facilities Asset Management Software - Healthcare

Rowcroft Hospice

Rowcroft hospice manages healthcare assets and facilities asset management with assettrac's asset tagging and management system.

The Requirement

Rowcroft Hospice is a large specialist care institution located in South Devon supporting patients and their families suffering progressive and life-limiting illnesses.  With an extensive estate across 22 acres and three large buildings comprising medical wards, offices and kitchens, as well as 13 local fundraising stores, the facilities, IT and financial departments needed to find a more effective way to track and manage their healthcare, IT and facilities assets.

The hospice management team chose Assettrac for its experience in healthcare asset management and its ability to provide an end-to-end solution that included the an initial inventory audit and asset tagging as well as the provision of a customised asset management software solution.

An End-to-End Asset Management Service

Asset Audit - Asset Tagging - Tracking - Asset Management Software - Hardware - Implementation & Training

Assettrac’s client team delivered the project in two phases.  Phase 1, the audit and phase 2, customised software, implementation and training. The project met the following objectives:

  • To identify and log their assets and equipment including furniture, IT, medical equipment and M&E (Mechanical and Electrical) equipment, in-situ, based upon pre-agreed specifications and restricted area availability.
  • To provide a secure cloud-based and paperless mobile solution for the following uses:
    • To offer different departments business information on estate items and their value for procurement and insurance purposes
    • To help reduce leakage and unnecessary expenditure.
    • To maximise utilisation of owned assets and equipment.
    • Track frequently moved items around site and off-site.
    • The ability to undertake safety inspections and monitoring of specific machinery and systems through paperless real-time inspections by key personnel.
    • To provide an audit trail of equipment for full lifecycle management and demonstrate compliance where necessary.
    • To store and archive disposed asset information in case requirement to reference later.

The Assettrac Approach

On-site auditors undertook the initial phase on the main site comprising asset tagging, logging of all items and data collection of agreed items.  This phase was completed in three days with auditors working around the specific needs and timings of medical wards and equipment stores.  The information was uploaded in real-time to a pre-designed online portal.

With the data collected, Assettrac’s consultants configured and set up Rowcroft’s customised online asset tracking system, populated with all tagged assets from the on-site visit.  The team then provided training on-site for key personnel from multiple departments which was tailored to the needs of their specific roles.

To enable Rowcroft to keep their asset management system (and inventory) up-to-date, handheld mobile devices, pre-installed with Assettrac’s mobile app were supplied for the facilities team.  Training was then delivered showing the Facilities Team how they could use the system to undertake quick inspections of equipment whenever they are on-site.  Via the handheld device they could see the current status of an item and critical review dates such as maintenance.

Cutting Edge Facilities Asset Management System - Delivered in 1 Week

After the project scope and the hardware selection was agreed, the entire project including on-site asset auditing, a customised facilities asset management portal and user training accomplished in a weeks on-site visit.

As a result, Rowcroft Hospice are now able to access the details of their complete asset holding and value, as well as manage key M&E installations by generating instant reports from their secure, customised cloud portal.  What’s more, the hospice benefits from greater asset visibility and is able to maximise equipment usage, knowing where every item is at any time. 

With better access to full lifecycle information on their equipment, financial management and planning is improved and the facilities departments are able to save considerable time on asset inspections across the whole estate.

 

Photo by Kampus Production

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Online Asset Management System

Bath Rugby Club

Assettrac makes asset tracking and management easy for Bath Rugby

The Requirement: Easy & Accurate Asset Tracking & Management from the Shop to the Training Ground

Founded in 1865, Bath Rugby has had a long and illustrious 153 year history the club with wins that include the Anglo-Welsh Cup, the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup. Indisputably at the top flight of English rugby, they play their domestic league matches in the English Premiership, the top flight of English rugby.

Bath Rugby Club management had the following objectives:

  • To achieve an accurate, streamlined and digital asset management process for IT, Furniture, medical and rugby equipment across four locations within the club: the training ground, stadium, club shop and ticket office.
  • To move away from using inaccurate, high-risk, administrative and restrictive spreadsheets to adopt easy-to-use, digital work processes with visibility, traceability and up-to-the-minute information.
  • The system needed to be easy to update, add, dispose of items as part of on-going work processes all recorded and stored in one central area that was accessible by different areas of the business when required.
  • Instant, 24/7 access from any location via browser or app with off-site data storage, security and back-up services.
  • The system should be flexible and easy to manage, as well as fully scalable and adaptable for any future needs.
  • It needed to track a complete electronic audit history for each asset throughout its lifecycle and to provide updates and alerts for maintenance, cleaning and inspections in real-time.

