BigChange selects Samsung to roll out service management platform for Apprentice 2015 winner Joseph Valente

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., today announced that it has been chosen as the preferred partner of BigChange Apps to roll out its JobWatch mobile app for ‘The Apprentice’ winner Joseph Valente’s plumbing company Impra Gas. The service management platform has been installed exclusively on Samsung Galaxy Tab Actives and will be used by Valente’s new company, which he recently launched after winning the £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar.

“We’re really excited to be working with BigChange and Impra Gas on this project. Before any new business can get off the ground, it needs to have the structure in place to manage its workforce effectively, particularly one with employees out in the field,” said Graham Long, VP for the Enterprise Business Team, at Samsung UK and Ireland. “Joseph has got some really ambitious plans for Impra Gas and through the JobWatch system and our tablets he will have the tools he needs to grow as quickly as he can.”

JobWatch, an all-in-one system for planning, managing, scheduling and tracking mobile workforces, will allow Valente to manage his workforce out in the field using Samsung Galaxy Tab Actives and help improve overall customer service. Through JobWatch, customers will be able to book jobs, which will be automatically scheduled to the correctly skilled engineer on a mobile app, who will have the health and safety, compliance and job instructions all at hand through their tablet. Customers will receive live updates confirming the estimated time of arrival for the engineers and receive electronic job cards including certificates related to the job performed. The new partnership will replace manual planning and paperwork and provides an efficient way to keep the office in sync with the mobile teams.

Samsung was chosen because its Galaxy Tab Active has an IP67 rating with dust and waterproofing, meaning the tablet is equipped to resist the drops and knocks that occur for plumbers every day on the job. The inbuilt stylus means the JobWatch app can also be used by workers with gloves on and the HD camera ensures that employees take photos for site surveys and proof of work easily. Invoicing will also be prompt thanks to the excellent 4G connectivity of Samsung Galaxy Tab.

“Having worked with Samsung on a number of projects before, we knew they were the perfect partner for this opportunity, said Martin Port CEO at BigChange Apps. “For any company with workers out in the field, it’s imperative they have a great mobility solution in place on a secure and rugged device to keep in regular contact with head office. This ensures a smooth process and avoids any delays that may be passed on to their customers. Our customers love the quality and dependability Samsung’s devices provide and we had no hesitation in recommending to use them with Impra Gas.”

Joseph Valente, Founder of Impra Gas commented, “We chose the JobWatch system because we have ambitious plans to grow this company as quickly as possible and needed an outlet that allows a system to manage our workforce efficiently and help us provide an excellent service to our customers. Bringing an established brand such as Samsung on board is really exciting and, having seen the great work BigChange and Samsung have done together in the past, I have no doubt that this technology partnership will help take Impra Gas to the next level…”

The project will initially roll out to a small base of engineers, before being extended further throughout 2016 as Impra-Gas expands.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies that redefine the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, printers, medical equipment, network systems, and semiconductor and LED solutions. We are also leading in the Internet of Things space with the open platform SmartThings, our broad range of smart devices, and through proactive cross-industry collaboration. We employ 319,000 people across 84 countries with annual sales of US $196 billion. To discover more, and for the latest news, feature articles and press materials, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.

About BigChange

BigChange by name, BigChange by nature! BigChange is an established force in mobile workforce management and telematics, offering a system that transforms the way companies manage their mobile operations. JobWatch from BigChange is the paperless way to Plan, Manage, Schedule and Track a mobile workforce. This powerful all-in-one Mobile Workforce Management platform combines back office software, mobile apps, fleet management and real-time vehicle tracking in one simple to use system. Using JobWatch, customers can manage their entire operation, from quote all the way through to invoice. JobWatch works out of the box and offers immediate business benefits and quick and easy customisation. With simple, transparent pay as you go pricing and 24/7 customer support, JobWatch is the perfect choice for businesses of all sizes and sectors. www.bigchangeapps.com

About Impra-Gas

Impra Gas is a plumbing company providing services, maintenance and installation of all plumbing, heating and electrical products to property management companies, landlords and private homeowners. The company offer a 24/7 service and delivers fast, reliable and outstanding workmanship that keeps its customers safe and warm all year round.

