Airport and Ground Handling Resource Management Systems

Small and medium sized ground handling operations can now compete under the best conditions using advanced optimisation software thanks to a new implementation and outsourcing concept.

There are two factors that influence the decision to implement an IT system: a) the cost of the licensing, customisation and implementation of an application, and the potential return on investment it offers, and b) the cost in terms of internal resources for the specification, implementation and administration of the application when such resources do not exist or are not available for responsibilities beyond the actual planning and daily management of an operation. Expertise and time are needed to analyse business processes and information flows and to maintain ever-changing business rule scenarios at best practice levels.

What could be done therefore to assist a service provider who wants to focus on its core business, who is hard pressed to reduce costs and increase its competitiveness; a service provider whose planners and dispatchers have no time to spare from their daily work to dedicate themselves to the deployment of a system even though it would then help to improve overall efficiency?

What could be done to offer these service providers a standard, tried and tested, highly functional IT solution? A solution that gives access to an exhaustive repository of business rules? One that doesn’t need to be hard-coded to deal with their operation? And that doesn’t require its users to have an IT background?

INFORM has launched a standardised response to these questions based on two assets. One of these is GroundStar, the well-known suite of software tools currently at work in over 200 airports worldwide. It is pre-configured to address not just the strategic and tactical planning, but also the operational management of practically all areas of the ground handling business, be it PRM, security, cleaning, cargo, fuelling, catering, baggage services or any other. The second and equally important asset is INFORM’s team of experts who have been involved in a large number of implementation processes over their professional careers (both from the supplier and the customer point of view). This team has been able to create a hands-off deployment methodology that dramatically reduces the length of the process, whilst at the same time minimising customer involvement throughout this process.

The ultimate aim is to make sure that a solution capable of supporting the operation efficiently and delivering a fast return on investment is in place in a matter of weeks, rather than months. This is what INFORM refers to as the ‘espresso’ approach.

The low level user involvement can continue after the solution has been rolled out since INFORM offers its clients two options in this respect. Firstly, they can outsource the maintenance of the application’s operational environment to INFORM through a special support service available 24/7. Secondly, INFORM can transfer the necessary knowledge to the users so that they are able to maintain that environment themselves. The latter option becomes feasible and viable as a result of the often drastic reduction in the number of planners and dispatchers that results from implementing the system. Staff formerly kept very busy with daily business, now have the time and the means to make further improvements to their operation, thus increasing the benefits of the solution.

The issue of investment in licenses and supplier services has been resolved through financed licensing and leasing options, and a phased, department by department implementation approach. INFORM is offering free individual analyses to determine the potential return on investment based on proven experiences, so there is no longer any reason for any ground handling service supplier to have to think twice about progressing up the technology ladder. They can now equip themselves with a system that not only pays for itself but provides the possibility of proactive, defined, quantitative managed and continuously improving processes.