This agency switched from a cumbersome computer calendar process to an efficient online employee scheduling and workforce management system
Beulah, MI - Touting simplicity and ease of use in their new scheduling and workforce management system, a neighboring EMS agency convinced Benzie County EMS to try Aladtec’s EMS Manager.
According to Catrina Stachnik, Secretary, Benzie County EMS, they shopped around, but after trying EMS Manager’s free demo it was the obvious choice. “We found EMS Manager is easier to use than the other systems and it also best fit our needs. We estimate this system will save our agency 6-8 hours a month.”
“We were using Microsoft Word calendar and filling in each day for each month, every month. It was very time consuming and when personnel needed to request time off it created a lot of paperwork because we would have to redo the entire calendar,” explains Craig Johnson, Director, Benzie County EMS. “It would get very confusing at our other two stations, since the information would not always get updated at the same time, and sometimes it did not get updated at all. It was slow and cumbersome.”
Stachnik also indicates that since EMS Manager is an online system available at all times from any computer, smartphone or mobile device, they now have a faster response from employees when there’s an open shift to fill. The administrators put out an alert via email, instant message or text and then the employees sign up online for the open shifts based on their availability. “This new process decreases the number of hours spent scheduling because in the past we had to call individual employees and wait for return calls to fill the openings,” says Stachnik. “Also, our three EMS stations are located approximately 19 miles apart. By having an online scheduling program, it has saved time and money from delivering the schedules to each station every time there was a change.”
According to Johnson, many employees have stated that they like the notifications of open shifts, trades and time off request. EMS Manager allows every employee to be notified of open shifts at the same time, so the system allows for scheduling fairness across the board. If someone doesn’t choose a shift that’s their choice, not the administrator’s.
“We also appreciate EMS Manager’s ability to allow us to notify all employees at the same time of upcoming education and training sessions. And, the mobile web app allows us to fill shifts, approve time off, and approve or deny trades all from the palm of our hand. We no longer have to be in front of a computer to do this,” shares Stachnik. “EMS Manager is a lifesaver for our agency.”
Benzie County, Michigan is located in the northwest area of the Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Situated on the shores of Lake Michigan, the county also has over 50 inland lakes, two rivers, and thousands of acres of national and state park land making it a popular tourist destination. With 40 employees and three EMS stations, Benzie County EMS services approximately 17,000 full time residents and thousands of visitors throughout the summer.
About Aladtec, Inc.
Aladtec, Inc. is a proud provider of web-based software solutions for online employee scheduling and workforce management applications. The company’s flagship products, EMS Manager and FIRE Manager, are leaders in the public safety sector. Together with their newest product, Zanager, they serve over 900 EMS agencies, fire departments, police departments and other businesses. Over 57,000 employees use Aladtec’s online employee scheduling and workforce management products. Aladtec is headquartered just outside the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area in Hudson, Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.aladtec.com.