The Solution: Custom Asset Management System

Central Asset Management Portal + Custom Asset Tags

Assettrac customised and deployed a fully tailorable asset tracking and data management portal for the club that was intuitive and flexible to be able to be adapted in the future by Bath Rugby’s internal team. For the initial configuration, Assettrac worked with the staff at the club to make sure all aspects of information relating to their assets, and what they needed to track and report would be captured by their system.

Assettrac supplied hardware as well as custom asset tags that would be suitable to a variety of environments such as indoors versus outdoors, and that could be used on all types of equipment.  Once the hardware was in place and tagging implemented, the centralised cloud system enabled specified personnel to manage their equipment, as well as allowing them to update and access the correct and latest details of any asset item at any of their specified locations.  When the status of any item changes (such as a change in location, or taken for maintenance), staff can instantly update the details using a PC, laptop or handheld device.

Assettrac’s team of consultants provided implementation and full on-site training and implementation for administrators and other users to ensure a successful launch.  While the system is intuitive, Assettrac supports Bath Rugby with unlimited access to customer support for any
additional assistance whenever it may be required.

 

Photo by Hanson Lu on Unsplash

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Asset Inventory Audit & Update plus Cloud Asset Management System

BMW UK

bmw logo bmw uses assettrac asset management systems.

The Requirement

With large volumes of assets across 9 BMW sites across the UK, the company approached Assettrac to implement a cloud asset management system to reconcile head office asset data with information held across their UK sites. In addition, a management tool was required to help identify and manage BMW equipment, as well as identify and manage third-party contractors’ equipment.

Historically, BMW conducted laborious, time-intensive, periodical audits.  The company had struggled to get a true picture of its items as the asset picture consistently changed on the ground. The goal was a comprehensive asset management system that would provide an accurate inventory and include images of assets, their details and location, as well as easily identify third party assets and that could be easily reconciled against financial systems.

The Asset Management Solution

Assettrac conducted the project in two phases. Phase One was an asset audit that focused on the identification, classification and tagging of assets in all 9 locations.

Phase Two saw the implementation of a customised cloud asset management portal and asset tracking system. This system was designed to enable BMW to continuously monitor its asset position, improve accuracy and thereby save time on periodical audits and reporting.

This allows the 9 UK sites and a site in Ireland to be managed both centrally and locally. The head office controller works with the site responsible to maintain the asset register with better, more up-to-date information.
BMW Finance Team

Phase 1

Assettrac’s professional and experienced auditors project managed the audit both on-site and remotely in a short project time period. To help the client maintain business-as-usual, it was important to conduct the audit quickly and with minimal disruption on-site and asset usage. Using android handheld devices (with laser scanners) for efficient data collection, the audit team rapidly identified, tagged and logged asset information across all 9 sites.  With items ranging from furniture to specialist diagnostic equipment, all assets had detailed information collected including pictures. All audit data was sent automatically to the BMW’s dedicated portal via the app on handheld devices, giving BMW and Assettrac an up-to-date view of the asset details being recorded at every stage of the audit and implementation process.

Phase 2 - The Cloud Asset Management System

Having agreed a scope with BMW Finance for their on-going reporting needs, Assettrac developed a customised, central online portal for all BMW asset information with reporting functionality.

The full data collection stage was completed over a few months for all the sites. Once completed, Assettrac provided BMW with its customised online portal, populated by the data collected and designed around their specific information requirements, including: text, numerical, dates, specific data-sets as well as attaching and filing documentation.

Detailed reporting functionality provided the Finance Team with up-to-the-minute management oversight of the asset
register for each of the designated sites. Assettrac provided training for BMW personnel to enable them to manage their assets (both current and future) in real-time, on an on-going basis. Training included how to use the tagging and handheld devices, as well as updating and interrogating data and creating reports on the central asset management portal.

Client Outcomes

BMW Finance now has full visibility over the current asset situation for all sites nationwide, so they can be confident that the information they are using is up-to-date and applicable. Assettrac continues to fully support BMW’s asset management system requirements on a continuous basis.

  1. Digital Asset System & Transparent Reporting: the customised online asset management portal enables BMW to remove long-winded admin processes and gain real-time oversight across all sites.

