Introduction
How AI-powered automation transformed efficiency and accuracy for Bannister Transport
The Client
Bannister Transport, established in 1965, is a specialist in temperature-controlled distribution, headquartered in the Vale of Evesham. This strategic location enables efficient national coverage across the UK. The company is committed to eco-friendly logistics, employing cutting-edge technologies to ensure precise temperature management while minimising environmental impact. Initiatives include the use of electric vehicles and energy-efficient warehousing, aligning with forward-thinking practices. Bannister Transport’s dedication to sustainability sets a new standard in the industry, contributing to a greener and more efficient future in temperature-sensitive logistics.
The Challenge
Bannister’s delivery tracking process relied heavily on manual data entry. Drivers completed Proof of Delivery (POD) notes for every job, recording key details such as job numbers, delivery dates, and locations. Each week, approximately 200 PODs had to be manually entered into the system—a labour-intensive process that was slow, error-prone, and a drain on staff resources.
The inefficiencies caused:
• Delays in processing deliveries
• Increased risk of human error in data entry
• A reliance on manual verification, consuming valuable time
Bannister recognised the need for an automated solution to improve efficiency and accuracy while freeing up employees for higher-value tasks.
The Solution
To eliminate the inefficiencies of manual data entry, Emerge Digital developed an AI-powered solution leveraging Azure AI and computer vision. Now, instead of manually inputting POD notes, drivers scan their documents, which are automatically emailed to the AI system. The AI processes the scanned documents, extracts key data such as job numbers and delivery dates, and assigns a confidence score based on text recognition accuracy.
If the confidence score meets the threshold, the data is entered into Bannister’s system automatically. If not, it is flagged for manual review. Over time, the AI model continuously improves by learning from flagged entries, increasing its accuracy and reducing the need for human intervention.
"Emerge Digital’s AI solution has transformed our POD processing. What was once a slow, manual task is now automated, saving our team hours of work each week. The accuracy and efficiency improvements mean we can process deliveries faster, with fewer errors. Most importantly, this innovation allows our staff to focus on more valuable aspects of our business. We couldn’t be happier with the results."
Tom Owens, Managing Director - Bannister Transport
The Outcome
The AI solution has transformed Bannister’s operations, eliminating the need for manual data entry while improving accuracy and efficiency. Deliveries are now processed faster, with significantly fewer errors, ensuring that customers receive real-time updates without delays. Employees previously tasked with repetitive data entry have been redeployed to higher-value roles, contributing to business growth rather than being tied up in administrative work.
Key benefits include:
• A faster and more reliable data processing workflow
• A drastic reduction in human errors, improving overall data integrity
• A cost-effective solution, running at just £60 per month
• A self-learning AI model that continuously improves its recognition capabilities
As the AI solution continues to evolve, Bannister is seeing ongoing operational improvements, reinforcing their commitment to efficiency and service excellence.
Introduction
How we helped create a unique, ultra-modern coworking space in Gloucestershire
The Client
Focus is an innovative coworking office space nestled in the South of the Cotswolds. They offer an ultra-modern and flexible environment designed to cater to freelancers, remote workers, hybrid professionals, and local businesses. Equipped with state-of-the-art amenities, Focus aims to create an atmosphere that fosters productivity, creativity, collaboration, and focus.
The Challenge
The company behind Focus procured an office building with a floor that remained unused. The vision was to convert this floor into a high-quality, shared workspace to serve individuals and small businesses in the local community. They approached their existing supplier, who suggested a solution based around a traditional physical network that didn’t align with the vision of Focus for a modern workspace leveraging wireless connectivity. Thus, Focus sought the expertise of Emerge Digital to bring their unique vision to life.
The Solution
The team at Emerge Digital began with a site visit to understand the vision and requirements of Focus. The subsequent proposal crafted was technology-focused and included:
• Development of a robust wired and wireless network, providing flexibility and a choice for users depending on their work needs.
• Supply and installation of advanced audio-visual and conferencing facilities to enable seamless communications within the facility.
