About Air Improve

With offices in Winchester and Plymouth, Air Improve is a trusted provider of air conditioning, ventilation, and building services across the South of England. Their team of engineers and support staff work with a wide customer base, delivering installation, maintenance, and servicing with a focus on quality and reliability.

As Air Improve expanded, the company needed a smarter way to manage service delivery and customer relationships. Paper-based processes and disconnected systems were limiting efficiency and visibility, creating a clear need for a modern, integrated solution.

The Challenge

Air Improve’s leadership identified several operational challenges:

• Service jobs were managed through manual processes, creating duplication and delays.
• Engineers lacked a unified system to receive and update job information while in the field.
• Managers had limited visibility of operations, leading to inefficiencies in scheduling and reporting.
• Business development opportunities were tracked separately from service operations, restricting cross-team collaboration.

To address these issues, Air Improve partnered with Fruition Systems to design and deliver a digital platform built for both immediate efficiency and future scalability.

The Solution – Microsoft Power Platform with Fruition Systems

Fruition Systems developed a tailored Microsoft Power Platform solution that has transformed how Air Improve manages its service operations.

Key capabilities include:

• Centralised service management – A single digital hub for creating, assigning, and tracking all service jobs.
• Mobile engineer access – Engineers update jobs in real time, capturing progress, outcomes, and customer feedback directly from the field.
• Automation and workflows – Routine communication and job tracking are automated, reducing administrative burden on staff.
• Data visibility – Custom dashboards and reports give managers a real-time view of workload, performance, and service history.

Strategic and Operational Benefits

The solution has delivered significant benefits across the organisation:

• Greater efficiency – Engineers now receive and submit updates digitally, minimising paperwork and delays.
• Enhanced customer service – Faster response times and accurate tracking improve the client experience.
• Data-driven decisions – Leadership can monitor KPIs and resource utilisation at a glance.
• Improved collaboration – Office staff and field teams operate within one system, improving accuracy and reducing duplicated effort.
• Future-ready platform – Built on Microsoft Power Platform, the solution can scale as Air Improve grows.

Both engineers and office staff have praised the system for making daily operations more straightforward and productive.

Phase 2 – Extending to Business Development and Quotations

With phase 1 successfully adopted, phase 2 of the rollout is now underway. This next stage focuses on managing new business opportunities within the Power Platform environment, ensuring that Air Improve has a unified system not just for service delivery, but also for business development.

Phase 2 introduces:

• Opportunity management workflows – Structured processes to capture, track, and manage sales opportunities from enquiry through to completion.
• Integrated project and service quotations – Using Document Core Pack for Power Platform, Air Improve will be able to generate fast, accurate, and professional quotations directly from the system.
• Seamless connection between sales and service – Business development and service delivery teams will work from a single platform, ensuring no information is lost between departments.

Conclusion

Air Improve’s partnership with Fruition Systems has already revolutionised its service management, providing a modern, scalable digital solution that drives both strategic and operational improvements.

As phase 2 is rolled out, Air Improve is set to extend these benefits into business development and quotation management, further embedding efficiency and responsiveness into its operations. The combination of Microsoft Power Platform and Document Core Pack ensures Air Improve has the tools to grow, compete, and continue delivering exceptional service to its customers.

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Welcome to this blog. We recently caught up with Tania Davies the Chief Operating Officer for IHEEM, representing the Institute of Engineering and Estates Management, which serves as the professional body for engineers and facilities personnel within the NHS.

We asked her some questions about her experience of working with Fruition Systems in implementing and developing their CRM and Membership Systems.

Before the Implementation of the System:

Q: What was it like before this system was in place?

A: I previously worked in an organisation with up-to-date systems, and transitioning to IHEEM felt like stepping back into the dark ages. Our database was overly complicated and unwieldy and didn’t meet our needs. Making changes or pulling reports cost us £1,000 each time. The system was problematic, prone to crashes, user-unfriendly, and generated conflicting reports. It was a challenging and horrendous experience.

