Custom developed management solution for a construction services company

Aston Group utilised a standalone maintenance management software solution to orchestrate their reactive maintenance projects while handling planned maintenance tasks separately. Additionally, the company created construction project estimates manually in Excel spreadsheets while tracking their opportunities, revenue streams, and accounting processes using specialized software.

Relying on a mix of specialized technology systems and traditional desktop applications, Aston Group lacked a 360-degree view of its operational data. This, in turn, prevented the company from making well-informed decisions and improving its financial planning and forecasting capabilities.

To address these challenges, Aston Group contacted RichBrains, a technology consulting and software engineering company with extensive expertise in application migration and integration.

The implementation of the ERP-like solution would allow the customer to replace the isolated technology systems while digitalizing and automating manual data entry and transfer operations. The system would address all the customer and project management needs, from prospecting through procurement and production to managerial and financial reporting.

This comprehensive toolset includes a core management system, contractor portal, client portal, engineer portal, mobile application, and a cutting-edge human resource management (HRM) suite. Our team meticulously engineered each application within the ERP solution to enable effortless data interchange, ensuring seamless connectivity and real-time information sharing.

At the heart of the digital transformation project lay detailed data mapping. The RichBrains team parsed operational data from Excel files and technology systems, transformed and modified the information, and configured corresponding data fields in the ERP system.

Next, we migrated historical data to the new system and set up reliable data integration pipelines and processes for uploading additional data. Steps were also taken to optimize the AWS-based cloud infrastructure for impeccable application performance and availability.

Stock management system forms. Backbone of Aston Group's supply chain and facilitates quicker and more accurate inventory assessments. RichBrains created a minimum viable product (MVP) version of the stock management software in less than three months, helping the customer achieve a 50% reduction in manual workload for the stock and procurement team.

Asset, appliance, and property management functionality. Relies on a custom module synced with the client's portal. The module provides insight into asset and property utilization and helps create robust reports, taking customer relations to the next level.

Client management and financial settings. Help store contract information and allow the system to capture intricate details like contractual terms, inflation rates, and specialized labor rates. These data points arm Aston Group with valuable insights, enabling targeted service delivery.

Planned and reactive maintenance module. Allows Aston Group to automate job creation and deadline forecasting for planned preventive maintenance (PPM) tasks. Well-defined KPIs for reactive repairs ensure prompt and effective service delivery, keeping both the Aston Group teams and their clients satisfied.

Custom package and workflow module. Helps manage workflows and supports the creation of tailored processes, complete with custom forms and certificates. The solution allows Aston Group's employees to set stages for new projects in just a few clicks, addressing the unique needs of each customer.

Assignment management page. Offers a panoramic view of the engineering team workloads and allows for effective planning and resource allocation.

By implementing the ERP solution, Aston Group has achieved several milestones:

A 15% increase in data accuracy and reliability, which is driven by a unified data architecture and consolidation of disparate data points into a single repository.

Alignment of the company's goals with definitive key performance indicators, which are easy to measure and track using the system's built-in business intelligence (BI) tools.

A 40% improvement in stakeholder communication, which can be attributed to the implementation of the client and subcontractor portals.

Option to scale and integrate the ERP system with internal and external resources via flexible APIs, accommodating the company's evolving business needs.

Improved compliance with safety regulations driven by faster response times and robust data collection mechanisms.

Gaining a decisive edge over competitors due to real-time analytics and subsequent business process optimization.