  2. Information Accessibility: handheld devices are employed so that changes to asset information can be updated easily and is immediately sent to the cloud asset portal for reference and audit trail purposes.

  3. Significant Time Savings: BMW’s historical, labour-intensive, periodical audits are now a thing of the past. Updating item information and creating reports now takes just minutes.

  4. Asset Lifecycle Management: from delivery to ultimate disposal, Assettrac records a full history of every item including every location,
    interaction, movement, inspection, or loan of items to departments or personnel.

  5. BMW Company Equipment Identified: asset tagging and logging has made it easy for the company to identify, manage and maintain its
    own equipment versus those owned by third parties.

  6. Maintenance & Compliance Made Easier: identifying assets for inspection and maintenance is made easier as teams can run reports for the scheduled inspections demanded for compliance standards.
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Asset Management Information System

Wireless Infrastructure Group - WIG

Assettrac provides WIG with an asset management information system for its communications infrastructure.

WIG instructed Assettrac to develop its new asset management information system to help track asset data for its communications towers and wireless infrastructure across the country. 

Wireless Infrastructure Group (WIG) is an independent infrastructure company that builds and operate communication towers and other infrastructures to enable the connections between networks and communities that rely on their services.

 

Project Objectives

  • To manage an accurate asset information system for communication towers and other wireless infrastructure.
  • To be able to record unique asset number, description, model, quantity, serial number, locations and responsibility data.
  • To secure durable asset tags to equipment due to the harsh weather and environment the assets that are being tagged are in.
  • To obtain the necessary hardware and software to enable designated WIG to conduct their own asset tagging, equipment and information management.
  • Achieve Offsite Data storage, security and back up services.
  • To control data access and updates by personnel throughout the company.
  • Complete electronic audit history for each asset throughout its lifecycle.

The Cloud Asset Management Information System

Assettrac met WIG’s objectives by customising Assettrac’s online portal to record their specific asset information requirements.  In addition they devised workflows around their unique processes to address their need for real-time field work information regarding maintaining equipment located at multiple sites.

Working with WIG staff on-site, Assettrac’s team of consultants tailored the system for them to ensure they were able to capture the right data on-site. Assettrac and WIG undertook an asset audit during a 4-week trial which included asset tagging and information management at one of WIG’s customer locations. WIG users were trained to use the software and handheld hardware on-site, showing them how they can collect and update their asset item data in real-time even at height in varying weather conditions! The associated information collected was sent automatically from their handhelds to their portal system where instant reports could be generated.

Following the on-site trial, Assettrac visited WIG at their Solihull office to train designated office users on their cloud based system to manage all assets and create a workflow process that included the new digital information management system. Assettrac supports WIG throughout for their system usage, equipment informational needs and on a continuing basis.

Find out more about Assettrac’s highly configurable asset management system here. 

Facilities Asset Management Software Delivers Cost Savings for 10 Colleges

University of Edinburgh

university of edinburgh logo

Project Requirement

With more than 10 colleges, each with multiple buildings, The University of Edinburgh was struggling to manage its extensive IT & Specialist equipment asset register using spreadsheets. Keen to achieve a system that delivered improved oversight and control with more accurate data, lower risks and which would take less administrative time to keep up-to-date, the University partnered with Assettrac to provide an all-in-one, customised facilities asset management software.

The Facilities Asset Management Process

To gain accurate data on the volume and location of assets to be managed, Assettrac worked with partners RGIS, to assist in the first phase of the project comprising asset tagging, logging and on-site verification. The account manager worked closely with the client to configure their specific information requirements to enable the technical team to develop the client’s customised online portal. On-site, the teams worked together to identify, log and tag all items in scope within the set timescales. Site visits were project managed to minimise interruption and to maximise asset inspection and collection.  

At the end of the site audit, the team delivered an accurate asset register covering all of the locations for the 10 colleges. The asset register is delivered via their own customised, secure cloud asset portal, downloadable in various formats.

key stats for Edinburgh University's asset management software system

Client Outcomes

  1. Customised Cloud Asset Portal & Register: simplified, paper-free tracking, inspections and management of all asset items with handheld
    devices that identify any item with an asset tag.

  2. All Assets Identified: an asset verification process audited and tagged over 6000 items of equipment. Each was given unique asset tags and references, their building and room and with a supporting image for easy identification.