Q: What challenges did you face with the existing system?

A: The system had two halves, one for the web and one for membership, which were supposed to communicate but often didn’t. Functions overlapped, causing confusion. The CRM was used as an accounting package, and its onsite server was slow and outdated. Overall, it hindered efficiency and was far from user-friendly.

Discovering Fruition Systems:

Q: How did you come across Fruition Systems?

A: Before my time, Fruition Systems helped us during a data breach with our previous website. Fruition stepped in, resolved the situation, and entered into a support contract. When we decided to move to the cloud using SharePoint, we chose Fruition based on our positive experience.

Working with Fruition:

Q: How has the experience of working with Fruition been?

A: Working with Fruition has been delightful. The collaboration has been informative and has empowered us to bridge the gap between technical requirements and user needs. The relationship, especially with Simon and David, has been crucial in enabling our organisation to operate efficiently.

The Transformation Process:

Q: How did the transformation process unfold?

A: We had a breakthrough when our CPD system became linked to our membership roles, allowing members to access and utilise it effectively. We also streamlined committee paper distribution, moving it online to eliminate manual emailing. Additionally, we addressed the need for a system capturing reflective learning, resulting in a dedicated area on our website. The system has significantly improved efficiency, compliance, and data management. The transformation happened over a number of stages.

These were:

A: Stage 1 – Critical Assessment of Existing Systems:

The initial phase involved a comprehensive evaluation of our existing systems. Fruition Systems conducted an in-depth analysis to understand the intricacies and challenges posed by our outdated database and disjointed systems. This critical assessment laid the foundation for identifying key areas requiring transformation.

A: Stage 2 – Strategic Planning and Consultation:

Following the assessment, Fruition Systems engaged in extensive consultations with our team. Collaborative discussions took place to align organisational goals with technical requirements. These sessions facilitated the creation of a strategic plan, outlining the scope of the transformation, specific functionalities needed, and the overall vision for the new system.

A: Stage 3 – Data Migration and Clean-Up:

With the strategic plan in place, the focus shifted to data migration and clean-up. Migrating from the old system to the new one posed challenge, particularly with a large volume of records. Fruition Systems worked closely with our team to meticulously clean and transfer data, ensuring accuracy and consistency in the new system.

A: Stage 4 – Development of Core Functionalities:

The development phase targeted the implementation of core functionalities. Fruition Systems, led by Simon, began building the foundation of our CRM system based on our unique requirements. This involved creating a user-friendly interface, addressing the two halves of the system, and ensuring seamless communication between the web and membership components.

A: Stage 5 – Progressive System Enhancement:

Recognising the need for an iterative approach, Fruition Systems adopted a strategy of progressive system enhancement. Simon and the team continually fine-tuned the CRM, addressing user feedback and evolving requirements. This iterative process allowed us to adapt the system to changing needs and emerging challenges.

A: Stage 6 – Testing and Quality Assurance:

Rigorous testing and quality assurance procedures were implemented to ensure the stability and reliability of the new system. Extensive testing scenarios were conducted to identify and rectify any potential issues, guaranteeing a smooth transition when the system went live.

A: Stage 7 – Implementation and User Training:

The implementation phase involved a carefully planned rollout of the new system. Fruition Systems collaborated with our team to execute a seamless transition, minimising disruption to daily operations. Simultaneously, user training sessions were conducted to familiarise staff with the enhanced features, ensuring a smooth onboarding process.

A: Stage 8 – Ongoing Support and Optimisation:

Post-implementation, Fruition Systems provided ongoing support to address any unforeseen issues and optimise system performance. Regular check-ins and feedback loops were established to continuously refine the CRM, ensuring it remained aligned with our evolving needs and technological advancements.

Q: How has the system contributed to business growth and efficiency?

A: The transformation has resulted in a streamlined CPD system, efficient membership renewals, and significant time savings. The system has also facilitated a 20% increase in membership over the last four years. Members appreciate the modernised institute, easy access to information, and improved invoicing experience.

Q: What changes have members experienced through this transformation?

