APM Abfallwirtschaft Potsdam-Mittelmark
APM Digitizes Paper-Based Work Processes with SOTI Snap and Saves Drivers 30 Hours Per Day.
APM is a municipal waste management company based in Potsdam-Mittelmark. As a third-party representative of the public waste management company, APM is responsible for the collection and recycling of waste in the greater Potsdam-Mittelmark area.
The Challenge
The drivers’ working day begins in the morning by picking up route planning paperwork at the office, for the different types of waste disposal work orders. Details of each work order are then entered by hand on a form, and events during the working day are documented and then scanned. This manual data entry is usually completed at the end of the working day, and takes about 15 to 20 minutes per driver per day. Due to time pressure and manual processes, important details may be forgotten or incorrectly noted.
Also, drivers often find incorrectly sorted or prohibited items in the garbage containers they collect or empty. This is not only illegal, but can cause damage to waste containers or collection vehicle superstructures. For example, if there is brickwork or bowling balls mixed in the waste, and they bang against equipment in the collection vehicle, damage can occur. This may lead to complete vehicle breakdowns with considerable repair costs.
The Solution
APM needed an automated solution to digitize paper-based workflows, become more productive and reduce costs. SOTI Snap, introduced to APM by Lara Office, was used to create seven apps such as onsite documentation of “impurities” in waste. This information can now be documented directly via the app with real-time data and photos and sent to the APM headquarters.
The drivers are equipped with robust Samsung tablets which are managed by SOTI as well. They use SOTI Snap to digitize and automate processes that were previously mapped manually, cumbersome and inefficient. APM’s back-office team can now also see in real-time when and where containers have been emptied, which has helped to further optimize processes.
The Result
By digitizing their paper-based processes, APM has reduced the administrative workload of each driver by at least 15 to 20 minutes per day. With 90 drivers, this results in a total daily time saving of around 30 hours every day. The time previously spent filling out forms at headquarters can now be used productively on the road. In addition, the time-consuming post-processing of manually filled out forms at the head office is no longer necessary.
If containers contain prohibited items, drivers can now inform the control centre in real-time via the SOTI Snap app. This saves potential repair costs due to incorrectly disposed items and substances and the associated damage incidents, which can easily amount to €10,000 per incident. These are additional costs that are reduced with the help of SOTI Snap.
