Before UltraSoftBIS
When the Avanta was first set up it implemented a software system from RJ metis, but as the Company grew in size it found the software system increasingly difficult to manage and unable to be integrated with other management systems.
Problems with inventory control meant that new clients were sometimes allocated office space before previous clients had moved out and it was proving impossible to negate deals that were signed at incorrect cost or terms. Centre teams were also spending an inappropriate amount of time on space auditing and billing procedures.
After UltraSoftBIS
Control
Since switching to UltraSoftBIS, Avanta has enjoyed the outstanding benefits of management control that the Licence Agreement Module (LAM) provides. This state-of-the-art system records data provided once a licence agreement is set up and migrates it straight into the floor plan, inventory and, most importantly, availability records. “We could make maybe 10-15 changes to workspace layouts in any given centre during a six month period and the UltraSoftBIS system ensures that the records for floor plans, stock and availability are always 100% accurate and up-todate,” comments David Alberto, Managing Director. “Most importantly, UltraSoftBIS constrains us to work within our own strict guidelines, parameters and ethics, so the system ensures we cannot accommodate low price or unusually flexible deals.
David Alberto continues, “Essential every deal has to accurately match space availability and price structure before it can be entered. This guarantees that new clients can always move in on time and they won’t find that a previous client has not yet vacated.”
Billing
“Despite having to completely change our infrastructure to accommodate UltraSoftBIS, it has proven to be 100% reliable and has streamlined our billing system,” continues Paul Alexander, Financial Director. “Raising monthly client invoices used to take days – now even the largest business centre can raise and issue all of its invoices in a single day, which is a tremendous saving in centre management time.” From the moment a client signs the licence agreement their details go straight onto the billing system and this is automatically updated across all 22 centres. In addition, centre managers can upload ‘ad hoc’ items into the system for inclusion in monthly invoices
Benefits
“Some systems need highly-trained people to operate them, which is a waste of time and resources and can even have a detrimental effect on business agility,” continues David Alberto, Managing Director. “However, the UltraSoftBIS software is easy to use and has been readily accepted by all of our centre teams.
”It is crucial to always know exactly what space is occupied, what is available and what our scheduled income is for any given period. UltraSoftBIS has proven to be the perfect tool to provide this information and we could not have expanded so aggressively in the UK without the infrastructure benefits provide by UltraSoftBIS.” Looking to the future, Avanta is looking to work with UltraSoft Technologies to further develop the system whereby it pushes the client into more interaction with it. UltraSoftBIS already facilitates approx 65-70% of Avanta’s business requirements and it is actively working with UltraSoft Technologies to design and develop a software system that will provide for 100% of the Company’s requirements and will provide appropriate support for Avanta’s aggressive overseas expansion activities.
About Avanta Managed Offices
Avanta is an established name in the serviced office market, with a rapidly growing portfolio of office suites in prime locations across London, and in the Thames Valley, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh, and in India. The company was formed in 2004 by David Alberto, previously with Regus and former Managing Director at MWB Business Exchange. Avanta can offer highly flexible, unbranded office space, with advanced and competitively priced technology, tailor made to meet the requirements of the occupier. The company manages over 690,000 sq ft of office space across 22 locations.
Contact: David Alberto, Managing Director, Avanta