A: Members now enjoy access to a user-friendly website, over 600 CPD recordings, and an overall modernised experience. The institute’s image has transformed, providing more value for membership fees. The automated invoicing process and improved services have garnered positive feedback.

Q: How has staff reacted to the changes?

A: Initially resistant to change, staff members are now champions of the system, recognising its benefits. The next phase involves fully automating the membership application process to further enhance efficiency.

In summary, the collaboration with Fruition Systems has led to significant improvements in efficiency, member experience, and overall organisational growth for IHEEM.

The post Fruition Systems Helping IHEEM Deliver Excellent Customer Service appeared first on Fruition Systems.

Hewland Engineering are a long standing, well-known, high-performance automotive gearbox design and manufacturing company, particularly famous in motor racing. Based in White Waltham, Maidenhead the company was founded in 1957 and has been at the forefront of their field since then. Hewland operates a state-of-the-art, precision manufacturing facility handling all its production, inspection, assembly, design and commercial operations.

Website: www.hewland.com
Industry: Automotive
Company size: 100+ employees

The Challenge

At the beginning of 2022 Hewland approached Fruition after liking the client-oriented focus & direction that we have become well known for. Hewland were coming to the end of their then IT support arrangements and were looking for a dynamic service-provider who would offer a more focussed customer service and strategically concentrated support service. Initial calls between Hewland and Fruition suggested that both companies shared a common client centric focus with both keen to move Hewland into a more future proofed IT Infrastructure, with a stronger focus on Cloud & IT security, with real-world help and general IT assistance for all staff.

One of the main points that Hewland were looking for was an IT support helpdesk with a single point of contact for issues. Fruition was able to offer this, with a dedicated helpdesk email address and a primary technician who manages their account with all IT issues specifically routed through them primarily, as the first point of contact. There were also initial concerns about the long-term integrity of data stored on the on-premises servers, so Fruition have initiated a robust data backup regime that takes snapshots repeatedly every day to ensure that all information held is updated and safely backed up at all times. These back up’s live securely in the Microsoft Cloud.

Approach

When Fruition came onboard, Hewland’s IT back-office infrastructure was based entirely on virtualised on-premises file servers, and the majority of their IT systems were running outdated, operating systems all of which were approaching obsolescence. The first project that Fruition undertook was migrating Hewland’s e-mail resources to Microsoft 365 and The Cloud. Hewland were using an on-premises email server that was out of vendor support due to its age, it was proving more & more unreliable and potential, significant security implications were becoming apparent. This project moved all staff that needed IT access to a more secure, reliable standardised platform, accessible anywhere in the world with a Wi-Fi connection, with enhanced security, anti-virus and spam filers bundled in the Microsoft suite. The introduction and deployment of Microsoft Teams was a game-changer. Alongside this project, Fruition began delivering a long-term programme to replace outdated, low-spec desktop & laptop devises from unsupported older machinery to faster, more reliable kit that would benefit Hewland’s staff with modern Windows operating systems & business applications.

Solutions provided

• General Migration of IT infrastructure to the Microsoft cloud
• Multiple Microsoft Azure instance migrations from on-prem servers
• Cloud-based apps accessible away from the office
• Secure file management set-up in Microsoft SharePoint
• Managed IT Services throughout
• IT Helpdesk support
• Desktop & Laptop Hardware refresh
• Windows 10 & 11 migrations
• Microsoft 365 & Microsoft Project extensively
• Security (MFA) of the overall IT infrastructure

Results

As a precision engineering company Hewland rely heavily on using cutting edge technology for both design and manufacture. Fruition advised that the most efficient way to develop Hewland’s manufacturing-technology footprint would be to move as many of the back-office systems as possible to The Cloud. Using Microsoft Azure Cloud-based resources, Fruition have begun the process of moving relevant systems away from the expensive, aging onsite servers – this also means that storage for data is no longer a constraining factor.

