Company
- Imperial Tobacco Group plc
Industry
Software solution
Benefits
- Substantial cost savings
- Reduced administrative effort
- Streamlined internal processes
- More effective management of time and attendance
- Faster retrieval of HR information
- Better management of data protection obligations
|
|
Leaner administration
According to Miller, the open nature of the database is one of the main advantages of Topaz EMS. Factory supervisors, for instance, can access time and attendance data directly in order to create their own reports.
"In the past, because of our complicated system for allocating days off, it was difficult to work out when people were due to be absent,” commented Miller. “With the Topaz system, on the other hand, we can easily juggle the workforce and ensure that there are always enough people available."
Against a background of more streamlined processes, the devolution of some tasks to factory supervisors is helping Imperial Tobacco to maintain a leaner administration function. At the same time, the introduction of an integrated solution has eliminated duplication of effort and repeated data entry. The time taken to process time and attendance data has been cut by 75 per cent, whilst payroll is now handled by one part-time person as opposed to two full-time clerks. The cost savings are substantial.
For the HR function, the benefit is not so much a reduction in administration as a whole new way of working. In the past, HR relied on cardboard files and paper rather than computers. Topaz EMS has revolutionised information retrieval and compliance with data protection legislation. The workforce has benefited in several ways. Holiday requests, for example, are now confirmed almost immediately rather than weeks or even months later, as was sometimes the case in the past.
|
|
Advantageous relationship
According to Miller, the Topaz support service has made a major contribution to the success of the Imperial Tobacco implementation. By offering Internet based support, Topaz makes it easy for end-users to make contact. The company’s prompt response then ensures rapid resolution of any problems.
"The quality of the software is excellent, but just as important is the level of support and accessibility of the people at Topaz. It is highly advantageous to have a direct one-on-one relationship with the vendor rather than going through a reseller. This gives us confidence that we are dealing with people who know what they are talking about," said Miller.
In future, use of the Topaz solution at Imperial Tobacco is likely to be extended. One possible development is to use the Topaz kiosk function to enable employees to view and update their own HR data. Based on the recommendation of the Bristol factory, other Imperial Tobacco sites have also expressed a keen interest in the software.
Read First Page »
|
|
