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What makes inspection scheduling difficult, and how to solve it?

To digitise and optimise the inspection scheduling process in regulatory operations is complex. Each inspection requires a unique inspector with specific skills, qualifications and specialism. On the other hand, that requires particular instructions, data capture and associated workflow. Using just a digital inspection checklist is not enough for regulators to have real-time visibility of where things are.

Inspection scheduling is an integral part of every inspection digitalisation project.

Whether we talk about regulatory inspections at local or national government structures, efficient inspection scheduling is always important. The use of good inspection scheduling software enables regulators to understand their problems better, prevent their repeat occurrence and improve the process.

What makes an inspection schedule good?

A good inspection schedule is a mix of many components: each inspection has its program with unique instructions, data capture requirements, failure workflows and approval workflows. Last but not least, travel time between inspection jobs can be affected and disrupts the schedules. This mix of components is complex and challenging to manage. That’s why we designed Canalix as an inspection management software to help regulators make good inspection schedules with the help of AI and understand their complexity better with machine learning.

How to optimise the inspection schedule?

At Canalix, we help regulators of different shapes and sizes create and manage highly efficient inspection scheduling that enables safety, compliance, maintenance and continuous improvement. We achieve that by offering a robust inspection scheduling software within an inspection platform where scheduling is just one of many inspection management components that get improved. Here are five ways Canalix helps regulators simplify their inspection schedules:

Simplifying the unnecessary complex processes

A crucial step to simplifying the inspection management process is transforming the inspection forms. By adding instructions to inspection forms, inspectors can better understand each inspection’s goal.

At Canalix, we deliver inspection form opportunities that respond to the best practices in the sector. Regulators that use Canalix can rely on inspection forms with:

Instructions.
Automated workflows simplify the process for inspectors and other staff members and strengthen compliance by flagging relevant follow-up action where needed.
Photo and video evidence submission can provide additional context for each inspection.
Conditional logic of the forms. For example, the form can require additional photos if the risk score of the inspection is above a certain level.

2. Don’t transform inspections all at once, do it modularly.

When we speak to our future clients about the opportunities to transform their operations with inspection software, we ensure they remember that digital transformation should be perceived as a process. Often that requires a modular approach to achieve sustainable digital transformation impact. The digitalisation of inspections changes not only the work of inspectors but also the work of other actors in the regulatory inspection processes. A digitalised inspection platform can create opportunities for cost-optimisation and productivity improvements if implemented correctly.

That sounds great, and it’s the dream goal of many regulators, but it is also a challenge. We help regulators achieve this goal with an excellent modular strategy and new technologies like AI-enhanced job scheduling, IoT technologies, machine learning, remote inspection technologies, and automated risk assessment.

A regulator starting a digital transformation journey may look like somebody standing in front of a wall with technologies and strategies. Canalix helps regulators bundle the right technologies and priorities into a digital inspection platform where they all tie together. The method may be designed to allow the integration of different modules one by one. That is made possible by the cloud-based inspection software model, a.k.a SaaS (software-as-a-service).

Because inspections in different regulatory areas are complex, lack of integration opportunities is a common issue in inspection software service providers. A digitalised inspection platform designed for regulators is what can deliver the right integration opportunity that would eliminate this issue and provide good data analytics opportunities for swift decision-making.

Case study: Reduce operational costs with inspection scheduling software

Read it to understand:

- The advantages of modular digital transformation
- The vital architectural practices and technologies that enable modular transformation
- How a regulatory agency in the UK is benefitting from a modular approach with Canalix.

Download now.

3. Strive for efficiency on more than one front

The use of inspection scheduling software doesn’t solve the scheduling problems on its own. It’s a digital transformation step, one of many, that should be carefully planned to bring success. We at Canalix help regulators to achieve efficient inspection scheduling by enabling them to manage the travel time between inspection jobs, the allocation of resources and the shifts of staff.

Managing resource allocation in inspections

Canalix is an inspection case management system that enables the regulator to embrace the self-inspection model. Our low-code and high configuration SaaS nature allow regulators to be flexible in times of uncertainties and manage resource allocation with an ever-evolving strive for optimisation.

Managing travel time between inspection jobs

Certain factors define how long an inspection will take – the complexity of the inspection job, the distance between a job and an inspector, the available technical equipment (if needed), the location of the warehouse (if there’s such), the inspector’s skill set, etc. Based on these factors, a route is created between inspection jobs and the assigned inspector.

The efficiency of the inspection schedule depends on the regular’s ability to send qualified inspectors to relevant jobs with minimised travelling time. The skillset is a crucial variable in the route optimisation formula. Based on our expertise with regulators, we refined this formula and offered it as a successful model to our customers from the regulatory sector.

CASE STUDY: How a regulatory agency cut costs with resource scheduling software?

- - - - reducing the scheduling time with up to 75%
      - increasing efficiency of operations with 40%
      - fully eliminating errors in the resource allocation process.

Download the case study.