  3. Easy to Use System that Gives Instant Updates: all new asset items can be instantly tagged added to the asset register and tracked. Updates and information can be managed using a hand-held device, whether in the office or on-site.

  4. Reduced Wastage & Increased Savings: full oversight over the location and age of assets means the university can now maximise the use of existing assets and has reduced expenditure purchasing duplicate and unnecessary items.

  5. Reporting Made Easy: no longer held back by cumbersome paperwork or spreadsheets, the University of Edinburgh can update and manage information in real-time, as well as extract meaningful reports designed around their organisation’s information needs. Detailed reports are shared at the click of a mouse giving full audit trail of equipment and locations as well as meet compliance requirements by easily scheduling and managing inspections of specialist equipment.
university of edinburgh asset management software implementation timeline

Asset Tracking Platform: Tools, Equipment, Health & Safety

Cappagh Browne Utilities

southern water and cappagh browne partner with assettrac for digital asset management

Cappagh Browne is a UK utilities company that specialises in repairing and maintaining Southern Water’s wastewater networks for 4.7 million customers across the South East of England. The company’s remote teams of engineers service more than 40,000km of wastewater pipes spanning from the New Forest to the Kent coast.  Cappagh Browne approached Assettrac to deliver an asset tracking platform that would help them manage tools, equipment and health and safety for remote working teams.

To service this wide area, the company employs more than 500 people and has over 100 operational teams and their vehicles that need to be ready and equipped to respond to any incident wherever it is. In the 2022-23 period, the teams responded to over 60,000 call-outs.

In the UK water and waste sector around 8,000 workers sustain a work-related injury every year. Not only is this a worry for individual safety and wellbeing, it has a knock-on effect of lost working days and efficiency. Unsurprisingly, this means safety is a top priority and for Cappagh Browne, it is its guiding mantra.

How Tracking Assets Effectively Improves Safety & Costs

“One of the only things I lose sleep over is safety. I have people working all over the place and usually I don’t know if there is a specific problem until it’s reported to me. Using digital asset tracking gives me immense peace of mind because I can be sure we’re following the correct procedures and processes and that everyone has the equipment they need,” comments Managing Director, Jeff Birtwhistle.

Without careful management and an effective safety culture, the utilities sector can be a high risk working environment. Operating across a wide geographical area with more than 500 people split across over 100 remote teams, the business needed to ensure that all team members had all the safety and business critical equipment required to technically do the job as well as to minimise incidents.

Typically, each team will carry a lot of equipment (both owned and hired) and the company needed a more effective way to track and manage each van’s equipment, inspection and maintenance cycles, losses, as well as equipment hired. Just one piece of missing equipment will affect a team’s safety and ability to do the job explains Birtwhistle,

“Whenever we dig holes, there are so many things down there that can kill us, like live electricity or high pressure gas or water. If you’re missing a cat and genny (which helps us identify the services below ground using radio waves) you won’t know where the underground services are and therefore can’t dig around them. It’s a mission critical piece of equipment that frankly, can get lost in so many ways. Sometimes the teams don’t even know it’s missing because they’ve put it down somewhere and missed it when they pack up.”

The manual audit paper train was slow – it could take 6 weeks to report on missing equipment.  Operationally, teams work 24/7 and can be called out at any time. In order to optimise productivity, the management wanted engineers to be focusing on operational tasks rather than spending all their time logging equipment on paper audit sheets every week. At the same time, they needed to keep track of more than 1500 items including plant, equipment and vehicles.

The key problem was that the manual audit paper trail was slow. With teams working in the field it took a long time for the paper audit sheets to be received at head office and then processed by the admin team. Typically it could take 6 weeks to report on equipment, by which time the situation may have changed. There was never a clear view of what critical equipment was missing and this meant there was an increased accident risk because operatives didn’t have the equipment they needed to keep them safe.

Asset Tracking Platform for Managing Tool & Equipment Assets in the Field

Cappagh Browne’s customised digital asset tracking portal enables them to audit all equipment remotely every week, even if a remote-working team hasn’t come back to base. Any team member can evidence they have their equipment in their vehicle by tapping it against the item tags, either using their phone or a handheld device.

All scanned item data is instantly uploaded to the cloud meaning that the company no longer has to wait for paperwork to come into the office to know if any equipment is missing. The team at HQ can call to check if they have just forgotten to scan it, or whether it’s missing from their van. The solution can be immediate, as the team member can immediately scan the missing item’s asset tag if it is in the vehicle..