• Integration of electronic door locks with wireless technology to secure access to meeting rooms.
• Implementation of a booking system to facilitate the reservation of resources and room access, enhancing user experience.
• Full installation and project management to ensure the seamless implementation and activation of all technology elements.
"Emerge Digital has truly brought our vision to life. Their technological expertise, combined with a deep understanding of our needs, resulted in a coworking space that is not just state-of-the-art, but truly resonates with our users' needs. The feedback we have received from our members has been overwhelmingly positive. Emerge Digital's innovation has helped us offer a workspace that is a cut above the rest, truly setting us apart in our community."
Oliver Robson, Project Manager - Focus Coworking Space
The Outcome
The successful implementation of the technology-focused solution by Emerge Digital has helped transform the unused floor into a technologically advanced and user-friendly coworking space. This transformation has allowed Focus to provide a premium shared workspace equipped with modern conveniences and secure systems. The integration of technology has not only enhanced user productivity but has also facilitated a seamless coworking experience.
Images kindly supplied by Focus Coworking Space.
Introduction
How we empowered BituChem’s productivity and growth by implementing Microsoft Dynamics 365
The Client
The BituChem Group of Companies is a leading provider of high-quality road surfacing and maintenance solutions, as well as specialist products for the construction industry. With a commitment to innovation and excellence, BituChem has developed a diverse range of products and services, including road emulsions, polymer modified bitumen, and road repair materials.
With multiple subsidiaries, BituChem’s reach extends across the United Kingdom and beyond, offering unparalleled expertise in their field. Their dedicated team of professionals ensures the highest standards of customer service, working closely with clients to deliver tailor-made solutions for their unique needs. As a forward-thinking organisation, BituChem continuously invests in research and development to stay at the forefront of the industry, providing clients with cutting-edge, sustainable solutions that stand the test of time.
The Challenge
BituChem faced the challenge of managing and updating their delivery scheduling system, which relied on three large whiteboards in their office. These whiteboards contained information about the trucks, days, drivers, and loads, and had to be constantly updated due to changes in weather, clients, and other factors. This manual process led to inefficiency and potential errors, as the same information needed to be updated in over 10 different locations, none of which were linked together. BituChem approached Emerge Digital, seeking a solution that could digitise these whiteboards and improve the overall data management process.
During our initial discussions, it became evident that the real issue was the lack of a single source of truth for their data, which was scattered across multiple spreadsheets and not properly tracked in an ERP system. Additionally, BituChem was using Sage CRM, which proved insufficient for their business requirements. These factors led to the decision that a new, comprehensive system was needed to address the challenges of data management, paper reduction, and overall process efficiency.
The Solution
To address BituChem’s challenges, the team guided them through a procurement process to select the most suitable solution, ultimately choosing Microsoft Dynamics. The process began by identifying BituChem’s requirements through user stories for each company role. With a list of 250 software options, the team narrowed it down to a few viable choices based on factors like pricing, required integrations, and BituChem’s specific needs.
Shortlisted vendors were engaged to create demo environments showcasing their software handling the identified user stories, enabling direct comparisons and evaluations based on usability, customisability, and pricing. The client participated in demonstrations and a scoring matrix was used to assess and compare each solution. With the matrix and client feedback, the team guided BituChem to select Microsoft Dynamics 365.
The implementation involved an 18-month development process following an Agile methodology, which enabled incremental building and testing of features. High-level requirements were refined into detailed processes, and development stages focused on specific functionalities. As each functionality was developed, the client tested it to ensure accuracy and ease-of-use before proceeding.
BituChem was provided with monthly development hours as part of a retainer package, allowing the project to progress at a comfortable pace. After development, a two-week testing period allowed staff to use the Dynamics system alongside the old one, serving as both a trial and training period. On-site support was provided during this time to assist and guide users.