As the relationship between Hewland and Fruition continues to develop, we are constantly looking at technology that will allow Hewland to adapt to new technologies, remain at the cutting edge of their market and ultimately bolster their bottom-line. Our latest project, bringing Hewland’s document library to SharePoint, will bring many advantages including file structure, access rights management and calendar management, all of which will promote in-house communication levels and create better efficiencies.

Testimonial

Leah Lewis, Head of Purchasing for Hewland Engineering has this to say on the Hewland/Fruition IT Partnership.

“Our relationship with Fruition started at the beginning of 2022 when we recognized the need for a new IT Partner that aligned with our long-term strategic objectives. It was a pivotal decision, and the last 18 months have demonstrated the wisdom of that choice.

The partnership with Fruition is not just transactional; it is deeply rooted in our shared vision. They have consistently demonstrated their commitment to understanding our long-term goals and tailoring their support accordingly.

Fruition have provided Hewland with Reliability and Consistency, they have consistently delivered on their promises, ensuring a seamless supply chain. This reliability has minimized disruptions and contributed to our operational efficiency. They have actively engaged in collaborative discussions, offering innovative solutions that have improved our products and processes.

In conclusion, our partnership with Fruition has been an exemplary strategic relationship that has provided numerous benefits, from enhanced product quality to strategic guidance. Their commitment to our long-term goals, adaptability, and innovation has made them an indispensable part of our success story. We look forward to nurturing this partnership further and exploring new opportunities for mutual growth.”

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The Institute of Healthcare Engineering & Estates Management (IHEEM) is a professional membership organisation specialising in the Healthcare Estates Sector. They are licenced by the Engineering Council (EC) to support individuals achieving CEng, IEng or EngTech status.

The Challenge

IHEEM needed a system to process membership applications, maintain membership data, invoice for correct accredited level, manage CPD (continuous professional development) compliance and communicate with members. The market lacked a system to meet the needs of Membership Organisations like IHEEM.

Approach

Fruition advised transitioning to a Cloud based system and retiring the aging on site server. This approach provides greater simplicity and future proofing of their IT systems together with unlimited data storage capacity for growth and development. It also provided excellent remote access and connectivity resources meaning staff could easily access the system from anywhere in the world, at any time. The system has been proven to provide the following benefits;

• Simple visual display meter showing annual target vs YTD achievement.
• Certificates can be uploaded / stored.
• CPD reviews can be set via an email link relating to time related events. The reviewer can leave notes.
• Can send member a dump (Excel) of historic CPD and using Dynamics can manually verify import.
• A link between WordPress website and Dynamics is used for Access Control. If members do not renew, access is removed in an automated hygiene function.
• Data retention (consider GDPR) and contractual obligations to retain data – midwives are 25years, accountants are 15 years.
• Online reviews for application for EC Council compliance, this speeds recruitment which generate extra revenue depending on the level of membership/accreditation required.
• Renewals for Roles sent out 3 months early
• Audits – IHEEM audit was 3 weeks prep, now set up Role of Auditor and added the auditor as a role – saves 2 weeks per year.
• The operation resource required has shrunk from 3-4 person weeks to 1.5 hours.
• Frees staff for other tasks including lapsed members follow up.
• Payment happens quicker (used to be 50% collection by end of April, now achieved by end of Dec) – good for cashflow, plus saves 2 -3 weeks of chasing.
• No legacy data floating around.
• Membership love the system, CPD and self-service aspects.

Within the link between the new website and Dynamics we have built an events calendar whereby a candidate can scan a QR session code when attending an event/ webinar or training day. When the QR code is scanned the relevant information is populated against their CPD record, and a single incidence of the Session resources are also held.

Find out more about our membership management system here.

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Fruition support a number of organisations in the property sector, this case study describes the experience of a building company that we have supported for the last 15 years.

Glossbrook are a bespoke building company based in Bournemouth, they have been in the trade for over 35 years. Their ethos is to deliver the project on time and on budget in accordance with the contract. Their staff take personal interest in delivering the project to exceed the client’s expectations. They get involved in projects from the earliest stages. Using their experience and technical expertise they help clients develop their concept and help them in their choice of other professionals using their local contacts. On each project they field a first-class team of people, from management to the onsite work force, and each stage of a project is handled with reliability and professionalism.