As a result, Cappagh Browne can now keep an accurate record of which equipment is out in the field and what servicing or replacement is required, giving them the confidence that teams can do their jobs efficiently and in the safest way possible.

Instant Reporting: Asset Tracking Reports Produced 6 Weeks Faster

Following the launch of their customised cloud asset tracking system and tagging from Assettrac, Cappagh Browne saw a massive improvement in data visibility and speed of reporting. Under the manual paper audit system, it could take 6 weeks from an audit checklist being completed to having the reporting data, and now it’s instant. Operations can now run a quick weekly report to check if anyone has missed the audit and to identify any missing items and can then take immediate action to make sure the team has the equipment they need

Additional Operational Benefits

Equipment Maintenance & Asset Lifecycles

Digital equipment audits enable the business to track maintenance, calibration and servicing requirements for all equipment. The information is stored centrally and reports 60 days in advance on what equipment needs to be inspected and serviced; even when vehicle tax needs to be updated. The system shows a history for every item, tracking its lifecycle from purchase order to decommission, waste or return of hired equipment.

Cost Savings for Equipment & Tool Assets

With an accurate register of all equipment, Cappagh Browne can more effectively manage their inventory. Accurate, up-to- the-minute visibility saves unnecessary costs on hired equipment and replacements. The company also benefits from cost and time savings in administration because of the increased speed of data collection and reporting.

Real-time Asset Reporting

By making tracking easier and less admin heavy for engineers, Cappagh Browne now has more asset data to work with and more detailed business intelligence. As data is instantly updated, reporting is more accurate and actionable. The customised portal was set up with automated reports that can be run at the click of a mouse and an interface with Google Looker (Data Studio) helps teams easily run their own bespoke reports.

 

Comprehensive Safety Audits

Assettrac provides a robust mechanism to undertake safety audits and gives greater visibility than was ever achieved with a manual paper system.

A Customised Asset Tracking Platform in just 60 Days

As SaaS software has developed over the past 20 years, the ability to configure software uniquely to a business needs has become much easier. Previously, customised software was out of reach for many organisations due to cost and time to implementation.

Jeff Birtwhistle comments;

“There are various suppliers who can deliver an asset tracking solution but they are not all cut from the same cloth. We were quite a long way down the road of testing and scoping suppliers but we were meeting obstacles with time to implementation, on-going management and future development costs. Then we came across Assettrac. They were simply more agile. Assettrac could do everything we wanted and fast. Importantly, it also gave us the opportunity to develop the system over time without high on-going financial costs.”

For Cappagh Browne, the first scoping meeting to the implementation of their custom portal and training was a matter of weeks. The only challenge for the business was the speed with which they were able to tag their equipment with their custom NFC tags due to teams working remotely. Once tagged, the process has been easy to implement.

Initial training was provided by Assettrac and the company has provided further tagging and reporting training in- house. “It’s quite intuitive to use. The training has been excellent,” comments HQ Manager, Aves Bellamy. “The system has really made a difference to the way that I work. It gives you confidence that you’ve got all the right information at your fingertips.”

A Return-on-Investment Greater than Pounds & Pence

Jeff Birtwhistle continues;

“It’s become an integral tool in our business. In terms of return on investment, actually the value is more than pounds and pence. It’s more in governance and control, giving visibility of the actual facts on systems and controls helping us ensure we meet our legal requirements.

“Our industry is not without its accidents and incidents. This year we expect to do more than 66,000 jobs and safety is probably the only thing in my job that unnerves me. There are massive implications with safety out there.

It’s a return on investment in terms of sanity, of knowing that we’ve got the level of governance and control that we need. Not only can we use that governance and control to make sure we’re doing the job right, but then we can evidence what we’ve done so from time to time when something does go wrong, we can show that we’ve got the systems and processes in place.”

Read the full white paper by downloading it here.

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Clinical Data RTLS System

Richmond Pharmacology

Richmond Pharmacology is an Assettrac asset management software client in the healthcare sector using RTLS

Richmond Pharmacology is a Clinical Research Organisation (CRO) based in London.

Established for over 20 years, the company works with international pharmaceutical and biotech organisations, conducting early phase human clinical trials with patients and volunteers. Richmond Pharmacology worked with Assettrac to implement a clinical data RTLS system.

