If you run a cleaning company, with staff working unsupervised at a range of sites, can you keep an eye their timekeeping? Can you ensure your employees work their scheduled hours? Can you even be certain they are at the correct site?
According to U-Clock, the answer to all these questions is a resounding yes. Its remote employee management system is an example of technology that is both cost effective and deceptively simple to operate.
U-Clock offers a solution to spiralling wage bills and payroll problems, as well as helping you to avoid disgruntled clients and damage to your company’s reputation. Crucially, says the company, it can also help you win more contracts as your customers can be reassured that they are getting cleaners who are working the hours they are paid for. In addition, U-Clock will help staff feel more secure when working alone, often early in the morning or late at night, and create a dedicated channel of communication between you and your employees.
So how does it work? A low-cost U-Clock device is installed at each site, powered by an advanced lithium battery that will last for up to two years. Each device has a unique location code and an eight digit code on its screen that changes every 30 seconds.
When they arrive at or leave the site, employees ‘clock on or off’ by sending a text message to U-Clock with the current code, providing you with a verifiable date, time and location for each member of staff.
U-Clock also has an alerts feature, so that if a staff member does not arrive for a scheduled shift, the system will send you an SMS text message and email. This will allow you to arrange for cover quickly and efficiently, with the minimum of fuss.
The alerts can also be set to raise the alarm should a lone employee at a remote site not clock out at the end of a shift, providing further reassurance for you and your staff.
Other than the U-Clock devices - which can be installed in seconds using the strong adhesive backing, or simply screwed into place - and the employees’ mobile phones, the only other thing you need is Internet access. You can access your own secure hub on the U-Clock website to manage schedules, timesheets and payroll information, as well as giving you an overview of your entire operation - with locations and timekeeping all available at a glance.
The system can even be programmed to recognise key words - such as ‘sick’, ‘petrol’ or ‘holiday’ - and when the employee types this at the start of their message, it will automatically go to the appropriate people.
U-Clock founder Jamie McCann, who invented the technology to help him run a ventilation firm with dozens of staff working remotely at sites all over the country, said the system had resulted in increased output from his employees: “It enables me or any of my team at head office to know where the lads are at any given time. If any of them are late on site, for whatever reason, we can see it straight away. More often than not, they were being held up by traffic or late supplies, and we were able to make changes to start times or get in touch with suppliers to resolve the problem. Of course, everybody also knows they can’t sneak off for a coffee and a bacon roll when they should be getting down to work. There is no doubt that U-Clock not only increased productivity, it also led to much improved customer satisfaction - and gave my business a real boost during tough economic times. I believe it is well suited for the cleaning industry because most firms have a number of employees working remotely and that can be really difficult to manage.”
www.u-clock.co.uk