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Aviva First to Replace Industry Standard Pen and Paper Based on-Site Notetaking With Tablet Technology
LONDON, December 13, 2011/PRNewswire/ --
Aviva Risk Management Solutions embarks on 'industry first' digitisation
programme with Formicary Collaboration Group and Floatto bring new efficiencies to risk
management processes
Aviva Risk Management Solutions is piloting a new digitisation programme to streamline
its risk assessment processes. The SOLAR PlayBook project - which is the first of its kind
in the industry - will see Aviva's risk assessment team replace pen and paper assessment
processes with Blackberry PlayBooks pre-loaded with a bespoke risk assessment application.
Developed by Formicary Collaboration Group, a leading provider of real-time team
collaboration solutions, and Float, a digital ideas company, the programme aims to bring
new efficiencies to its risk assessment teams, improve reporting to underwriters and
reduce customer resolution times.
The SOLAR PlayBook App enables Aviva's 120 risk advisers, who make technical risk
assessments of commercial premises across the UK, to process this information on site.
This removes the need for the adviser to return to their desk before assessments can be
processed, leaving them free to move on to the next customer.
Aviva drew up the specification for a bespoke risk assessment digital application app
in recognition of the time-saving benefits that processing and submitting reports while on
site could bring. It was required to operate on Aviva's tablet of choice, the Blackberry
PlayBook; work off-line in commercial properties where online connectivity is not always
available; accommodate the entire assessment process end-to-end and allow images to be
embedded in the report. It also needed to be attractive to risk assessors accustomed to
using paper-based reporting methods and easy to use to encourage its adoption.
Aviva reviewed a number of solution providers before selecting Formicary Collaboration
Group and Float to provide the content processing and user interface elements of the app
respectively. Formicary and Float worked with Aviva's risk advisers to understand their
level of IT competency; how they conduct surveys and interact with customers; and identify
areas where improvements could be made.
The resulting app makes the process of recording survey data easy through a layout
that is intuitive to navigate and complete. Forms consisting of text entry, selectable
options and sliders are used to enter the core data. There are additional options to make
free-form notes and take photos that can be embedded in the final report to underwriters.
Paul Heybourne, senior project manager with Aviva, comments,
"Of the solution providers we considered, Formicary and Float were the only ones with
Blackberry PlayBook expertise. Additionally, the two companies have proven expertise
working together on other similar projects. By taking the time to understand how our
assessors operate, Formicary and Float have created an app which doesn't just meet the
original IT specification but which will positively impact the bottom line of Aviva's risk
assessment business. It brings improved workload management to our advisers, faster
resolution times to our customers and higher calibre reporting for our underwriters.
Additionally, the sophistication of the app is raising our customers' perception of Aviva,
helping strengthen our positioning as a market leading, innovative company."
Ted Kenrick, Technical and Risk Solutions Manager, Aviva Risk Management Solutions,
adds,
"Aviva is continually assessing how emerging technology can make the business more
efficient and effective. This new app will bring substantial time savings to the
organisation as completing assessments digitally on site eliminates the duplication of
effort needed when transferring hand-written site notes onto computer for processing.
Customer service times improve and our team can focus on helping customers reduce the
risks to their business."
A select number of Aviva risk advisers are piloting the programme in Winter 2011 ahead
of an evaluation and expected full roll-out in early 2012.
Notes to editors
About Formicary Collaboration Group
Formicary Collaboration Group (FCG) is a leading provider of team-based collaboration
solutions [http://www.fcg.im ]. FCG's MindLink platform leverages existing knowledge and
communication assets to enable users to consume and share information and ideas, delivered
through a next generation user experience providing best of breed Enterprise 2.0 and
Social features, and accessible on any device for today's increasingly mobile workforce.
The company has more than ten years' experience working with many medium to large sized
businesses, facilitating better collaboration for both internal and external users.
FCG is a Microsoft Gold Partner and RIM Alliance Member. FCG solutions are fully
compatible with Microsoft Lync 2010 and Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2.