"Emerge Digital were just what we needed to help us overhaul our antiquated order management system. They listened to and understood our vision, enabling us to implement change without ever sacrificing our identity as a business. The result has been the elimination of costly mistakes, the saving of many working hours per week, and improved communication and relationships across departments. I would recommend them for their insight, their commitment to ensuring the best possible outcome of the project, and for their friendly and helpful communications."
Mike Rogers, Business Operations Manager - BituChem
The Outcome
The Microsoft Dynamics implementation has resulted in significant positive shifts in BituChem’s operations. Even though the system has only been live for a short period, its impact has already been marked by a substantial increase in operational efficiency and streamlined administrative tasks. This has enabled BituChem to conduct more business within the same time frame, positively affecting profitability.
Operational improvements extend to a streamlined dispatch process, cutting several hours from daily tasks and enabling order processing with a single member of staff – a testament to the efficiency and user-friendliness of the new system. With a comprehensive training period of just two weeks, compared to the previous timeline of months, new staff members can become proficient quickly, contributing to productivity at an expedited rate.
Furthermore, quantity and pricing errors on invoices have been almost entirely eliminated, which has substantially increased the precision of their financial transactions. This accomplishment exemplifies Emerge Digital’s dedication to delivering faultless service and solutions that match the client’s specific needs.
Moreover, BituChem now has a wealth of data at their disposal, allowing them to better understand their business and make informed strategic decisions. This invaluable resource has been possible because of the enhanced data management capabilities of the new system.
Other notable improvements include a reduction in the printing of delivery paperwork, and a unified data source, enhancing collaboration across departments. Therefore, this modern, efficient system has successfully addressed the previous challenges and reshaped the way BituChem operates.
Introduction
How co-managed IT support provided relief for Metrasens’ internal IT department
The Client
Metrasens are the world’s leading provider of advanced detection technologies for security and safety applications. Their core technologies, combined with tailored solutions, address the deficiencies in conventional screening methods.
The business has two main sites; one in the UK and one in the US. Until now, the businesses IT functions have operated independently. Going forward the desire is to integrate the business so that there is a common operating platform across the whole business. As part of this objective, the business decided to introduce a global technology partner in the form of Emerge Digital, who are guiding Metrasens by using a Digital Business Strategy.
The Challenge
Metrasens employ a lean, in-house IT function with responsibility for both the UK and US sites. The main focus is to make improvements to Metrasens’ business systems, including software, processes, and IT infrastructure. However, due to the growth rate of the business in recent years and its corresponding headcount increase, the IT function was facing increasing demand in supporting employees with software and hardware issues that they faced on a daily basis.
The Solution
We worked with Metrasens to design a solution which reduced the amount of support tickets that their in-house IT function has to handle. Our First and Second Line Service Desk Engineers took on the responsibility as first point of contact to solve employee issues –VPN and connectivity issues, password resets, printer issues – as well as server maintenance and patching.
We gave Metrasens access to our 24/7 helpdesk, meaning the US site always had someone at hand to solve issues when the UK site was closed. The Metrasens team could also login to a portal which contained live ticket data, so they could look at the trends and monitor ticket completion.
After they were onboarded as a support client, we also assisted Metrasens with a substantial SharePoint project. We worked with them to design a SharePoint structure, and then we migrated the files to there from an on-premise server. We set up user permissions, and trained all of the employees on how to get the most out of SharePoint.
"We have a very positive relationship with Emerge Digital – it’s a truly collaborative and transparent partnership. By outsourcing First and Second Line tickets to their best-in-class Service Desk, they’ve enabled us to focus on improving our core infrastructure, increasing the efficiency of our business."
Dave Barnes, IT Systems Manager - Metrasens
The Outcome
By taking weight off of the internal IT department and dealing with common issues, we ensured they could focus a greater amount of time on improvements to software and processes. As a bonus, with assistance from our Infrastructure Specialists, Metrasens was able to research, design, and source new on-premise infrastructure equipment. This project will significantly improve the reliability and efficiency of their infrastructure, minimizing downtime and maximizing employee productivity.
