Uncovering Opportunities for Improving Efficiency, Safety, and Success at Trade Shows

The Importance of Talking to Re-flow at Trade Shows 

Customers grasp the potential of our software to a different degree when they see it in person, which is why we always encourage potential clients to seek out our show teams at any of the big infrastructure trade shows. 

We’re always excited to show companies why Re-flow is the right fit for them.  

Events have been proven time-and-time again to be the perfect way to achieve this. In one of our early shows, a fantastic Birmingham-based company – Highway Traffic Management – visited our stand and had a great conversation with our team.  

Highway Traffic Management Ltd were looking for a piece of software capable of running their business processes – scheduling, digital risk assessments, preparing and delivering digital job packs and more.  

It was then, whilst I was Head of Client Services, that I was introduced to, Greg Baldwin for the first time - first over a phone call and then through a Teams screen share, to scope out and configure their inital vison of Re-flow, and how it could meet their requirements at that time.  

Talking at Shows  

We’re very customer centric, we listen, and we act. Without understanding needs by listening to those in the industry, how can you succeed?  

One of the main concerns we hear from companies looking at field management software is that their operatives might struggle if the technology is too complex. At shows we’re able to illustrate the ways in which Re-flow has been designed from the operatives' point of view, then subsequently – but to an equal degree of care – the back-office staff too.  

We are able to demonstrate even more ways that Re-flow is a simple, intuitive app to use, and how powerful and configurable the software is.  

HTM saw how we were positioning ourselves at a time the industry was crowded by bloated overly technical software, and, long story short, we now have an excellent relationship with them, spanning over four-years full of communication and collaboration.  

Initially, we worked together to create bespoke forms – point of work risk assessments, site safety reports, and so on. Over time, the relationship evolved further. HTM have since then moved on from the standard Re-flow rollout, to our Enterprise Solution, giving them much more freedom and enabling them to utilise the powerful API connectors. This is a whole other level of service we’ve introduced over time, our project management team are looking after them, conversing, iterating, honing – and ultimately discovering more and more ways to drive efficiencies.

Saving time, increasing productivity, and ensuring compliance. 

To list a few more specific examples, customers across construction, highways and infrastructure use Re-flow and the data they capture to: 

• increase safety, communication and document control 

• reduce business risk and utilisation of natural resources 

• connect to APIs to capture even more data and get more insights into the running of their business 

• boost productivity and carbon saving benefits 

• super charge compliance with toolbox talks, safety alerts and process 

Re-flow contributes to build a real-time streamlined eco system, enabling hundreds of companies across infrustructure to effortlessly tackle their ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 and 2700 audits.   

Coast Renewable Services uses Re-flow for scheduling their staff and performing maintenance checks.

The Re-flow Team Learning from Customers at Trade Shows 

Ideally the communication between companies working in big infrastructure and their management software providers is fluid and clear.  

But unless the software company itself is set up to take advantage of this kind of dynamic, it just won’t work.  

Re-flow’s support team is very strong, and the trade shows offer us a different kind of opportunity too, which we love… 

Our in-show support sessions give us the space to catch up, listen and further explore the ever changing requirements of the industry.  

We learn their dream Re-flow wish-list. In the past it’s been about things like, enabling skillset qualifications – the logging of operative qualifications and baking in the requirement that the necessary qualifications are present during scheduling: jobs can’t be scheduled unless there’s people that meet the skillset requirements for the work type that they’re doing.  

These conversations often begin during events, and we’ve always gone on to integrate those features into the package for everyone.  

The Health & Safety Event - we caught up with Nathan Stovell and Matthew Cox TechIOSH TIFSM

Keeping up with Industry Trends at Traffex and Utility Week Live  

Our next two shows are Traffex and Utility Week Live. Both shows have a theme in common – Net Zero – while Traffex also has a few speakers discussing AI’s integration into the big infrastructure workplace.  

These shows are an opportunity for me and the Re-flow team to keep up to date with these kinds of topics.  

Net Zero is incredibly important to the country, and to us too. Sustainability is one of Re-flow’s key goals, and it’s something we practice as much as we preach. It’s a topic that bears engagement – we already have plenty of ways our software can generate huge amounts of efficiency savings, and we’re developing even more.  

Re-flow can help big infrastructure companies prepare for Net Zero by:  

1. Eradicating Paperwork: Digital processes reduce the need for physical paper, cutting down on waste. 

1. Streamlining Workflows: Efficient workflows eliminate unnecessary back-and-forth, reducing travel and fuel consumption. 

1. Asset Management: Provides visibility over equipment, vehicles, and operatives to optimize resource use and minimize travel time. 

1. Efficient Route Planning: Helps managers plan fuel-efficient routes, reducing overall fuel usage. 

1. Automating Maintenance Scheduling: Log service dates and automate vehicle maintenance, ensuring optimal performance and fuel efficiency. 

1. Preventing Misuse of Equipment: Attach safety checks and instructions to equipment to prevent misuse and reduce carbon emissions from breakages. 

1. Tracking KPIs: Log and monitor KPIs to track progress toward Net Zero targets. 

1. Building Custom Forms for Emission Calculations: Create forms to calculate carbon emissions and generate reports to identify areas for improvement. 

As for AI – we all have to start using the tools and benefits that AI provides, or risk falling behind and becoming less competitive.  

Re-flow’s latest update brought these tools to our customers, who can now use AI to identify trends and patterns and to generate some impressive reports. It’s a great apparatus for understanding trends and patterns and finding even more of those abundant possible efficiencies that lead to smoother-running businesses.  

If you’re available to attend the events, visit us at Utility Week Live , Stand E8, Hall 12 (21-22 May 2024, NEC Birmingham) and Traffex Stand C24 (22-23 May 2024, CBS Arena Coventry)