Every drug trial generates massive amounts of drug and patient data. Intellectual property (IP) and data security are therefore crucial to ensure the secure and safe management of patient data under UK-GDPR and IP is a valuable business asset. The loss of any trial data could potentially lose their clients millions.  

Richmond Pharmacology are a healthcare company using Assettrac asset management software and RTLS

The Asset Management Challenge

Tracking & Managing Trial Data Safely & Efficiently

Richmond Pharmacology needed real-time location tracking (RTLS) and an efficient and secure system to manage the handling and processing of the huge volumes of patient files that relate to clinical trials. For every volunteer or patient, this includes GP reports, hospital records, health and drug data and detailed reports on their management regime and progress.

Hard Copy vs. Digital

In other industries the demand for speed would dictate that all data be now recorded digitally; the clinical trials world is very different. To meet the demands of drug licensing bodies, these patient files are kept in original, hard copy to demonstrate the drug’s efficacy and safety for commercial production. For any one trial, there could be hundreds, if not, thousands of files of patient data that have to be kept secure.

Compliance & Risk

Highly sensitive medical data has its own compliance and risk considerations. All patient data needs to be managed appropriately. In this industry, compliance is a commercial pre-requisite. Losing patient files and valuable IP will result in considerable reputational damage that will result in loss of business.

Operational Efficiency

Richmond Pharmacology needed a more efficient method of tracking the location of individual files as they move around the building. Existing manual processes cost time. Different people can have access to these files at any one time, so if the file is not in the archive, locating it quickly could be a challenge, particularly as the business was now operating out of more than one site and files could be travelling between buildings.

The Solution - Assettrac RTLS System

Following scoping meetings, Assettrac configured a real-time, zonal RFID/RTLS asset tracking system to be implemented across two Richmond Pharmacology sites in London.

1 – Zonal RTLS Asset Tracking

Each patient file is individually tagged with an RFID tag and can be checked in and out of the archive with a handheld RFID tracking device, recording the date and time the file leaves and with whom. As the files move around the building they are tracked in real time by antennae sited on every floor and at every entrance and exit. As a file passes a sensor, the RFID tag pings its location with a time and location for every stage of its journey which is then recorded in the central cloud portal.

RTLS asset tracking with assettrac

“The zonal asset tracking and management system is a game-changer for our organisation, enabling us to speed up our handling of information and at the same time, ensuring the highest standards in data management procedures are maintained without impeding the team’s access to clinical trial data for their work. As a result, the digital processes have given us huge peace of mind, we’re working more efficiently and the team is saving a huge amount of time every day.”

Kemal Rajabally, Finance Director, Richmond Pharmacology

2 – Fast Location of Any Trial Data Asset

Real-Time Location Tracking enables employees to find files quickly using hand- held scanners if they can’t locate an individual file or box. With the hand-held device operating a little like a geiger counter, the operator can enter the file RFID reference number into the handheld device and as they search for the file, the scanner will beep as the individual gets closer to the file.

3 – Instant Reporting

Customised reporting enables Richmond Pharmacology to have a full report of all files in the archive and out with team members at any point in time.  This gives them the power to know what is in the archive and to chase up anyone who still has a file on their desk.

4 – Security Alerts

The highly flexible reporting system was tailored to trigger alerts if a file leaves the building and doesn’t reach the next building (and RFID sensor) within a specific time period. The company can then combine this information with CCTV to see who has left with the file and therefore where it has gone.

RTLS System Delivers Process Improvements & Time Saving

Robust processes are the DNA of any research organisation. A reliance on paper-based research had previously stood in the way of capitalising on the benefits of digital process improvement. Assettrac’s cloud asset tracking portal, has enabled Richmond Pharmacology to move from repetitive manual processes and benefit from time-savings and faster (and easier) digital auditing processes.

Assettrac worked as a team with MPP Digital, digital consultants to implement the on-site hardware while Assettrac developed the customised portal and app for the company.

Implementation & Use

Implementation was smooth and completed in just a few visits. As a result, the company decided to extend the system into a second building and expanded its use to track IT.

Training

As the system is intuitive, training was swift, focusing on the IT and administrative teams. Training included learning how to tag files, to use the portal, produce reports and use handheld devices to check files in and out.

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“The actual implementation didn’t take long, just a few visits.  The challenges at the time were linked to equipment sourcing following Covid.  Assettrac went above-and-beyond to source the right hardware and to put it together with their software to make sure it all worked for the client.”

Nick Scarff, Project Lead, MPP Digital

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