The Challenge

Glossbrook originally approached Fruition Systems in 2007. Having outgrown their incumbent IT service provider, they were looking for a higher standard of service and support for their client /server infrastructure. Since then their business has flourished, technology has developed and we have kept their systems relevant, agile and reliable.

For example, in 2014 the company identified potential vulnerabilities relating to file storage and back-up’s and so undertook a tactical review of their systems. This led to a migration to The Microsoft Cloud and the retirement of their data server. This strategy provides greater simplicity and futureproofing of their IT systems, with unlimited storage to support growth and development.

Approach

Key Applications

• Finance and job costing
• Project Planning
• Purchasing
• Email and online collaboration

A SharePoint implementation was developed to provide a secure online file storage system with various user permissions and levels of data access to support Glossbrook’s management tiers.

The integration with the cloud means that staff are able to access data quickly and securely when they are working away from the office. An added benefit is the ability to buy capacity on demand as and when the business flexes.

Solutions Provided

• Retired on-premises server
• Migration of majority of IT infrastructure to the Microsoft cloud
• Cloud-based apps accessible away from the office
• Secure file management and storage set-up in SharePoint
• Mobile connected using tablets and smartphones
• Current Windows versions
• Latest Microsoft 365
• Security protocols appropriate to their Cloud based IT infrastructure
• New, modern hardware, both in the office and at remote locations
• IT Helpdesk support
• Migration of old static website to modern CMS framework

Microsoft Azure was selected as the Cloud storage solution since it is durable and highly available, secure, scalable, managed and accessible. It also means that Glossbrook adopt a Microsoft-only strategy, resulting in a singular point of vendor responsibility.

For technical reasons, one legacy application had to remain hosted on-site. Fruition were able to reconfigure and upgrade the on-site server to extend its life by several years. This gave Glossbrook the time to investigate and roll out a new cloud-based solution, which also allowed for migration and testing to be fully carried out.

There also exists an additional 3^rd party security product which is managed by Fruition to augment the Microsoft suite of anti-virus and security provided.

Results

Glossbrook are able to access their data from anywhere in the world that provides an internet connection or cellular coverage. All data is highly secure and a robust back-up solution is in place. With Glossbrook outsourcing their IT department to Fruition, they are able to benefit from more efficient IT expenditure.

Glossbrook have consolidated their printing requirements thus reducing the need for hard-copy printing (A0 and A1 plans) ensuring the latest version of documents are always available to site staff in digital format.

Since Glossbrook were already running in the cloud in 2020 (when the Covid lockdown occurred) the company was in a position to work remotely, and with the addition of laptops for some staff, the move was seamless. With Microsoft Teams being part of M365 suite included in their Office licensing package, the management team were able to effectively communicate and project-manage workloads remotely from the outset of lockdown.

Testimonial

“The contract with Fruition was already in place when I took up my position at Glossbrook, originally as Finance Manager in 2013. I reviewed the contractual details and performance and saw no need to make any changes. Since that time, I have worked with Fruition at both at strategic and tactical level, and the company has benefitted from their technical expertise.

Fruition remains forward-thinking and focused on how to make our IT support our business. This allows us to operate more efficiently and profitably. The team at Fruition are superb – they are friendly, efficient, supportive and offer excellent customer service. They consistently go above and beyond to solve any issues encountered and always work with us to simplify our IT operation. They have clearly set the IT service level bar very high.

The conclusion I reached in 2013 is that Fruition remained the right IT partner for Glossbrook, and that view remains unchanged in 2022.”

– Mark McGowan, Finance Director at Glossbrook Builders.

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Fruition support a number of organisations in the property sector. This case study describes the experience of a property and construction consultancy that we have been supporting since 2018.

