ComLink Limited is a not-for-profit, volunteer-based organisation which provides transport and care services for the elderly, transport disadvantaged, and younger people with disabilities.
When the organisation decided to move its server to the Cloud earlier this year, the transition created a remarkable online community for its 72 staff and 240 volunteers.
Corporate Services Manager Alexander Payne says the new intranet has made a “significant difference culturally” and allows staff to better communicate with each other and share ideas.
“Culturally, it was important that they all became connected; a lot of our staff hadn’t been to head office in Birtinya and hadn’t met the rest of the team around Queensland. Once we trained people on the new system, they started to use it and they engaged each other online.
“It’s created an online community where everyone can communicate, post photos of new staff members, and share ideas which are creating fantastic new programs and raising new revenue.”
Alexander says one of the reasons for the move to the Cloud was to integrate the organisation’s booking systems to accommodate new offices in Ipswich, Bundaberg, Townsville and Cairns, and extending the existing offices in Birtinya and north Brisbane.
“Within six months we’ve gone from a paper-based system where could only communicate by phone or email, to now communicating in a more digitally focused way, integrated our systems between offices, and are creating better business efficiencies.”
ComLink is also implementing an online, real-time tracking system for its vehicles and drivers to allow more efficient scheduling of bookings, as well as reporting on vehicle maintenance and fuel use.
“We need to be able to communicate with the driver and accommodate short-term appointments, particularly when there are delays with a client’s hospital or doctor’s appointment. Now, drivers can input this information into the system through an iPad and can notify us if they’re available for short-term appointments,” Alexander said.
“Being able to track vehicles through real-time online monitoring is a fairly innovative step for us, but we believe that it’s technology worth investing in, as it increases efficiencies, reduces our carbon footprint, and allows us to put our funding dollars to better use.”
A short three minute video about Comlink and how they are embracing digital innnovation can be found below.
For more information visit: www.comlink.org.au
