Insight June/July 2023 www.pwemag.co.uk Plant & Works Engineering | 11 visiting clients across the whole country. I’ve met some amazing people and seen some interesting companies across the spectrum. This gave me a great understanding of business needs for visual planning in a broad scope of businesses. What challenges have arisen over the years? PH: Developing T Cards Online has been a steep learning curve for us a company. I’ve almost re-skilled and learnt a lot about coding and software licencing. It is like print in a lot of ways making sure we put in the checks and balances before releases. When we were at exhibitions everyone said why not have a digital version. We initially thought it would damage the demand for manual systems but in fact the opposite has happened. We now have another string to our bow. It has been a challenge to demonstrate to people just what a flexible and versatile tool it is. Companies always try and make things more complicated than it needs to be and wrap themselves up with processes and analytical tools. What motivated your father to drive the business forward and would he have been concerned about the move to online? PH: Fred was “that” generation, he very rarely stopped. He took a lot of joy with making the business grow, setting the foundations for future generations as he saw it. He was very proud that Sarah and I joined the business, although he would never admit it to us. A great advocate of change and improvement he was always trying to make things more efficient and better and took great interest in technology and what it could give us. I think it might have been a little perplexing, but he would have seen the development of an Online system as natural progression. I remember him saying regularly “Don’t make it about the money, it’s not good just to do things for money. We work to live not live to work but take satisfaction of doing a job well done.” How has the T-cards system changed over the years? PH: I’ve seen massive change in 25 years. Every company used to have a visual planning system and T Cards were used for everything from pallet racking to keeping track of staff rotas at HM Immigration. Of course, that has mostly gone with some amazing systems out there making things so much more efficient. However, it never ceases to amaze me the new applications T Cards are used for. Clients come to us and say: “I have an issue; can you design a system to do this; but I need it on the wall so all the staff can see and update it without having to log in!”. Also, we see the same issues keep returning, whether it is Health and Safety; Task or Workflow management; or just managing where people are, there are simple, quick, and easy ways to make these better for staff with a manual board. We supply on a monthly basis as many as we ever had. How does the T-Cards concept work now it has moved online? PH: T Cards Online has provided some excellent development opportunities. We have made it as intuitive as possible and backed that up with personalised support. The idea of creating your own system like you could with the manual boards is such a convenient way for companies. It has allowed some companies to make a jump to an IT solution in an environment where the skill sets within the business might not have otherwise been suited. The system is sold as a subscription so there is no initial outlay and being a website requires no resource investment. Just a broadband connection and it can be up and running within minutes. Set the layout of the T Board, define what information you want on the T Cards and set who can see and do. Users can then start managing tasks literally within minutes. We get a broad spectrum of clients. We attract those that don’t want the huge investment in time and money for a full all-encompassing system. Others don’t want to put all their eggs in one basket and having a separate workflow system means that if one thing is not working staff can continue with their day-to-day. Other companies hanging on for that investment but need something immediately come to us for a quick fix but often end up using us for years! This happens a lot. In other instances, a client might start using the system as a temporary measure, as they know change in the business is round the corner, like being bought out by another company. However, they’ve continued to use the system in the longer term as it works so well, and the alternative systems are not so flexible or don’t have the visual impact. It’s even been rolled out in reverse with T Cards Online being introduced into the buyout company. About 30% of the business is now online but this is growing each year. It takes time but we are in this for the long term. How has the online system changed the business? PH: The staff makeup has certainly changed. We now have dedicated coders and support staff. Whilst we do have home workers most like to use the office. The main issue is supporting our international clients from Australia, Singapore, UAE , Canada and California. In the early stages this was a little challenging with the time zones but we have processes and cover in place now. Do you see any limitations in the T-Cards concept in an everchanging manufacturing sector? PH: If anything, the concept is still to be realised. Most Business Improvement Ideology promotes and advocates visual representation of the status of work or tasks. For many this can be quite daunting, especially when communicating to staff who as we know don’t like change for the sake (as they see it). But it is made simple with T Cards in a format most are familiar with. Creating that feeling of ownership by stakeholders for systems is so much easier with something like T Cards Online as it is still almost tactile. T Cards Online genuinely turns catchy business phrases like into actual benefits. From a technology perspective, we are developing T Cards Online in a way that future proofs the software. At every opportunity we are updating the code with the latest technology, incorporating API end points so clients can hook themselves into the system. Making a socket so clients can plug their information into the system, if you like. We also have introduced a Workflow Engine where you can define actions and consequences. A What If function but much more powerful. This is still in its early stages of development but should help companies in the future as they meet more challenges. What are your hopes for the future of the business? PH: I can’t see the requirement for the manual systems dying, so I’m confidant of that side of the business. The demand is holding up which is really pleasing. For T Cards Online I have high hopes. My Nephew is one of the main developers of the site and I’m sure he will take the baton when we are ready. The system has huge potential with so many features added from our experience with visual planning, but I see the long-term business growth from bespoke development. The T Cards Online platform has already given opportunities for businesses to develop it further for their own specific needs. We can build “Custom Components” for clients that have dedicated requirements. Afterall everyone wants to do things slightly differently. The new generation: Phil’s nephew Joe
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