The business, which is based in Peterborough, received £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar following Joseph winning ‘The Apprentice’ in December 2015.

Impra Gas is a fully accredited member of:

Gas safe register
Niceic approved contractor
Checkatrade
Trustatrader
Rated people
Chas health and safety
APHC

Google’s Apps for Work team recently interviewed our founder and CEO Martin Port to gain an insight into the rapid growth of our JobWatch mobile workforce management platform.

Google technology is a key feature of JobWatch and Google Maps helps power our state of the art mapping, real-time resource tracking, live traffic information and ETA (estimated time of arrival) alerts. Read the full story now on the Google Apps for Work blog:

Google Apps for Work Blog – see how BigChange Apps’ game-changing platform helps streamline mobile workforces with Google’s APIs

BigChange TV visited The Shop Front Group, a roller shutter company based in Manchester. They offer complete service from initial consultation through to manufacture, installation and maintenance.

They have since rolled out JobWatch for their workshop and servicing engineers out on the road and the results have been staggering.

We wanted to see how they’re getting on with life after paperwork. The Shop Front Group required a system to replace their manual processes and huge paper mountain, thus selected the BigChange JobWatch system that stood out from the competition. Here’s what Paul Chatwin had to say about BigChange Apps and their JobWatch System.

Serial entrepreneur Martin Port has launched a second round of fundraising for his Leeds-based technology business.

BigChange helps companies plan, manage, schedule and track mobile workforces and transport operations.

The tech business’ JobWatch app-based system replaces paperwork and keeps offices seamlessly in sync with staff on the road.

BigChange, which developed the technology and owns the intellectual property, achieved sales of £2m last year and is on course for £4m in 2016. It is expected to break even later this year.

Mr Port is forecasting earnings of up to £4m and turnover of £20m by 2020.

The company has built a base of more than 300 customers, including names such as HSS, Baxi Commercial, Ringway Jacobs (Transport for London), Serco, Morrison Utility Services and Elliott Hire as well as many SMEs. Subscriptions cost £49.95 a month.

Impra-Gas, the plumbing company co-owned by Lord Sugar and Joseph Valente, winner of The Apprentice 2015, signed up earlier this year.

Mr Port is planning to raise £2m via a sale of a 5% shareholding and bond issue, which are eligible under the tax-efficient Enterprise Investment Scheme. The Series A fundraising is based on a company valuation of £20m.

Mr Port said the fundraising is attracting “a great deal of interest” and the company is in talks with a number of potential investors and financial institutions.

He added: “Some people could say we are the Uber of the service and transport sectors.“

The fundraising will allow BigChange to invest its technology and increase sales and marketing.

Mr Port said the company is developing a “disruptive” new technology for the fleet insurance market to increase health and safety for drivers. He said he wants British businesses to be as well run as possible.

BigChange is also developing a new app focused on collaboration between service providers, subcontractors and their customers. The company will have direct access to a market of 300,000 businesses through the new app.

Mr Port is the founder of Masternaut in the UK and led the telematics business through a series of acquisitions. He was also named Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2008.

In 2011, Mr Port merged Masternaut with a rival to create a £100m European market leader in a deal backed by Francisco Partners, a US private equity firm.

Mr Port raised £1.1m in seed capital to launch BigChange in January 2014.

Backers include Mark Adlestone, chairman of high street jeweller Beaverbrooks, Frederic Dupeyron, managing director of Aeroport De Paris International, and Martin Lee, former chief financial officer of Crown Eye Glass plc.

Article featured in:

Yorkshire Post – https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/serial-entrepreneur-secures-funding-technology-business-1800709

BDaily – https://bdaily.co.uk/articles/2016/04/05/serial-entrepreneur-plans-to-raise-2m-for-leeds-tech-business

Insider Media – http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/yorkshire/second-fundraising-for-latest-port-venture?utm_source=yorkshire_newsletter&utm_campaign=yorkshire_news_tracker&utm_medium=deals_article