4. Manage resources efficiently when a last-minute change occurs

What if an emergency disrupts the work schedules for days ahead? To reroute the inspection job assignments of expensive resources like inspectors and create new programs that keep operational costs under control is crucial for efficient inspection scheduling. And usually, good inspection software does that. We at Canalix do even more because schedule disruptions also present an opportunity to reduce travel time (compared to the previous work schedule). But to have an efficient rerouted schedule, one must have a fast and prompt reaction to the changes in real-time.

“Just match a job to the right person who can finish it”. It sounds simple but is it? What exactly are we matching – the skillset, the geolocation of the resource (whether it is the one nearest to the job site) or the availability status? Inspection job matching becomes a very complex task if we juggle through different constraints. Canalix can take all these constraints and automatically make a balanced schedule. The result is that only employees with the required skills and certifications will be eligible for the job, and it will be allocated to the one nearest to the job site.

The benefit of using inspection software like Canalix for handling inspection schedules is very evident in emergencies because there are no missed checks, and the service is delivered without compromise in its quality.

5. Make the life of inspectors easier.

Regulatory inspections usually have standard requirements for efficient inspection scheduling:

Provide instructions
Capture inspections data
Evaluate results and initiate corrective or preventive actions
Understand what’s due, what’s happened and what hasn’t
Track inspection KPIs

Having one inspection platform that does all this for different actors in the inspection management process is excellent for inspectors because they can do everything in one place, and everyone can be on the same page in real-time.

August 5, 2022/by Boris

Why regulators need resource scheduling optimisation for inspections

Inspection Management, Resource Management

The use of resource scheduling software helps regulatory agencies plan, manage, and allocate resources in a way that follows the optimisation goals of the agency. An inspection team leader can do effective inspection tracking and aid his decision making to keep the agency’s operational costs below a certain level. The use of field resource scheduling tools for high-risk regulatory inspections is vital for the long term efficiency of the regulators.

Here are 6 reasons why:

1. Visible results, no matter what the workload is

The results of effective resource allocation are equally visible when we’re dealing with large volumes of work or a small volume of tasks. In both types of organisations – large and small, inspection team leaders improve their planning efforts by making more intelligent decisions about resource assignments. No matter the size of the regulatory agency – the adoption of a field resource scheduling tool is always a good idea.

2. Save operational costs

Field resource scheduling is essential when allocating a limited number of resources to a growing backlog of inspections. Using an inspection management platform with a risk scoring algorithm can help team leaders allocate resources on the field only to high-risk reviews while assigning self-inspection to low-risk inquiries. Making this digitally ensures that team leaders give tasks to resources with a relevant skillset, and everyone will be notified about it in real-time. Reducing the error rate in-field inspection schedules will reduce the operational field inspections costs.

3. Improve efficiency

Suppose the same number of inspectors can complete inspections faster, with less driving time between jobs, less stress and less effort. In that case, this will eventually make inspectors more motivated and more productive. Team leaders always have visibility on workload and can also tackle balance to keep each team member productive without overloading his time.

4. Control the time better

How much is the driving time between jobs? What if you can reduce it via route optimisation? Then the resources can have the opportunity to spend less time driving, and the prediction of time needed for task completion is more accurate.

5. Achieve workload balance

Even if we use the most innovative field resource scheduling tool on earth, sometimes an inspection will run over schedule. Team leaders will have to quickly design a new work schedule with minimum disruption in the task orchestration.

Using proper resource & schedule management software can help regulators reassign overload tasks to inspectors with more capacity and spare those overloaded. Achieving this balance is vital for having a motivated and effective inspection team.

6. Eliminate risks

Planning inspection schedules with priority over high-risk inspections will lead to less risk and improved safety standards. Assigning self-inspections to low-risk cases will take the unnecessary burden from the inspector’s shoulder and help them focus only on-field tasks with high-risk scores.

Do you want to have a free product tour with Canalix and see first-hand what our resource scheduling tool can help you achieve? Contact us now.

How Canalix transforms the world of regulatory inspections?

Watch this video on YouTube

July 27, 2021/by Boris

How investing in cloud services creates savings for government agencies?

Case Management, Inspection Management, Regulatory Compliance

Everyone have heard government leaders talking about cutting costs. This is a budgetary policy that is happening in every EU country. Now in times of global health, social and economic crisis, these conversations are taking place more often than ever. Making cuts in the budgets seems like a shortcut to getting numbers in order. But shortcuts are not everything. A long-term cost optimisation policy is the smarter way to go for a variety of reasons.

Shortcut plan vs long-term strategy?

The use of outdated systems in the public sector has led to reduction of the work load and challenged the efficiency of areas like regulatory enforcement in the peak of the covid-19 in Europe. More specifically the inspection management part of the regulatory agencies was challenged when strict social distance measures applied. This affected the citizens and the efficiency of the workforce, operating on the inspection management part.

Read now: A guide for finding the best inspection management software online

As a result there are a lot of conversation about cutting costs in government agencies now. However, optimizing costs is the direction for government agencies that are using outdated systems to run their processes.

