Case Studies

Souls Coaches was established in 1923 and through a fleet of 30 vehicles provides bus and coach services for Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes. It also provides school bus services for a number of prestigious fee-paying schools.

They wanted to modernise their systems both on board their coaches and in their back-office and asked New Media Aid to develop a system which allowed smart cards to be scanned on NFC card readers on their coaches (to avoid passengers having to be in contact with the driver during Covid).

We developed a bespoke Android app and web app together with an API to link the two in order to provide a scalable, robust and secure solution.

The Android app sits in the driver's cab and is connected via Bluetooth to NFC card readers at the coach entrances (this alerts the driver if the scanned card is valid or not). The Android app syncs with the back-office systems to log all the card scans and also to a Parent Portal so parents of school bus passengers can see when their children have taken the bus to and from school.

Parker Hannifin is one of those massive companies that few people have heard of. With annual sales of $12 billion, Parker Hannifin is a Fortune 250 global leader in motion and control technologies. For 100 years the company has engineered the success of its customers in a wide range of diversified industrial and aerospace markets.

For a number of years Parker Hannifin had used a legacy Windows Mobile application installed on hand-held barcode scanners which their operatives around the world used to integrate with their stock management EDI systems.

Parker Hannifin asked us to develop a bespoke Android-based solution to replace their legacy Windows Mobile system.

We developed a bespoke Android app, web app and API so warehouse staff around the world can scan in and out Parker components to allow for just-in-time replenishment of items via modern handheld barcode scanners, all of which is integrated with their existing Oracle JD Edwards ERP systems.

Phoenix Group was only formed in 2007 and by 2010 it had become the UK’s largest cold pressed seed oil producer.

Their 40,000 sq ft factory contains two bottling systems capable of handling 25 million bottles a year combined while four cold presses and four filtration systems giving them the largest cold pressing facility in the UK.

They required a bespoke Android app to be installed on tablets which production line operatives could use to manage the various stages on the production line. The questions that appear on the Android app needed be managed through a secure, bespoke web app and all data, photos and signatures captured on the Android app then appear in a management reports section on a secure web app.

We developed a bespoke Android app, a secure management web app to manage the data requirements and questions on the Android app and a secure web-based customer portal for customers to view production reports.

Woodhouse College in Finchley, London, is one of top 3 sixth-form colleges in the country and is one of the leading places to study A levels in London. The government recognises Woodhouse College as one of a small number of colleges with both Beacon Status and Ofsted Outstanding status.

We have developed a number of bespoke, secure, mobile-friendly public-facing and internal web apps for Woodhouse College and we have been their app development partner of choice since 2004.

As well as websites where all content can be updated with ease through a Content Management System, we have developed many other web-based systems for the college such as:

- Student application and management system
- Job vacancy application and management system
- Student interview management system
- Reference management system
- A virtual learning environment

With clients such as Compass, Fullers, Black & Decker, Mercedes Benz, Panasonic & Royal Marsden Hospital needing to meet their insurance obligations and environmental health requirements. Just Filters’ technicians remove grease laden kitchen canopy filters and replace them with a fresh set of clean ones on each scheduled visit.

They needed a bespoke Android app which allowed them to schedule technician visits and allow the technicians to report on each job (exchange status, save photos, add comments, capture customer signature) and that these reports would appear instantly on a customer portal and also so management could track the location of technicians.

They also required an eCommerce solution to allow customers to order and pay for bespoke or standard sized kitchen baffle filters so we developed an eCommerce system within their web app and CMS.

How’s My Driving? was the first road safety service of its kind introduced into the UK and since 1995 it successfully raised the profile of road safety. It provides an opportunity for other road users to have a positive impact on driving behaviour, enabling potentially hazardous situations to be diffused, whilst helping drivers to become more aware of their driving style. The How’s My Driving badge is the sign of independence, a brand that the public trust to contact and leave their feedback with.

We developed a website and content management system so road users can leave feedback regarding the behaviour of a vehicle with a How's My Driving badge and this it automatically notified to the business owner.

Business owners can register their fleet of vehicles online and pay via an integrated eCommerce system to receive their How’s My Driving badges. Likewise customers can access a secure portal to manage their fleet and see a dashboard showing all feedback per vehicle.

