Coast Renewable Services

Key benefits

Configurable Digital Forms

With Re-flow’s form builder, Coast Renewable Services create monthly vehicle and PPE checks, PPE and component inspections, and timesheets to suit their needs.

Easy-to-Use Scheduler

Coast Renewable Services now have full oversight of their operations, being able to visualise assets like operatives, vehicles, and equipment. They always know where their workers are and when they’re needed.

Automated Qualification Tracking

Automation triggers and training expiration-date notifications enhance workforce competence and compliance.

Summary

Coast Renewable Services, who specialise in wind farm solutions, implemented Re-flow to track their operatives and their qualifications/​certificates, enable daily checks with automated defect reporting and carry out PPE checks, inspections and review their data in one place.

They needed a system that was easy-to-use and able to replace their reliance on spreadsheets. 

With Re-flow, Coast Renewable Services have gained complete oversight of their operations and boosting their compliance. 

Organisation details

Coast Renewable Services offer bespoke energy solutions in the renewables industry and have delivered some of the largest onshore wind farms in the country. Their work includes:

• Servicing and maintenance
• Site management
• Component repairs
• Installation and pre-assembly
• Fire suppression systems
• Component cleaning
• Preservation

The company was founded in 2013 by current managing director, Mark Robson. Coast Renewable Services soon expanded and now have a team of people and a much larger lineup of technicians working across the UK.

Challenges

As Coast Renewable Services grew, they found themselves relying heavily on spreadsheets – they felt they were ​‘working hard instead of smart’.

Wanting to take advantage of digital trends, they began looking for a field-management software provider capable of streamlining their processes into a single, convenient app. They wanted to move away from spreadsheets and Word documents and to make the office workflow easier while also tidying up their field processes. Other time-consuming issues included needing to keep track of operatives’ certificates and their expiry dates during scheduling.

First, they tried out an alternative piece of software to Re-flow. But they found it was too complicated and lacking the ability to configure the software to their needs. Coast already had some concerns about committing to a software solution and this alternative didn’t align with their objectives. ​‘It was too complex to set up and make work,’

Aim

Coast Renewable Services want to be one of the best companies in the wind turbine business.

To do this they needed to find software capable of integrating all their processes into a single user-friendly app. The software had a few headline requirements. They wanted the ability to:

• track and record progression of individual operatives
• efficiently track certificates and qualifications
• record streamlined monthly vehicle/​PPE checks configured to specific needs
• record component inspections, including photographs of damage and other information
• build configurable forms
• boost compliance and auditability

Ultimately, they wanted a reliable and adaptable platform to support their growth and operational efficiency.

Solution

Coast Renewable found Re-flow online, called, and organised a demo which led to a trial. During the demo, they were impressed by Re-flow’s ability to customise their forms in the exact way they needed. The key benefits of Re-flow for Coast Renewable Services included: 

• Integrated Systems: Re-flow’s software consolidated all workflows into a single system. This integration eliminated the need for different spreadsheets, making communication and coordination between office staff and field technicians simple.
• User-Friendly Interface: The intuitive design of Re-flow’s app and dashboard ensured that both office and field staff could easily adopt the new system. This user-friendly approach addressed the company’s concern about the complexity of previous software solutions.
• Configuration: Re-flow’s software is highly configurable, and Coast Renewable Services were able to adjust the platform to their specific operational needs. Whether it was forms, setting up workflows, or extracting reports, Re-flow provided the flexibility necessary for a bespoke solution.
• Efficiency Boost: By streamlining processes and automating routine tasks, Re-flow saved staff time – freeing both office staff and field technicians up to focus on more critical tasks.
• Real-Time Updates: Re-flow’s real-time data synchronisation ensured that all team members have access to the latest information, whether they are in the office or out in the field. Managers can have full oversight of the business enhancing decision-making and improving response times.

‘We frequently use the scheduler and use the calendar view,’ Coast told us. ​‘This allows us to see which technicians are on which job. We can see the specific vehicle they are taking on the job, add any work documents if required and add the site details as well as the site contact to the information they can access on the app. The technicians have this information to hand. We also use the jobs section to keep track of communication. Then, working side by side with our accounts team, Re-flow allows us to send alerts to finance when we need to quote certain jobs. It is a centralised place where we can store all details.’

As for forms, they said, ​‘The forms section plays a crucial role in handling our daily paperwork requirements. One of the major improvements we’ve seen since using Re-flow is the optimisation of our timesheet process. In the past, technicians had to input their timesheet information into Excel spreadsheets, which was time consuming and required access to laptops. We also use the forms section for PPE checks and vehicle checks. Beforehand this was done in a Word document, and it was hard to keep track of everything. We also use Reflow for keeping records of all of our PPE and vehicles. We now have most of our equipment and their serial numbers added into the system.’

Results

Operatives for Coast Renewable Services reported that the Re-flow system was ​‘easy to use.’ By adopting Re-flow’s field-management software, Coast Renewable Services moved away from inefficient spreadsheet-based processes to a streamlined, integrated digital system.

This transition not only improved their internal workflows but also enhanced their service delivery, supporting their continued growth in the renewable energy sector, and helped the company fulfil criteria for achieving various ISO standards. Potential ISO certifications due to Re-flow include:

• ISO 9001: Quality management achieved through better messaging and notifications, sending job packs digitally, building a full audit trail.
• ISO 14001: Environmental management won by showing a commitment to reducing environmental impacts.
• ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety accreditation gained through easy in-app access to Toolbox Talks, safety alerts and document signoffs.

Coast Renewable Services went on to give more detail: ​‘Our admin staff find the dashboard useful for quick at a glance insights. It’s now simple to quickly view who’s been assigned to which equipment, and tracking equipment is simple too. We can easily see details like make, model, and serial numbers, along with a clear history of its usage.’

Coast Renewable Services praised the Re-flow data trail and the benefits to HSE processes, saying, ​‘Having everything in one place is really helpful for our audits. We usually get audited every year, and now we can easily show the auditors our activities and how we gather information.’

The company have implemented streamlined processes throughout the business, including mandatory form filling in order to ensure that operatives fulfil every step. The approach saves time by ensuring there are no cut corners, and no unwelcome surprises as a result.

What’s more, they said, ​‘We find the level of support really good. The Re-flow team are always quick to get back to us if we have any questions, and the software allows us to be more efficient, not only in the office but in the field too. This in turn helps us provide a better service to our customers.’