Dynamic Hydro Excavations is a prominent player in the hydro excavation, excavation, CCTV inspections, street sweepers, and vacuum trucks industry. Starting from humble beginnings, the company has evolved into a high-performing business with a presence in six locations across Australia’s east coast. Their commitment to efficient processes, quick response to Council requirements, and innovative practices has enabled them to establish enduring relationships with local councils.
Key Takeaways:
- Significant reduction in administrative time and effort
- Improved safety compliance and incident reporting
- Informed decision-making
Left in the dark
As the company expanded, managing operations using traditional methods became increasingly time-consuming and prone to errors. The use of paper documentation, including timesheets, forms, and dockets, was causing unnecessary double handling and delays. The need for coordination across six different offices exacerbated these challenges, leading to bottlenecks in invoicing, documentation handling, and overall operational efficiency.
"[Our] process had a lot of double handling. We would be spending 4–5 hours a day checking these dockets, so now that we have gone digital, we have saved time in the printing and re-printing of dockets and of the scanning of these documents." - Brendan Reed, NSW Operations Manager
A tool for Digital reporting
Recognizing the need for digital transformation, Dynamic Hydro Excavations initiated the search for a digital system to streamline their operations. They implemented Assignar, which allowed for the digital collection of information, including photos of hazards and maintenance issues. With Assignar, the pre-start forms are digital and developed to include photos. The incident reporting is sent through Assignar to the health and safety manager straight away instead of filling out paper onsite and going back and forth between the office and those out in the field. The system enabled the organization to collect more information, leading to an increase in pre-start forms completed thoroughly.
"We’re getting better compliance with real-time pre-starts, and we're saving money on printing. Since all this paper doesn’t need to be physically stored, our time can be maximized and spent on more meaningful tasks.”
A Soft Rollout to Success
The transition to a digital system was initially met with some concerns about user adoption, particularly among older employees. However, the company’s soft rollout approach allowed users to familiarize themselves with the new system at their own pace. Within a week of implementing digital timesheets, the team had adapted to the change and embraced it as a common practice.
Here’s what the team implemented:
- Document Digitization: Assignar eliminated the need for paper documentation, reducing the time spent on printing, scanning, and manual data entry. This resulted in a streamlined process, saving valuable hours in administrative tasks.
- Real-time Data: The mobile app empowered the field team, enabling instant access to work-related information and project progress. Supervisors, like Jace Peter, appreciated the visibility Assignar provided, allowing them to plan and execute tasks more efficiently.
- Enhanced Safety Forms: Safety forms, such as machine pre-starts, were transformed into digital formats with photo integration. This enabled field workers to capture visual evidence of hazards or maintenance issues, leading to thorough and real-time compliance.
- Incident Reporting: The digitized process enabled immediate incident reporting through Assignar, eliminating the delays associated with paper-based reporting. This facilitated quicker response and resolution of issues.
- Analytics and Planning: The integration of Assignar’s analytics module offered valuable insights. Dynamic Hydro Excavations leveraged geo-mapping features to visualize project locations and plan strategically, as demonstrated by the potential depot relocation decision.
