22 Mar 2018
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks is looking to improve its asset data quality and extend its transformation to paperless operations.
As the first adopters of Chime, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks is reporting significant productivity improvements since introducing the mobile-based system to capture good quality asset data.
Based on its initial success, the company is now looking to introduce further elements to the business.
Stuart Hogarth, Director of Business Transformation, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, said: “Part of our transformation programme is to move towards a paperless field operations and as part of that we needed a tool to collect data.
“Chime was a tool we believed we could start that journey with, being used initially to collect data from substations.
“Our future plans now for Chime are really to start driving the paperless field working and paperless office even further.
“We’re also considering doing time sheets using Chime, vehicle checks and other asset types.”
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks field-based operatives now use Chime on their mobile devices.
Ryan Cocking, Assets Systems Project Manager, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, said: “Chime is making a great impact on our asset management.
“We now have a flexible solution which enhances the way of working for our field-based team, and a system of evidence-based reporting on our assets, with a clear evidence trial.
“It enables us to make decisions in the business based on good quality data.
“We’ve gone from data collectors and checkers to a role that provides accurate data, where decisions can be made for the better performance of the business overall.
“The new opportunities Chime gives us means we are making a real difference. It’s now about intelligent assessment, not form filling.
“Chime is also exceptionally flexible. IT systems can be very prescriptive but Chime can be tailored by us, without any need for programming, to meet our exact needs. If we need to add any detail it can be added by us and put out quickly on all the devices.”
Chime has been developed by Heather McCusker and Paul McKeon, the founders and directors of software business Clear Horizon IS.
They have channelled their decades of experience in IT and utilities to create Chime after seeing a gap in the market for improved mobile work management.
Heather said: “The critical success factor in Chime’s rollout has been usability.
“It has been instantly grasped by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks’ field users, who are effectively using Chime with little training required.
“A number of well-known utility companies have now registered their interest in the platform - and the next goal is to transition Chime into a global platform for data collection.”
