"Our goal was to integrate the whole process into Dynamics NAV. With the active support of COSMO CONSULT, we have succeeded in doing so."
Bernhard Kahlbacher, Project Manager at EFKON GmbH
EFKON GmbH, which is based in Raaba / Graz, is one of the world's leading companies in the area of electronic toll collection and monitoring. Their portfolio includes, for example, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), electronic toll collection (ETC), toll enforcement systems, and traffic telematic solutions. EFKON has a great deal of know-how concerning all toll technologies and stands for tailor-made turnkey solutions. From the company headquarters in Raaba / Graz, EFKON is active worldwide - for example in Asia, Europe and Africa. ITS and traffic telematic solutions are important building blocks for managing the world's growing volume of traffic reasonably in a manner that increases the quality of life of the people affected.
EFKON and COSMO CONSULT (formerly ACP Business Solutions) are connected by a long-term partnership. Since early 2000, the company has been working with Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Since then, the ERP system has been continuously developed and updated. For example, the industry module cc|projects for project service providers was added. The core version was also introduced in the branches in India and South Africa.
Recently, EFKON was awarded the contract to implement the satellite-based toll monitoring system for Belgium’s road network. A dedicated service team was set up in Belgium for the maintenance and repair of the toll monitoring systems. A computerized maintenance management system will assist employees in the future.
"To implement the software project, we had to add a helpdesk application and a mobile app for service technicians to Dynamics NAV. In addition, it was necessary to further expand the existing service module", explains Bernhard Kahlbacher, project manager at EFKON GmbH. "For us as a software partner, the short project lead time was a challenge. In addition to conception, testing and real operations, we had to optimally automate the processes and integrate the telemetry data", adds Manfred Rusek, project manager at COSMO CONSULT.
With the mobile app, the service process is largely automated: the monitoring system for toll monitoring automatically reports disruptions and service cases to the helpdesk. A ticket is generated and assigned to a service technician who is geographically close and who also has the necessary specialist knowledge. The technician is notified automatically by SMS or e-mail during the further process.
On site, employees record service times and exchanged components with the mobile app. If Internet access is not available, the data can also be recorded offline and stored. The data is then immediately synchronized as soon as there is an internet connection. The current status of the service cases is constantly synchronized with the control center.
"Our goal was to integrate the whole process into Dynamics NAV. With the active support of COSMO CONSULT, we have succeeded in doing so", explains Bernhard Kahlbacher. Today, replacement parts and their serial numbers are recorded automatically. They can be tracked by consulting the plant history at any time. Ongoing maintenance and the clearing of disruption messages are thus fully represented in the ERP system. If service times are exceeded, a predefined escalation process ensures that the case is processed with high priority. It is an intelligent, well-thought-out process chain that ensures smooth toll monitoring. Project manager Kahlbacher is absolutely satisfied with the project: "Thanks to the great commitment and dedication on both sides, we were able to implement the project quickly."