Easton Design Studio, based in Cranleigh, Surrey, designs and manufactures quality leather handbags and accessories and sells these to retailers and the public throughout the UK and beyond.

They required a bespoke web-based system and we developed a bespoke mobile-friendly and search engine-friendly web app where all content and stock could be updated with ease through a Content Management System as well as the fulfilment and invoicing or orders.

The web app allows trade customers (retailers) to register on the system and place bulk orders online through an eCommerce system and provide a secure area where trade customers and their orders can be managed and where all communications with a trade customer can be logged.

The general public can also order products online through the bespoke eCommerce system.

Hammond Produce, based in Nottingham, farms over 3,500 acres across 3 counties and produces over 50,000 tonnes of fresh vegetables each year. They grow, pack, prepare and deliver a wide range of fresh produce in an even wider range of sizes, cuts and shapes to retailers and supermarkets throughout the UK.

Hammond Produce required a bespoke Android app to be installed on tablets which their drivers and production line operatives could use to manage the various stages of the production line and delivery to supermarkets.

The questions that appear on the Android apps should be managed through a secure, bespoke web app and all data, photos and signatures captured on the Android apps should appear in a management reports section on a secure web app.

Dry Cargo International (DCi) is the only monthly magazine covering the dry bulk industry. It is essential reading for all senior executives and decision-makers in the industry, and is the leading source of vital market information.

The publication owes its success to an innovative approach to the provision of key information on the global dry market in an accurate, comprehensive and timely manner. It does so by understanding and responding to the needs of today’s senior executives and decision-makers.

We developed a bespoke mobile-friendly eCommerce website and magazine subscription system that allowed them to create, edit and maintain news content, offer subscription-based user access to selected content by being able to maintain, edit and control a subscription database and allow selective user access, upload limited time-based web banners and host an archive of online magazine issues, with the ability to perform keyword searches on said archive.

Derek Kelly Beef is a small, high-welfare, high-quality beef producer based in Essex. They breed Little Black Angus cows for flavour and texture.

Professor Jeff Wood, Emeritus Professor at the Veterinary School of Bristol University, agreed to be Derek Kelly's mentor with the philosophy of treating cost as secondary to the improvement of quality and welfare. After visiting Japan and also the largest Wagyu breeder in Britain, they have now introduced 25% Wagyu blood into their herd to capture the 'Kobe' beef flavour.

The cattle are grown to maturity and are grass fed on herb rich pastures and meadows on which they are free to roam from April to October. They are yarded over the winter and fed silage or hay which are made at peak growth periods from the same pastures.

They asked New Media Aid to develop an eCommerce system that allowed customers to order online for home delivery or farm collection and to be able to submit product reviews following verfied purchases.

We developed a bespoke eCommerce website with content management system, order fulfilment, stock management, sales reporting and dispatch notifications.

Clann Credo is based in Dublin, Ireland and since 1996 it has provided affordable loan finance to community organisations that generate social benefit.

As Ireland’s largest social finance provider, they have re-imagined lending and believe that finance can be a catalyst for good in communities.

To date, Clann Credo has invested almost €130 million in more than 1,500 Community & Voluntary projects throughout Ireland. These loans helped community organisations to provide a diverse range of services from transport to childcare to community tourism to eldercare.

They asked New Media Aid to develop a website which would allow community organisations to apply for finance online and where they could showcase all their success stories from finance provided.

We developed a modern, mobile-friendly bespoke website and content management system for them as well as a bespoke CRM system.

Team London Bridge is a Business Improvement District (BID) structure that allows the London Bridge business community to employ a small team to work exclusively for them, delivering projects and services funded by BID levy contributions.

Every five years the London Bridge business community vote on whether to continue the BID model. In February 2021, 95% of their members voted yes, meaning a 4th BID term will run between 2021-2026. To fund the work of Team London Bridge, each business within the BID area must pay a compulsory contribution, referred to as the BID levy.

We developed a secure web app which Team London Bridge use to manage all the businesses in their BID district, calculating their levy contributions based on rateable values and services received (e.g. Enhanced Street Cleaning, Crime Prevention from Funded Officers, Graffiti Removal from Premises, etc.).