“Government leaders often fall into “salami-slicing” budget cuts across the board. “Government leaders’ approach is to make incremental cuts to budgets areas across the board, rather than taking a more strategic cost optimization approach. These cuts can be particularly damaging to IT, derailing digital projects and ignoring the positive impact that budget spent on IT can have in reducing costs elsewhere in the organization.” says Cathleen E. Blanton, research vice president at Gartner.

Digital Transformation Drives Efficiency and Cost Optimisation

With the events that happened in 2020, government CIOs must evaluate whether the government agencies can deliver their services to the public with the current work model. After this assessment is made, the CIO must research alternative models of work. We’re living in the age of cloud technologies, so if we talk about transforming an overlooked field like inspection services, the cloud alternative must be on the top of the list.

By researching cloud alternatives, CIOs must focus on the values of the cloud, but also to make sure that the new work models won’t be a challenge for the workforce. The values may vary. For example in the inspection management part the value may be about optimizing costs for travel of inspectors, in the case management part it may be about optimizing the processing time. The values vary at the different levels of government organizations. The good news is that with a good plan, CIOs may have an overview of the expected outcomes before buying a cloud software for inspections or for somethings else.

Plan smart, implement cloud smarter

Adopting cloud for government agencies is not a simple task. It must be planned carefully and at different stages. If we look at the wholesome of processes behind regulatory enforcement, we will see room for different software solutions – inspection scheduling, inspection management, compliance management, case management, self-service portals and other e-government solutions. If the cloud implementation is planned to cover different solutions at different stage, then it will be one smart plan that will not only implement cloud, but will also do it in progressive way. It means that at every stage the workforce will be more mature to extract the values that are promised by the cloud.

The strategic approach of cost optimisation requires long term planning skills. This approach starts with formulating clear strategy and then implementing it.

How to choose the right cloud service supplier?

There are hundreds of options on the SaaS market of cloud solutions for e-governments. However, when choosing a cloud service supplier, CIOs must look for something more than that. They need to identify a supplier, who is willing to be a partner and contribute to the planning of the most optimal cloud adoption plan.

Do you need help for cloud integration of inspection software and case management platforms for government agencies? Or you just want to start with gathering data via self-service portals and plan the further cloud adoption for other public services?

Contact us now.

August 7, 2020/by Boris

How To Improve Inspection Scheduling With Business Optimisation Platform?

Resources

In our previous article we compared industry-specific inspection software solutions vs all-purpose solutions. There we mentioned the four functionality pillars that optimize the inspection regime of public organizations. They are:

case management
inspection scheduling
inspection execution
self-service portals

Now we’ll pay attention to one specific pillar – inspection scheduling. Keep reading if you want to learn the exact ways in which this functionality could be improved via business optimisation platform.

Inspection Scheduling Improvements

Inspections play a crucial role for many public sector organizations to ensure safety, compliance and effective operation. If we have to define what a good solution for inspection optimisation is, then it will be something like:

A good solution for inspection optimization includes optimization of the four functionality pillars – inspection scheduling, inspection execution, case management and self-service.

Since Canalix is a product that prides itself by supporting the optimisation of every part of the inspection regime, we have a lot to tell about the different way through which this is achieved. Let’s start with three main points, dedicated to the improvements of inspection scheduling:

1. Technology improvements and time optimisation

Here’s a “secret” – time is priceless. That’s why every optimization starts and ends with saving time. Inspection scheduling is not an isolated action. It is a group of operations that are taking big pie of the inspector’s time. That’s why Canalix is a solution based on data-driven automation and AI otpimisation technology. This technology transforms the inspection scheduling into a digital and more streamlined process that saves time.

2. Intelligible UX

Technology is not the only way through which inspection optimisation is achieved. Have you ever heard of scandic shic? This is the UX philosophy that the interface of Canalix is based on. With other words – minimalistic and comprehensible. This means that the user friendliness of the inspection scheduling software allows inspectors to work intuitively with it. On the other hand this also means: without having to read long FAQs and manuals.

The UX optimization is both – a competitive feature and a process-based optimisation. So when it comes to comparing two different solutions for business optimization, make sure that you had tested the usability of the product and felt comfortable with it as a user. Because user friendliness is the only way to realize the benefits that the product promises.

Do you want to test the user experience of scheduling inspections with Canalix? Contact us through this form.

3. Reducing of costs

What’s the reducing of time without reducing of costs? The consumer data of Canalix shows that direct improvements in inspection scheduling like time management and usability have their indirect impact on costs. The benefit goes not only to the work process on organizational and individual level. But also to the community itself. Especially when we talk about the public sector. Read more about the benefits of using inspection optimisation platform.

The inspection scheduling optimisation is just a part of a larger digital transformation movement that both the private sector and public organisations are part of. This transformation includes the other pillars of the inspection regime as well. Read here why self-service portals are more important than ever for the inspection driven regulatory enforcement.

May 11, 2020/by Boris