#1.
Our client
Procontrol specialises in conformity inspections and operates in the fields of electricity, gas, electric terminals and solar panels. The company is based in Belgium and operates mainly in Wallonia.
Procontrol employs a team of some 40 people. These professionals travel throughout the region to ensure that installations comply with regulations. They work for both private individuals and companies.
#2.
Their needs
Procontrol approached us with a specific problem: improving their appointment scheduling process. With a team of 40 inspectors, each specialising in a particular area such as electricity or gas, scheduling appointments was complex.
Previously, ProControl used Outlook to manage these appointments and their follow-up, but this meant a lot of copying and extra work for the secretariat. They needed an integrated solution to centralise appointment scheduling. This solution also needed to facilitate communication with inspectors and simplify invoicing based on appointment data.
#3.
Our solution
The solution we developed for Procontrol is a tailor-made schedule. The secretariat can enter all the appointments of different customers. This solution is directly connected to their ERP system and can be used to automatically generate estimates in preparation for billing.
The customised schedule makes it easier to schedule, manage and monitor inspectors' appointments, with each inspector having a personal overview of his or her schedule. An automatic scheduling tool has also been developed for the secretariat to allocate appointments based on inspector availability and proximity to other appointments. This optimises travel and working time.
This centralised system guarantees full follow-up for each inspector. Once the appointment is confirmed, all necessary documentation is managed within this single tool. Inspectors can enter and save documents directly into the schedule. Instead of juggling different platforms, everything is brought together in one tool that orchestrates the entire process.
#4.
The challenges of this project
This project was particularly challenging as the new system had to be connected to ProControl's ERP. An in-depth analysis of internal processes was essential, as ProControl's customers range from individuals to large installers.
Their range of services is huge and it was necessary to design a tool that could manage this diversity. Starting from a set of complex needs to end up with one universal solution required considerable effort. This required numerous meetings and working sessions with ProControl.
#5.
Our partnership
We had excellent cooperation with ProControl, who were very available and receptive to our expertise and proposals. Working in Agile and in Sprint mode was a great asset for this project: it allowed us to build the schedule progressively and deliver intermediate versions to the client regularly.
The fast and constructive feedback allowed us to adjust the development along the way. This approach allowed us to avoid mistakes and ensure that the tool exactly met ProControl's needs.
#6.
Conclusion
The project was a success both for ProControl and for us thanks to close and dynamic cooperation. Thanks to the Agile approach and working in Sprint, we were able to develop a tailor-made solution, perfectly adapted to ProControl's diverse needs. We were able to transform a complex process into an integrated and efficient tool that centralises planning, communication and invoicing. This success demonstrates the importance of continuous collaboration and flexibility to adapt to the specific needs of the customer.