Summary

HarperCollins has a heritage spanning over 200 years and stands as one of the world’s leading book publishers. Its catalogue ranges from cutting-edge contemporary fiction to award-winning apps.

The company began in 1819, when William Collins & Sons was founded in Glasgow. At first, it published bibles, atlases and dictionaries. Over time, it expanded to release works from some of history’s greatest authors, including C.S. Lewis, Agatha Christie and J.R.R. Tolkien.

Today, HarperCollins UK publishes around 1,000 books each year. Its authors include global bestsellers such as Booker Prize winner Hilary Mantel, as well as George R.R. Martin and popular fiction writers like Bernard Cornwell. In non-fiction, the publisher works with leading figures including Max Hastings and Professor Brian Cox.

Challenge

Internal Maintenance Management

The HarperCollins Site Services team expanded significantly due to internal changes. Previously, the company outsourced some specialist facilities management (FM) work. However, it brought most of these services in-house.

As a result, the team took on additional responsibilities. At the same time, paperwork increased considerably. This created inefficiencies and made it harder to manage daily operations.

Because of this, the team needed a robust paperless system. They required a solution that could manage, track and report on maintenance work across their sites in Bishopbriggs.

Solution

Implementing WorkPal

To address these challenges, HarperCollins introduced WorkPal to manage both Reactive and Planned Maintenance. The mobile workflow management system replaced the paper-based processes previously in place and streamlined data entry.

Automated Scheduling

With WorkPal, the team can plan recurring maintenance for equipment in advance. The system then automatically assigns these jobs to engineers.

This approach keeps machines running smoothly and reduces downtime. As a result, the business benefits from improved efficiency and a strong return on investment.

Asset Visibility

WorkPal also improves asset tracking and visibility. Operatives now log all work completed on specific assets, including service history and detailed notes.

As the business moved to a paperless system, all service reports began syncing to the desktop in real time. This means the system stores data centrally and securely, while giving the team better insight into maintenance costs.

Results

Improved Maintenance Operations

WorkPal has significantly enhanced HarperCollins’ maintenance capabilities. The team now manages all assets and operatives on-site through one system, which has led to clear efficiency gains.

Management can set specific rules within the WorkPal app. These rules guide operatives and ensure compliance across all tasks.

In addition, the team has digitised its risk assessments. Operatives now complete them on every job before starting work, which improves consistency and safety.

Customisation and Future Planning

WorkPal tailored the system to meet HarperCollins’ exact requirements. The team introduced bespoke features such as custom reporting and job types.

These improvements help manage current workloads more effectively. At the same time, they support future planning, allowing the department to improve performance while reducing costs.

Would You Recommend WorkPal?

HarperCollins had a very positive experience throughout the implementation process.

“Yes, the process from start to finish was seamless. The team at WorkPal customised their workflow management system to our processes. They guided us through each stage of the implementation. Without a doubt, the system improved our workflows. It cut admin time considerably. We have far more visibility over the sites. Now, we can concentrate on improving further.”