As a software development team, we’ve had the opportunity to work on exciting and complex projects. One of our most impactful collaborations has been with Exatech, one of the largest agricultural machinery companies in Slovakia. Known for their advanced machinery and commitment to efficiency, Exatech needed a tailored software solution to overcome the logistical challenges of managing a diverse workforce across vast agricultural sites.
Together, we built a robust workforce management system specifically designed to meet Exatech’s needs, tackling issues such as location-based sign-ins, real-time tracking, flexible workforce integration, and seamless synchronization with third-party platforms. In this post, we’ll explore how we solved these unique challenges for Exatech, making their operations more efficient and adaptable.
Problem #1: Ensuring Workers and Machines Are in the Right Location
Managing a large workforce spread across agricultural fields presents logistical hurdles, particularly in ensuring that workers and machinery are in the right places to start their tasks. Exatech needed a way to confirm that workers were on-site before beginning their workday to avoid inefficiencies and ensure accurate resource allocation.
The Solution: We developed a GPS-based location sign-in system that verifies worker presence at designated sites. Only when workers are at the approved location can they start their day. If they’re outside of the designated area, they’re prevented from signing in, helping Exatech eliminate issues with misplaced tasks and optimize resource usage.
This system ensures that each day starts on the right foot, with workers and machinery exactly where they need to be.
Problem #2: Managing and Analyzing Both Internal and External Workforces
Exatech’s busy seasons require flexibility; during peak times, they rely not only on their internal team but also on external workers. Managing both groups efficiently, while tracking productivity across teams, was crucial for Exatech to stay responsive and adaptable.
The Solution: We designed the system to accommodate both internal and external workforces seamlessly. External workers can easily be integrated into Exatech’s scheduling and tracking processes, with location-based sign-ins and task assignments as streamlined as for the internal team. Exatech can now monitor and analyze the performance of their entire workforce, regardless of their employment type.
This flexibility ensures that Exatech is always ready to scale their workforce as demands change, giving them greater agility during busy seasons.
Problem #3: Real-Time Tracking and Performance Analysis
Once workers and machinery are in the correct locations, Exatech needed to track activities and assess performance across the workday. Knowing exactly how much time is spent on tasks, identifying machine downtime, and monitoring task progress are essential to Exatech’s productivity.
The Solution: Our team implemented a robust GPS tracking and analytics system to gather real-time data on worker locations, machinery usage, and task progress. The system’s analytics engine processes this data, helping Exatech identify patterns and optimize workflows. If a machine is idle for too long, or if workers take longer than expected to complete tasks, the system flags these issues to improve resource allocation.
These insights provide Exatech with a powerful tool to streamline operations and enhance productivity across both internal and external workforces.
Problem #4: Streamlining Data Synchronization with Third-Party Software
Exatech relies on various third-party systems for everything from equipment management to payroll. Previously, maintaining accurate and synchronized data across platforms was time-consuming and prone to manual errors.
The Solution: We built robust integration features, allowing Exatech’s workforce management system to sync seamlessly with their existing third-party applications. Whether it’s syncing work hours with the payroll system, updating machine logs, or integrating task completion data with project management tools, the system minimizes manual effort and ensures all data is up-to-date.
This streamlined synchronization saves Exatech significant time and allows them to manage their operations more efficiently and accurately.
Problem #5: Keeping Workers and Managers Aligned with Real-Time Notifications
To ensure efficient communication, especially across teams spread over large areas, Exatech needed a reliable way to keep everyone aligned. From task updates to urgent alerts, real-time notifications were essential.
The Solution: We integrated a push notification system that keeps both workers and managers informed. Workers receive notifications about task updates, schedule changes, or other important reminders directly on their devices, while managers receive alerts on deviations from schedules, equipment stoppages, or any critical issues in the field.
These notifications help streamline communication and allow Exatech to make quick adjustments, improving both flexibility and responsiveness in daily operations.
Conclusion: Solving Unique Challenges with a Tailored Solution
Our work with Exatech focused on solving their unique challenges, from managing a complex workforce to streamlining data across multiple systems. By creating a custom workforce management system that integrates location-based sign-ins, flexible workforce management, real-time tracking, and smooth third-party integration, we’ve helped Exatech optimize their agricultural operations.
This solution has equipped Exatech with the tools they need to manage both internal and external teams efficiently, enhancing productivity and flexibility during peak seasons. As one of the largest agricultural machinery companies in Slovakia, Exatech now has the infrastructure to scale operations, stay agile, and maintain their leadership in the industry.
We’re proud to have been a part of Exatech’s journey, helping them achieve new levels of efficiency in agriculture and machinery management.