Digging deep into digital transformation at Highways UK

Highways is Re-flow’s main industry and their field management software being the dominant force in the sector has come from years of close collaboration with large highways businesses. Since Re-flow’s first Highways UK show in 2019, they’ve progressed from a small table, to a pop up, to a fully constructed 8×6 metre stand, and this year they were excited to expand their show offering even more:

  • By demonstrating their latest features from the Big Autumn Update

  • By their collaboration with client Jointline discussing their experience on ‘The challenges of digitally transforming field operations’ (with Julie Davidson head of Jointline’s QSHE division)

  • By their participation in the talk ‘Doing more with less by embedding digitalisation throughout project lifecycles’

Features in Re-flow’s Big Autumn Update

Re-flow offered free one-to-one health checks at the show and found their clients keen to discover the many improvements to the software in the latest Big Autumn Update:

  • A radically improved BoQ system for hire
    Designed from the ground up to completely replace standalone systems overloaded with unintuitive formulas and other intricate processes. Re-flow’s on/off hire adds a huge amount of control and blows alternative systems out of the water with its ease of use.

  • Fatigue tracking
    Furthering their commitment to the industry, Re-flow are working closely with their industry partners to find new features and improve safety processes across the sector.

  • Optimised speed and efficiency
    Part of a whole host of upgrades that make the software – available on Android and IOS, offline and online – lightning fast and more responsive.

Looking closer at common hesitations around digital transformation

For the show, Ashley Wing, Re-flow’s CMO, collaborated with Jointline’s head of QSHE, Julie Davidson. Julie Davidson described the many different areas where the company use Re-flow’s field management software, and also the nature of their digital transformation – from when they started to their experiences in the present. The talk, The challenges of digitally transforming field operations,took place on Wednesday 16th October.

Digital transformation isn’t just about moving from paper to digital. It often involves shifting from a static, or underperforming system, to a more suitable solution that’s intuitive and flexible.

Four key barriers and their solutions are as follows:

  1. Uncertainty of Outcomes:  Solvable by having a project manager and an experienced support team in order to map the process and to set clear milestones, enabling companies to visualise the entire transformation process. Re-flow have found that a clear vision helps build confidence.
  2. Disruption of Operations: Professional services and support can bring disruption to a minimum. Teams will be free to carry out the usual duties while the digital solution slots into place at incremental stages.
  3. Fear of Migrating Data: Moving data from one system to another can be daunting. Having dedicated teams from the field-management provider that handle data migration makes the process smooth and straightforward.
  4. Learning Curve: Having an intuitive and streamlined system from the field-management provider is key for adoption. Operatives require minimal training, with the focus instead landing on admin users. Having a comprehensive onboarding process, with personal development days, learning tools, and on-site training, ensures the teams are fully up to speed.

Julie shared Jointline’s journey over the last three years, highlighting what triggered their change and how Re-flow supported them along the way. This talk reinforced Re-flow’s work ethos: they listen to the industry, collaborate closely with clients, and build solutions that help businesses thrive. It’s how they ensure the software works well for everyone, from operatives to admin.

‘We knew Re-flow was intuitive,’ Julie said. ‘We’d had really good uptake from our site staff on their near miss side that we were using. As it’s an app, operatives are very familiar with the format.’

Re-flow customers at Highways UK

It was great to see and speak to plenty of Re-flow customers at the event – the likes of RSK, Kiely, Core Highways, Breedon, Tarmac, ATM all use the software to enhance their operations.

At Re-flow, they pride themselves on producing intuitive, flexible, and powerful software. Re-flow’s easy-to-use interface allows non-tech users to build their own automations and workflows without any coding experience. The software boasts dynamic automations, offline capabilities, and comprehensive support, ensuring operations run smoothly, whether on-site or in the office. With Re-flow, companies gain a scalable solution that grows with the business, delivering ongoing value from day one.

Visit the Re-flow website to learn more about the benefits and features of the industry’s leading field management software.

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