Learn how the GeoTask system uses its advanced algorithms to support UPC Poland in managing several hundreds of fieldwork technicians and improving network maintenance operations.
About the project
UPC Poland, a digital service company with over 1 500 000 subscribers, wanted to improve their process of fieldwork technician management. This process is related to network operations and maintenance as well as handling outages and failures. UPC Poland decided to cooperate with Globema and implement GeoTask for fieldwork management. The system allowed our customer to significantly shorten task completion. It also improved workflow between UPC and technical partners responsible directly for the network operations.
Contents:
Industry: Telecommunications
Country: Poland
Solution / Service: GeoTask
Category: Network Asset Management
UPC Poland is one of the leading providers of innovative cable television solutions, optic fiber Internet, as well as mobile and landline networks for private and business clients in Poland.
Challenges
UPC Poland switched to a different technical partner responsible for managing network maintenance. After this change, the company searched for a solution to improve the process of commissioning, executing, and accounting work related to network maintenance, as well as handling failures.
Solution
GeoTask was already implemented at UPC Poland to improve Customer Operations such as installing and initiating services for new clients, switching subscriptions, solving Internet connection issues, scheduling technician visits, etc. For this project, we expanded GeoTask with Network Operations service improving network maintenance and operations.
This way, UPC Poland’s employees working both in Customer Operations and Network Operations can use a single system to improve their effectiveness.
The Field Service Management system, GeoTask, supports Network Operations at UPC by improving network maintenance tasks and outage and failure management in objects such as HUB, Headend, as well as HFC, xPON, and ETH networks.
Before, UPC managed this kind of work using a different Workforce Management system.
Implementing the GeoTask solution in the Network Operations field for network maintenance
What did we do during this project?
- We conducted a business process analysis and built a case study
- We prepared descriptions of required functionalities
- We implemented GeoTask, a Field Service Management system:
- the dispatcher’s app featuring e.g.: task planning and scheduling, monitoring work in the real time, creating appointments with clients
- a mobile app for field crews featuring e.g. creating task lists for field technicians and reporting working times
- We expanded the solution with network backbone maintenance services and the Warehouse Module used for tracking the life cycle of CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) belonging to the technicians and clients as well as stored in the company’s warehouses
- We performed system integrations
- We conducted workshops with UPC’s technical partners responsible directly for completing network operations
Why UPC decided to cooperate with Globema?
UPC already experienced working with Globema. The company uses GeoTask and other Globema solutions such as the Central Address System, Polish Database of Buildings (BOB), and Physical Network Inventory. A logical next step was expanding the system with network maintenance services.
Integration with the systems mentioned above allows the company to manage fieldwork technicians and promptly react to outages or other unexpected situations. It also provides them with information about network elements.
Benefits of using GeoTask
A central system for managing all tasks provides fieldwork progress data across the country. The information is consistent, no matter which technical partner is responsible for each task. The system data is updated in real time with no delays.
Implementing the GeoTask system for Network Operations enabled:
Optimizing technician working time
Automating task assignment
Improving fieldwork efficiency
Implementing a system that could be integrated with other existing systems at UPC…
Shortened reaction time to new tasks to only a few minutes
Significantly shortened outage repair time
Made it possible to commission maintenance work to technical partners and easily settle finances
The future of our cooperation
GeoTask is continuously expanded with new functionalities. Additionally, we are adding a new solution, the Equipment Return Module. It will support the process of returning devices by customers, starting from issuing information about customers sending equipment to UPC’s warehouse, through receiving returned devices (scanning and verifying customer data), to testing technical conditions.
The Equipment Return Module also helps to collect data every time a device is returned. Such data need to be stored for report purposes and allow the company to engage in parallel processes, such as equipment recovery in case of overdue returns.
Summary
Cooperating with UPC Poland, we also implemented solutions for planning and supporting fieldwork related to customer service:
Read the case study about UPC Poland and GeoTask – Customer Operations
In 2006, Globema implemented another solution at UPC Poland – Smallworld Physical lnventory including our add-ons: Optical Network Atlas, Physical Route Manager, and CATV Design. Since then, Globema maintains the system and provides other services related to Smallworld.
It’s our priority to promptly react to service outages. Solution delivered by Globema allows us to send our technicians to where they are needed as fast as possible. The system continuously improves our effectiveness at handling failures.
UPC Poland
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