The system allows for the logging of all communications with BID company contacts as well as managing the status of all levy payments made.

RSM 2000 are a payment service provider with a solid charity payments heritage. They provide payment services for a range of businesses as well as charity fundraising and lottery.

They asked New Media Aid to develop a bespoke Android app which would connect via Bluetooth to a credit/debit card reader and allow for both standalone unmanned (automatic) operation, as well as supporting attended (manual) charity donor recruitment via single payment, contactless or Chip & PIN.

In addition, where a donor indicates a willingness to make ongoing donations, we needed to provide direct debit sign-up support and integrate this with RSM’s existing Direct Debit system via an API. Also, the app should prompt users to sign up for Gift Aid when making the purchase and the app would then prompt them for the relevant name and address details and these details would be sent to RSM's systems automatically in order to be shared with the relevant charity that is using the system.

We developed a bespoke Android app which could be installed on charity fundraiser phones and synced via Bluetooth with a contactless / Chip & PIN credit/debit card reader. The Android app allows the fundraiser to set up fixed sums for quick donations as well as marketing messages to appear on the app screen to prompt for Gift Aid and direct debits. The fundraiser can view reports of all activity and issue refunds via he app.

TEMS in Alton, Hampshire is a global supplier of high quality fibre products and engineering services including expert advice on communications infrastructure.

They required a bespoke system which would meet the following objectives:

- Manage projects, assigning technicians, materials, costs and stages
- Store customer, supplier and contact details
- Schedule meetings and save and distribute meeting minutes
- Add/update materials and products needed for installations
- Check in and dispatch items from warehouse via a handheld scanner
- Manage company inventory (tooling, clothing, office hardware)
- Create and distribute purchase orders and invoices
- Have a central document store for all important company documents
- Allow customers and technicians to log and track issues
- Create and manage staff rotas

We developed a bespoke web app with a secure back-end admin system and secure portals for customers, technicians and installers which met all the client's objectives.

We also developed a warehouse stock control system as a bespoke Android app running on a barcode scanner running the Android operating system. These barcode scanners integrate with the web app systems we also developed.

Weblight provides lighting design, installation and maintenance solutions to the Retail, Healthcare, Commercial, Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics and Education sectors, whilst also working in partnership with many Facilities Management companies. Clients include Tesco, M&S, Sainsbury’s, Barclays, Iceland, BHS, TK Maxx, Mothercare, New Look, as well as Hospitals and Commercial buildings across the UK.

Weblight required a bespoke Android app to be installed on phones and tablets which technicians and surveyors could use to survey lighting installations throughout the UK. The questions that appear on the Android app should be managed through a secure, bespoke web app and all data, photos and signatures captured on the Android app should appear in a management reports section on a secure web app.

We developed a bespoke Android app and integrated web management app to help them manage and survey their extensive customer lighting portfolio. Surveyors and engineers use the app on their Android phones to complete the site surveys and save comments, photos and customer signatures. This data is then synced and stored on a secure management web app where admin staff can view reports as well as manage the data requirements, surveys and questions shown on the Android app.

Wing Parking manage a large number of car parks in the UK on behalf of private organisations and local authorities (e.g. Brent Housing Partnership, Royal Borough of Greenwich, London Borough of Haringey, London Borough of Islington, Kensington & Chelsea TMO, Wandsworth Borough Council and City of Westminster).

Wing Parking wanted a solution which would allow their parking control operatives to quickly and easily flag up issues they encountered when doing their daily car park rounds (abandoned vehicles, graffiti, broken signs, etc.).

They wanted to have a central management app where they could see all reports in real time and where they could update car park sites and user access which would instantly update the Android app on each operative's smartphone.

We developed an Android smartphone app and integrated web-based management app that allowed operatives to quickly and easily flag up issues they encountered when doing their daily car park rounds by simply selecting the car park from the list on the app and choosing the issue category, adding notes and taking supporting photos.

This data is then instantly sent to the management web app where the system works out who should receive the report in real-time based on the customer (e.g. London Borough of Islington) and issue (e.g. abandoned vehicle).