Many organizations still schedule their employees and conduct their workforce management tasks on paper or on a desktop computer at the office. These methods can present many challenges.

“Previously, I did my scheduling in our Outlook program which was very basic. It didn’t track time off or have a time clock feature,” said Sherri Lovett, 9-1-1 Coordinator, Office of Emergency Services, Elk County 9-1-1 (Pa.). “Years ago we had purchased a time clock and computer software scheduling program and, although it had some nice features, the scheduling program was difficult to use and the set up was a nightmare.”

Today, there are many software as a service options available online that make administrative tasks and compliance requirements much easier to accomplish. As people become more accustomed to doing a variety of things in their personal life through the Internet, they also seek out online software options to improve their business methods.

“Aladtec was recommended to me by a coworker, so I tried the free trial and really liked the features it offered,” Lovett said. “Its subscription was definitely a factor in my decision to choose this system, as the company includes tech support and upgrades are free. The old system we bought was a onetime purchase fee and the tech support expired after a few months. We then had to pay a fee for any additional help we needed and an upgrade fee with any new features.”

Lovett says there are many conveniences her department experiences by using the Aladtec time clock program. In combination with the scheduling aspect, both administrators and employees appreciate the mobile capabilities of the system.

“Since I’m the person whose duties are to do the scheduling and payroll for a 24-hour operation, the most important convenience for me is to make schedule changes and track the hours worked from anywhere; I make changes as they occur and don’t have to play catch up when I get back to the office,” Lovett said. “The employees like that they can receive coverage requests on their phones and sign up for them right away.”

Elk County 9-1-1 chose to make department changes with Aladtec one step at a time. First, they subscribed to the scheduling program and then added the time clock a short time later. Lovett explains that this gave everyone a chance to get used to the new changes one at a time. She adds that the Aladtec Support Team held her hand every step of the way and she never felt rushed during the process of changing everything over.

“I’m still learning new things about our Aladtec system daily as there is so much it can do, including tracking certifications and expirations,” Lovett said. “When I have a question, I simply ask support and don’t have to worry about being charged a fee for it. Since 9-1-1 is a 24-hour operation and tends to have some pretty funky shifts, this program is perfect for us. We presently have 22 employees all working different shifts and Aladtec has saved me time in scheduling and payroll which used to be a major part of my work week. Now, it’s a breeze.”

About Elk County 9-1-1: This county is located in the Northwestern portion of Pennsylvania, covering over 800 square miles. The agency is located in Ridgway, Pennsylvania and provides services to over 30,000 residents. Their mission statement includes, “The mission of the Emergency Management office is to plan for the prevention of, mitigation of, preparation for, response to, and recovery from any disaster situation. The 9-1-1 section of the office is responsible for answering all emergency calls in Elk and Cameron County and dispatching emergency units.”

About Aladtec: Aladtec is the proud provider of online employee scheduling and workforce management software. Over 1000 organizations, from a variety of industries, count on Aladtec every day to help them save time and improve efficiency. For information about Aladtec’s affordable industry specific options, please visit www.aladtec.com.