Case studies by Meantime IT

The problem

During busy periods, Heathrow relies on hundreds of non-operational staff to step in and help with high numbers of passengers. Staff usually based behind the scenes with no passenger contact are called up to help provide passengers with a smooth journey through the airport. Meantime was asked to create a software system that would manage these Reservist staff, allocating hundreds of shifts and roles around the airport as they were needed.

What we did

We developed a system that combines online functionality with SMS communication. When Reservists log onto the online shift-booking system and the software’s intelligence identifies and displays suitable roles for each individual to choose from. When the roles have been allocated, the software continuously analyses requirements and responds to changes in staffing levels, contacting staff via SMS to give vital updates. The SMS feature can be used to target reservist help where it is urgently required, selecting up to several hundred people instantaneously and deploying them to specific areas. SMS sending takes around 45 seconds for 800 messages and Meantime’s inbuilt tracking and reporting functionality means Reservist management can see and act on the delivery status of each message, quickly identifying who has received their text message and when.