Delivering remote implementations and training was the most successful initiative we introduced during the lockdown. It’s proving a big hit with our customers…
Like many companies, the lockdown presented us with a host of new challenges. One of the biggest was how to deliver implementations and training effectively at a time when site visits were not allowed.
RedSky Project Manager Roisin Hawe said: “During the lockdown, we used a range of technologies including Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, Smartsheets and the RedSky Portal to provide support remotely. Customers are embracing this new approach and so are we because it offers increased flexibility and visibility that make it easier for projects to be delivered on time and within budget.”
Ideal solution
Siobhán Shannon, Financial Controller at Flynn, signed up with RedSky at the end of 2019. The project kick-off meeting was in March and RedSky Consultant Rob Austin managed to spend two days with Siobhán at Flynn’s Dublin office before the lockdown.
“Because of lockdown and all the closures in Ireland, I upped my RedSky remote support to three days a week during May and June,” said Siobhán. “Rob and I use Microsoft Teams a lot. It definitely allowed us to get to know each other really well. It’s ideal because we can both see each other’s screens and he can also take control of our screens if needed.
“Microsoft Teams has been absolutely brilliant in terms of training because we have videos of all the training sessions. There’s no need for a training manual: in future, if a new person joins our Accounts team or an existing staff member needs a refresher, they can simply work through the training video.
“Rob and I have been using Smartsheets extensively too. For example, we refer to and update the implementation log during our Microsoft Teams calls. It indicates which activities we need to work on each day and we use it to log any issues that have arisen. We’re also using Smartsheets for our go-live – having this detailed plan and structure in place is essential.”
Four of Flynn’s teams – Procurement, Commercial, Quantity Surveyors and Accounts – went live in July and Payroll will follow suit in mid-August. Since moving across to the new system Siobhán is increasingly using the RedSky Portal as her go-to for best practices and raising minor issues.
Making life easier
Ascent Homes, the house building division of Advance Northumberland, went live with RedSky in December 2019. In March, a director changed the company’s processes, from estimating through to procurement, so Senior Quantity Surveyor Jane Simpson has been working remotely with RedSky Consultant Steve Bell to build these changes into the system.
“For example, we’re now doing ‘plot packs’ so that all the quantities for each home we build are saved on RedSky in a materials library. It will make life easier for the buyers, speed up the process and make it more accurate. Steve set up the format and template for us remotely.
“Steve has also done quite a few training and refresher sessions for us online, either on Google Hangouts or Microsoft Teams, showing us how to set up our files to do uploads onto the system. We’ve had a refresher session on procurement too, including materials orders and putting invoices and subcontractor valuations onto the system.
“During the lockdown, we’ve all got used to this sort of remote delivery. I think it’s really good. It’s the new norm.”
To find out more about RedSky’s construction-specific software solutions, click HERE or telephone 44 (0)20 3002 8700. Middle East customers telephone 971(0)4 362 5106.
