WEHCO Video selects TOA Technologies' ETAdirect software to give field service operations a facelift

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. and CLEVELAND, July 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- WEHCO Video, which offers digital video, high-speed Internet and telephony services through 13 cable companies across six states, stays competitive by constantly seeking opportunities to drive greater efficiencies and create deeper connections with its customers. Recognizing that field service operations has the potential to impact both of these core initiatives, the cable provider embarked on a project to transform this critical piece of its business – starting by reinventing manual processes using the right field service technology. WEHCO Video selected TOA Technologies and its native SaaS solution, ETAdirect, as the foundation of this transformative project to build a more productive, customer-focused field workforce.

"We saw an opportunity to drive savings for the business and a better experience for our customers through the field workforce. We also knew taking advantage of this opportunity would require a major change in our field operations – replacing a mostly paper-based and very time-intensive process with a new approach rooted in sophisticated field service technology. It was critical that we find the right solution and the right field service partner to support us during this transition," said Charlotte Dial, vice president of administration at WEHCO Video.

"We're very happy with the field service management solution provider we chose – TOA's proven track record in developing and implementing mobile workforce best practices for the cable industry made it the perfect partner. And because ETAdirect optimizes field service processes rather than simply automating activities, we were able to jumpstart workforce productivity from day one. The solution is providing our dispatch center with a clear and real-time picture of the progress of appointments at any given moment. Our technicians are using the application to capture customer information and feedback seamlessly. And everyone in the appointment delivery process has the tools to collaborate about appointments directly in the application."

WEHCO Video is using ETAdirect to:

• Transform its field service process from paper-based to entirely digital – so everything from technicians' first assignments to how they report on the status of those appointments is managed automatically
• Empower technicians with full access to appointment details and the ability to report job status
• Optimize field service operations resulting in increased technician productivity, including the completion of more jobs per day and the reduction of travel time between jobs
• Achieve central visibility of what's happening at any given moment in the field – information that can be used to update customers if needed
• Provide a high quality service experience for customers by increasing on-time arrivals, on-time job completion and creating a simpler administrative process – technicians are able to verify customer identification details immediately and capture signatures on site
• Improve collaboration between field technicians and the dispatch center regarding customer and appointment information – with the ability to share work order details and communicate directly through the application

"The field workforce is unique in its dual responsibility – ensuring a customer's exceptional face-to-face experience with the provider, as well as effective and efficient fulfillment of cable services. This position puts them at the center of customer experience and service delivery, and it's what makes field operations a unique part of cable companies – and a clear opportunity for reinvention," said Yuval Brisker, co-founder and CEO of TOA Technologies. "In our decade of experience working with cable providers, from Virgin Media in the U.K. to Cablemás in Mexico, we have seen dramatic business transformations because of the field workforce. For example, the field can impact more than just the percentage of jobs completed on time; it also plays a role in better customer survey feedback results and has tremendous influence on net promoter scores (NPS). We are excited to help WEHCO Video take on this same kind of transformation, leveraging forward-looking field service technology as the foundation for achieving more productive operations and enhanced customer service."

To learn more about how cable providers can benefit from using TOA's field service management solution, ETAdirect, visit http://toatech.com/

About WEHCO Video
WEHCO Video is a division of WEHCO Media – a privately-owned, diversified communications company with interests in newspaper publishing, cable television and internet. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, WEHCO Media operates 14 daily newspapers, 11 weekly newspapers and 13 cable television companies across 6 states (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee and Mississippi). These cable companies comprise WEHCO Video, which offers an array of advanced digital video (cable), high-speed Internet and telephony service. WEHCO Video is also a full-service, facilities-based provider of communications solutions for commercial customers, providing high-speed Internet, voice services, as well as data and video transport services for small to large-sized businesses.

About TOA Technologies
TOA Technologies is a leading provider of field service and mobile workforce management software solutions. ETAdirect, TOA's complete cloud-based field service management application suite, holistically manages the entire service delivery process from start to finish: from the moment an appointment or service is requested, through planning, routing and scheduling, to real-time customer communications and field management. ETAdirect measures everything that happens in the field, from travel times to appointment length, and creates unique performance pattern profiles for each and every person in the field. TOA's patented statistical analysis engine then uses these personalized profiles to predict when things will happen and how long they will take. With the most accurate schedules and ETAdirect's browser-based and device-agnostic field service mobile app, mobile employees are empowered to get the job done right, on-time and the first time. ETAdirect is quickly deployed, highly configurable and easily integrated with existing CRM, ERP and other systems.

Across six continents, TOA Technologies and its ETAdirect solution suite manage diverse mobile workforces in the satellite/cable/broadband, telecom, utilities, insurance, home services and retail industries, helping them achieve their goals of reducing operational costs while dramatically enhancing the customer experience. TOA Technologies is headquartered in the United States and has offices throughout Europe, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand.

Media contact
Kayleigh Fitch
216.902.8547
[email protected]

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.
Yuval Brisker
http://www.profnetconnect.com/brisker

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SOURCE TOA Technologies