For more information, please contact:
Angeline Cheng, Formicary Ltd, +44(0)20-7920-7106, angeline.cheng@formicary.net
Jillian Alexander, +44(0)7949-602484, jillian@alexander-pr.co.uk
Kate Alexander, +44(0)7788-584413, kate@alexander-pr.co.uk
Source: Formicary Collaboration Group
Aviva First to Replace Industry Standard Pen and Paper Based on-Site Notetaking With Tablet Technology
LONDON, December 13, 2011/PRNewswire/ --
Aviva Risk Management Solutions embarks on 'industry first' digitisation
programme with Formicary Collaboration Group and Floatto bring new efficiencies to risk
management processes
Aviva Risk Management Solutions is piloting a new digitisation programme to streamline
its risk assessment processes. The SOLAR PlayBook project - which is the first of its kind
in the industry - will see Aviva's risk assessment team replace pen and paper assessment
processes with Blackberry PlayBooks pre-loaded with a bespoke risk assessment application.
Developed by Formicary Collaboration Group, a leading provider of real-time team
collaboration solutions, and Float, a digital ideas company, the programme aims to bring
new efficiencies to its risk assessment teams, improve reporting to underwriters and
reduce customer resolution times.
The SOLAR PlayBook App enables Aviva's 120 risk advisers, who make technical risk
assessments of commercial premises across the UK, to process this information on site.
This removes the need for the adviser to return to their desk before assessments can be
processed, leaving them free to move on to the next customer.
Aviva drew up the specification for a bespoke risk assessment digital application app
in recognition of the time-saving benefits that processing and submitting reports while on
site could bring. It was required to operate on Aviva's tablet of choice, the Blackberry
PlayBook; work off-line in commercial properties where online connectivity is not always
available; accommodate the entire assessment process end-to-end and allow images to be
embedded in the report. It also needed to be attractive to risk assessors accustomed to
using paper-based reporting methods and easy to use to encourage its adoption.
Aviva reviewed a number of solution providers before selecting Formicary Collaboration
Group and Float to provide the content processing and user interface elements of the app
respectively. Formicary and Float worked with Aviva's risk advisers to understand their
level of IT competency; how they conduct surveys and interact with customers; and identify
areas where improvements could be made.
The resulting app makes the process of recording survey data easy through a layout
that is intuitive to navigate and complete. Forms consisting of text entry, selectable
options and sliders are used to enter the core data. There are additional options to make
free-form notes and take photos that can be embedded in the final report to underwriters.
Paul Heybourne, senior project manager with Aviva, comments,
"Of the solution providers we considered, Formicary and Float were the only ones with
Blackberry PlayBook expertise. Additionally, the two companies have proven expertise
working together on other similar projects. By taking the time to understand how our
assessors operate, Formicary and Float have created an app which doesn't just meet the
original IT specification but which will positively impact the bottom line of Aviva's risk
assessment business. It brings improved workload management to our advisers, faster
resolution times to our customers and higher calibre reporting for our underwriters.
Additionally, the sophistication of the app is raising our customers' perception of Aviva,
helping strengthen our positioning as a market leading, innovative company."
Ted Kenrick, Technical and Risk Solutions Manager, Aviva Risk Management Solutions,
adds,
"Aviva is continually assessing how emerging technology can make the business more
efficient and effective. This new app will bring substantial time savings to the
organisation as completing assessments digitally on site eliminates the duplication of
effort needed when transferring hand-written site notes onto computer for processing.
Customer service times improve and our team can focus on helping customers reduce the
risks to their business."
A select number of Aviva risk advisers are piloting the programme in Winter 2011 ahead
of an evaluation and expected full roll-out in early 2012.
Notes to editors
About Formicary Collaboration Group
Formicary Collaboration Group (FCG) is a leading provider of team-based collaboration
solutions [http://www.fcg.im ]. FCG's MindLink platform leverages existing knowledge and
communication assets to enable users to consume and share information and ideas, delivered
through a next generation user experience providing best of breed Enterprise 2.0 and
Social features, and accessible on any device for today's increasingly mobile workforce.
The company has more than ten years' experience working with many medium to large sized
businesses, facilitating better collaboration for both internal and external users.
FCG is a Microsoft Gold Partner and RIM Alliance Member. FCG solutions are fully
compatible with Microsoft Lync 2010 and Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2.
For more information, please contact:
Angeline Cheng, Formicary Ltd, +44(0)20-7920-7106, angeline.cheng@formicary.net
Jillian Alexander, +44(0)7949-602484, jillian@alexander-pr.co.uk
Kate Alexander, +44(0)7788-584413, kate@alexander-pr.co.uk
Source: Formicary Collaboration Group