ATG Access Eliminated the Inefficiencies of Holding Multiple Data Sets

Customer Success

Who: ATG Access

What: Automatic bollards manufacturers

Web: www.atgaccess.com

ATG Access are the market leading automatic bollards manufacturers in the UK with over 30 years manufacturing experience & investment in developing bollard systems has placed ATG Access at the forefront of access control provision in the UK. Automatic bollards are utilised by their wide-ranging clients including Government Departments, major retail & leisure organisations, public utilities & architectural practices throughout the UK & Europe for applications such as monitored access control, car park entry systems, perimeter protection, pedestrianisation, bus priority schemes road user charging schemes, home zone protection, garage forecourt security & security of residential driveways & parking bays. Their bollards have been part of several award-winning town & city centre renovation & renaissance schemes all across the UK. As the original developer of the telescopic bollard concept, ATG Access were the first automatic bollards manufacturers to be given Highways Agency approval. Their range of manual telescopic bollards boast Sold Secure attack test certification & early in 2003, they became the first bollard manufacturers to be awarded the prestigious Secured By Design accreditation.

Challenge: Surface Customer Needs and Pain Points

Having recently joined ATG Access as Managing Director, Glenn Cooper recognised a number of issues that needed enhancement to cope with growth.

• The internal manufacturing operations were in need of better management including the controlled use of work orders and management of sub-contractors.
• Customer information needed to be rationalised from a number of separate databases into a single central data store for use by the whole organisation including sales and customer.
• Greater efficiency in reporting business transactions in the financial ledgers through the automated entry of transactional data.
• Project management to be fully integrated with the other disciplines of the business providing an improved reporting capability for ongoing costs & revenues.
• Inventory to be managed and controlled throughout the whole business cycle, including the holding of separate inventory stocks by the department in service vans.

Further issues revolved around the organisation’s ability to grow with a modern business system & operate to the levels of the transactional discipline that are required. This resulted in special efforts being made throughout the project both by Medatech consultants & independent consultants CCL to educate ATG Access staff in the fundamental concepts of manufacturing management & specifically MRP concepts.

Solution: System openness, interoperability and flexibility

Medatech provided a complete ERP solution to cover all areas of the ATG Access business, integrating all their operations within one seamless database. Medatech provided a single point of contact for supply of software, hardware, network upgrading and implementation consultancy. The solution consisted of the full standard manufacturing suite of Priority plus the additional modules of Project Management & Customer Service.

Results: Present ROI and Tangible Value Derived

Single Data Base for the Business Data

ATG Access has been able to eliminate the inefficiencies of holding multiple data sets in a Sage accounting system, three separate ACT! Databases & many disparate Microsoft Excel spreadsheets located on individual managers’ PC’s. This has allowed better control, distribution & visibility of information throughout the whole business.

Better Distribution of Strategic Information

Glenn Cooper (M.D.) & his managers have now been able to set targets for Key Performance Indicators which are drawn directly from the Priority database in order to help motivate the workforce into attaining ever-improving standards of customer service.

Greater Efficiencies in Production

Due to good design practice, many of their sub-assemblies are common across end products, ATG Access has gained significantly through the use of batch production techniques. This was previously impossible whilst they managed their manufacturing in a job-shop environment.

Reduced cost of inventory

With better management of their inventory, they now have better control of what they stock, a better idea of what they need to purchase and better control of when they purchase and receive materials. This means they can manage their financial performance much better.

Improved Service Provision

Better visibility of customer requirements, service history, service contracts, returned materials, field service appointments & van stocks has meant increased service levels & customer satisfaction. Tracking of service calls from the first phone call to job sign off has meant that nothing is allowed to slip through the net.

Projects are back in the fold

The management of projects, a most important part of ATG Access’ business, is integrated with the rest of the business. This means significant efficiencies in the entry & handling of data in a single integrated database. Management of cost and revenue of the major part of their business is coherent and visible for the first time.