Boulter Mossman is a dynamic, experienced, and independent property and construction consultancy. They offer building surveying, project management, employer’s agent, asset management and associated professional services to public, private, commercial and care sector clients. Formed in 1984, their clients’ needs have always been at the forefront of the services they provide. Their team of technical and professional staff are able to offer a diverse range of construction consultancy services. They have the ability to respond to rapidly changing markets and legislation affecting development, property and the built environment.

The Challenge

Boulter Mossman previously outsourced their IT support to a sole trader, this was a response-only ‘break-fix’ service – they had outgrown their current support and systems. They were looking for an outsourced IT department including strategic guidance, data security and purchasing, plus tactical support services. They were using on premises back-office hardware and software that was reaching end of its useful life, requiring more frequent support to keep it running. They had several service providers supporting disparate legacy systems.

To enable the company to deliver their services with a personal and professional approach, they needed to be able to access data in the office, but also on site with clients.

Approach

Fruition undertook a full technical survey of the IT systems, software and resources in place to gain a full understanding of their procedures. From this, an inventory of their hardware and software was prepared. This enabled Fruition to provide a roadmap of where Boulter Mossman should be heading in order to support the firms planned future growth.

Although at the time Boulter Mossman were not actively looking to move to The Cloud, we advised transitioning to the Microsoft Cloud and retiring the on-premises server. This approach would provide greater simplicity and futureproofing of their IT systems with unlimited storage for growth and development.

Solutions Provided

A bespoke SharePoint solution was built for their needs. This included a secure file management system with specific levels of access control to manage their various business specialisations. It included logical mapped drives so that users remain familiar and confident in how to create, edit and save data, thus the transition from on premises to cloud was transparent to the users.

The integration with the cloud means that consultants can access data quickly and securely when they are working away from the office via local internet connectivity or their mobile phones.

• Retired on-premises server
• Migration of entire IT infrastructure to the Microsoft Cloud
• Cloud-based apps accessible away from the office
• Secure file management and storage set-up in SharePoint
• Mobile connected using Microsoft Surface, smartphones, iPads and laptops
• Current Windows version
• Latest Microsoft 365
• Security protocols appropriate to their Cloud based IT infrastructure
• New modern hardware both in the office and at remote locations
• IT Helpdesk support
• BT Cloud Voice deployed

Results

Boulter Mossman is fully integrated with the Cloud and up to date with the latest Microsoft Cloud applications, including Microsoft 365. A key application for them is Microsoft Teams which they use for internal and client meetings. This became indispensable during the pandemic.

The firm operates more efficiently and is fully mobile, facilitating working remotely with customers. The company was able to continue working seamlessly during the pandemic, with all systems syncing perfectly, thanks to the earlier decision to move to the Cloud.

With the introduction of BT Cloud Voice all smartphone users within the company are able to answer calls to the office on their mobile phones when working remotely.

In line with the service level agreement, Fruition react promptly to support requests. This results in little-to-no IT downtime, allowing the business to perform more efficiently. If an immediate fix is not available Boulter Mossman are given an action plan and informed of all progress. The remote support access to systems ensures that there are very few site visits required. The Remote Services Support Agreement means Boulter Mossman can budget for their IT spend on a monthly basis which is good for cash flow and planning.

Testimonial

“We engaged with Fruition as our business was expanding and our current IT infrastructure was no longer fit for purpose. Fruition prepared a comprehensive proposal to move our business towards a cloud-based system with Microsoft Cloud and 365. We were initially hesitant about storage, security and recoverability but were assured and we have had a great experience being Cloud based since then. This was particularly beneficial when almost all our business moved to remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic and provided a seamless transition.

Fruition provides a swift response to our IT glitches when they arise and offer sound advice when we need to invest further in our IT systems as our Company grows. Their ability to log in remotely to all our devices is a great benefit to us and allows most issues to be resolved quickly.

We have been very pleased with Fruition’s service to Boulter Mossman since we first engaged with them in 2018 and look forward to continuing working together for the foreseeable future.”

– Niall Lawless, Director, Boulter Mossman April 2022

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