During 2022, our Service Desk managed to reduce the average number of monthly tickets from over 50, down to 20. This has been achieved by the due diligence of our engineers, who deal with the root causes of issues, rather than simply patching up the problem.
Introduction
How a scalable and secure IT infrastructure empowered Clover HR’s rapid growth
The Client
Clover HR is a human resources consultancy dedicated to providing a wide range of HR services to businesses across Worcestershire. The company, which originated in and is based in Worcester, has since expanded to other areas while continuing to support local businesses through site visits, coaching, and other supportive services. Clover HR prides itself on being an integral part of their clients’ teams, providing the flexibility to scale services up or down as needed and filling skills gaps within their clients’ teams.
The team at Clover HR consists of highly experienced HR professionals who offer end-to-end support to clients, aiming to help them focus on growing their business while maintaining compliance with employment law. Through honest, focused, responsive, and innovative HR support, they aim to transform people problems into solutions, enabling their clients to be employers of choice with an engaged and motivated workforce. They invest in highly qualified and experienced consultants, pairing clients with a consultant that fits their specific business needs and requirements.
The Challenge
Clover HR, a thriving company experiencing rapid growth, faced significant challenges with their existing IT infrastructure provided by a smaller Managed Service Provider (MSP). The company’s complex business model included full-time, part-time employees, and consultants, all of whom required access to the IT infrastructure. Their system’s unreliable access and subpar performance were holding the business back and preventing them from taking full advantage of modern technology.
Furthermore, Clover HR had aspirations to work towards the ISO 27001 standard, requiring an IT solution that would not only accommodate their diverse workforce but also support their ambitious growth plan and increasing demands for enhanced security.
"Working with Emerge Digital has been a game-changer for our business. Their innovative solutions and meticulous onboarding process enabled us to seamlessly transition to a modern, scalable IT infrastructure that supports our diverse workforce. Their unwavering commitment to service excellence has allowed us to focus on our ambitious growth plans with confidence, knowing that we have a solid technological foundation in place."
Michael Doolin, Group Managing Director - Clover HR
The Solution
Emerge Digital proposed a comprehensive, bespoke IT support solution tailored to the unique needs of Clover HR. The strategy involved adopting Microsoft 365 for full-time staff, with their devices connected to Azure Active Directory, enabling them to access essential resources securely. For non-staff members using their own devices, Azure Virtual Desktops provided a suitable compromise, offering access to the same resources without compromising the full-time staff’s user experience.
The project involved a smooth migration to Azure Active Directory, Intune, Defender, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams. This transition ensured a secure and feature-rich environment for full-time employees. Meanwhile, the Azure Virtual Desktop environment provided part-time staff and contractors with the essential tools and access they needed while maintaining security.
Emerge Digital’s meticulous onboarding process involved close collaboration with Clover HR, addressing any challenges with the existing provider and infrastructure. Employees received hands-on support and training to help them adapt to the new technologies, resulting in a positive onboarding experience.
"Emerge Digital's expertise and bespoke approach transformed our IT infrastructure, allowing us to focus on our rapid growth. The team's dedication to understanding our unique needs and delivering a secure, reliable, and efficient solution has been invaluable. Our employees now have the tools they need to thrive and communicate effectively."
Morgan West, Commercial Operations Manager - Clover HR
The Outcome
With the implementation of the new IT infrastructure by Emerge Digital, Clover HR has witnessed a transformative shift in their daily operations. The new system offers a high-performance, reliable, and secure foundation that is not only scalable to align with the company’s rapid growth but also fosters an environment conducive to innovation.
Clover HR is now empowered to operate more efficiently and maintain robust communication among staff, while concurrently working towards achieving the ISO 27001 standard. The employees have wholeheartedly welcomed this change, hailing it as a “breath of fresh air” and appreciating the seamless onboarding process facilitated by Emerge Digital.
This new IT infrastructure serves as a springboard for Clover HR’s ambitious growth plans. It gives them with the confidence of having a robust technology system that will bolster their aspirations every step of the way.
