EcoOnline > Case Studies > Modernizing Reporting and Property Management: A Case Study on Royal Mail

Modernizing Reporting and Property Management: A Case Study on Royal Mail

Technology Category

Cybersecurity & Privacy - Security Compliance
Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms

Applicable Industries

Buildings
Paper & Pulp

Applicable Functions

Procurement
Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Inventory Management
Leasing Finance Automation

Services

System Integration
Testing & Certification

About The Customer

The Royal Mail is one of the oldest organizations in the world, with its origins tracing back over 500 years. Today, they employ around 160,000 people across the group, 141,000 of which are in the UK. Their contribution to the UK economy, including employment and procurement, totals in excess of £10 billion year on year, making them the seventh largest contributor of all UK corporations. The Royal Mail operates one of the largest corporate real estates in Europe and adheres to the highest standards to ensure their buildings follow legal and industrial regulations and are always safe.

The Challenge

The Royal Mail, one of the oldest organizations in the world, was facing significant challenges in managing its vast real estate portfolio. With one of the largest corporate real estates in Europe, the organization was committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety, health, and wellbeing for its people, suppliers, and the communities it operates in. However, the existing processes were resource-heavy and largely paper-based. Providing access to building information for contractors was a time-consuming process. The organization also had to undertake annual compliance checks on all its buildings, which generated around 130,000 pieces of paper that needed to be filed. The Royal Mail needed a platform with a workflow system that would allow them to proactively manage and follow up any remedial works identified.

The Solution

In 2013, Royal Mail partnered with Info Exchange to implement a Property Management and Compliance system. This system was designed to help them proactively manage their real estate portfolio in a compliant manner and provide a document management facility for their contractors to access guidance documents. Over the years, the Info Exchange platform has been further developed with additional modules including Property Inspection, Action Register, Ventilation Assessments, and COVID-19 Return to Work. During the coronavirus pandemic, Info Exchange proved its worth by managing inspections and demonstrating better control in terms of having data readily available. The platform also enabled tracking of sites that had not completed work risk assessments, thereby mitigating risks. The platform now has over 2,500 users who access the system regularly.

Operational Impact

The implementation of Info Exchange has brought about significant improvements in the way Royal Mail manages its real estate portfolio. The platform has not only streamlined the process of providing contractors with access to building information but also made it more cost-effective. Contractors now have access to a wealth of information they can use prior to coming on site, including asbestos information, building plans, and annual inspection reports. This allows them to easily identify hazards and prepare their risk assessment prior to coming on site, making the process much timelier and more cost-effective for everyone. The platform has also proven its worth during the coronavirus pandemic by enabling better control over inspections and risk assessments.

Quantitative Benefit

The platform now has over 2,500 regular users
The system has eliminated the need for around 130,000 pieces of paper that were previously generated for annual compliance checks
The COVID-19 Return to Work app was implemented within a matter of weeks from the initial consultation