Maestro is a very easy-to-use problem management system. What that means is that it runs on handheld devices that are carried by the rangers and it takes care of the problems they find, and their tasks, tallies, surveys, visits reports, problem reporting and more. If a problem is reported, then Maestro automatically generates the required notifications, tracks 3rd party actions, etc. All of this is visible to the ranger manager in real time and is backed up with timely reports and statistics.

Improved reaction times

Maestro is not a recording system, it actually actively manages a problem from origin through to fix. When a problem is entered into the handheld device by a ranger it processes the information in real time and transmits it to the Maestro database where Maestro determines which 3rd party is responsible for the type of problem that has been entered, and sends a notification – automatically. All problems entered by any ranger are displayed on the managers console. One might ask why does this make such a difference?

Example:

Take an example of overfilled bin or a pile of litter on your high street. A ranger who spots this problem enters it into his/her handheld and can even take a picture of the problem, then continues along the street performing the allotted tasks for the day. Meanwhile Maestro determines the correct 3rd party for the problem entered, and sends a problem notification. This notification contains all the information required by the 3rd party to resolve the issue, including any picture that may have been taken by the ranger. As soon as Maestro sends the notification it also sets an internal clock so that it can tell the ranger when to go back to the problem location to check and see if the problem has been resolved within the agreed service levels.

Control over 3rd Parties

Most organisations use 3rd parties to undertake any of the tasks. And usually there are contractual service level agreements in place. But have you noticed how difficult it is to measure an manage the compliance to this agreed SLA. Not any more – Maestro takes care of it for you.

Example:

When a problem is submitted by Maestro to the 3rd party, Maestro also starts an internal “timer” that is defined to match the service level agreement times for this particular problem type. At the relevant time it then issues a “Verify if Fixed” task to all available rangers. A ranger will go to the location to check and see if the problem has been resolved. and if it has, the problem is closed. Should the ranger find the problem still exists, then Maestro will automatically escalate the problem. A record of all events is kept on the Maestro database, allowing reports to be created showing which 3rd parties meet their service levels.

Getting the real picture

The expression “A picture paints a thousand words” is a valid statement, which Maestro takes to heart. Maestro is able to take advantage of any in-built camera capability within the handheld device, and append the picture to the problem. This picture, along with all the other data that has been entered into the problem form by the ranger, forms an integral part of the problem report.

Example:

Let’s take a real life example: A ranger spots a loose pavement tile which could be a trip hazard, he takes a picture and submits it as a problem. If the ranger also uses a pound coin, the scale of the problem can also be assessed by the 3rd party. No longer will the 3rd party need to send out an assessment team, rather the “fix team” is sent out straight away. This means that the ranger can carry out his duties finding and solving problems, efficiency is increased along with saving money and manpower for the third party.

Precise data collection

Want to find out how effective you are as an organisation – create a survey and let the Rangers ask business and public alike. This has of course always been possible, and is usually a paper exercise, but the collation of the survey results are time consuming and laborious. But not with Maestro! At a press of a button all the surveys undertaken by the rangers are collated and presented to you in an easy-to-understand format.

Example:

Businesses are one of the main stakeholders of your organisation, and it is important to understand their requirements. Create a survey that is performed when you visit a business, and get the feedback you require to make sure you are always addressing their needs. Through the use of a variety of tools, you can make sure you identify trends, problem areas, etc, and take the actions required to address them.

Demonstrating “Value for money”

Any business or organisation that is service based always has the problem of “proving” to its clients that it provides “Value for Money”. This is particularly true in the case of BIDs, where the levy is often viewed as a second “tax” on business, and often business complain “we have not seen you”, etc. Maestro can help counter this by ensuring regular visits are made, and recorded; by ensuring any problems recorded by a business are followed up, and by keeping a complete record of actions taken.

Example:

Each issue raised by a business (fly tipping in front of shop) is associated with the business which means that it is easy to show later on that their problems have been dealt in a timely manner. In the same line it is important for BIDs to maintain regular contact, show reports and survey outcomes to maintain a constant dialog. Maestro helps schedule and track business visits in the same time encouraging both business and rangers to continually define new dates.

Not a standalone system

No single system can provide all the answers, yet it can be surprisingly difficult to get systems to inter-operate with other applications. Not with Maestro. Built using open standards and techniques, Maestro has been designed from the very outset to be able to inter-operate with other applications and systems.

Example:

Most organisations will already have a contact database of some description. For Maestro to work effectively, it needs a customer database, but rather than force you to re-enter all the data again, causing duplication and all its inherent problems, Maestro uses its “connector” technology to connect to your existing contact database. Maestro can act as the master, or slave, depending on your requirements, and the accuracy of the existing data.

Minimal to no training, very easy to use

Anyone who can use a mobile phone can use Maestro. The handheld application is built on the popular Microsoft Windows Mobile platform, and has been designed very much by Rangers, for Rangers. Our existing clients help us develop the upgrades.

Example:

When analysing the use of the handheld devices, we noticed that the rangers were often typing in very similar texts for a particular problem type, which can be slow using the inbuilt “soft” keyboard. So Maestro offers users the option to create that message via the management console, which is then automatically downloaded to all handheld devices and is selectable by Rangers via dropdown list boxes. Maestro also uses colours and symbols to display the priority and lateness of any particular task, at a glance.