Essay: Servelec Technologies

Relevant background history
Servelec Group began in the 1970s providing software, hardware and services mainly to UK customers for industries such as healthcare, oil and gas, nuclear power, water, utilities and broadcast sectors. Servelec Group have a robust technology and engineering legacy, they have the highest skilled and experienced staff working around the offices in the UK. Servelec Group started off designing and manufacturing control systems for the steel industry and now are operating in two divisions Servelec Healthcare and Servelec Automation. In Servelec Healthcare the focus is on software and hardware in the healthcare industry. In the Servelec Automation division there are two segments Servelec Controls and Servelec Technologies (Servelec Group, 2016).
Servelec HSC focuses on the design, development, deployment and support within software for healthcare, social care and education for the local government (Servelec Group, 2016). There are many current software systems such as Electronic Patient Records, Patient Administration Systems, Patient Flow Bed Management, Clinical Information Systems, e-observations and e-prescribing technologies. These systems are maintained through mobile and portal solutions such as apps, healthcare portal, and many more.
Servelec Controls creates and combines mission-critical systems for well-known companies within industries for national infrastructure that is combined by specialist hardware, software, and engineering products to deliver control, monitoring and safety solutions for their customers. Servelec Controls have effective solutions because they save time and money for other organisations for example the company’s remote operation and monitoring solution, is provided to UK major operator where the company determines key benefits to UK operators focusing on safety gains and efficiency savings (Servelec Group, 2016).
Servelec Technologies provides control systems to large well-known companies within industries, such as water treatment, Transport, Oil and Gas. This operates in conjuction with standalone products vital to the national infrastructure (Servelec Group, 2016). For example, Remote Telemetry Units, SCADA, and Prism 5, services are provided by design implementation delivery, installation, and ongoing customer support and maintenance. Servelec in automation are developing their market to include products such as RTUS (Remote Telemetry Units), SCADA, telemetry and business optimisation software.
The main focus throughout the report will be on Servelec Technologies as this is the organisation that has been chosen. Servelec Technologies launched operations by developing control systems for Sheffield’s steel industry. They also developed “Sonolog 79”, a microprocessor which was used as a portable system to inspect the oil and gas industry (Servelec Group, 2016). In the 1980s, the company developed their own IPR and first telemetry system and launched their first product Scope 1 and a first RTU. In order to gain a supply of software based systems for the nuclear power industry, Servelec was required to launch QMS (Servelec Group, 2016). In the 1990s Servelec installed RTUS and SCADA systems with the ability to monitor and control global TV and radio across the UK. During the 2000s, Servelec has won contracts with the National Grid which allowed them to have ongoing projects designing controls systems and deliver ongoing support for standing reserve dispatch systems (Servelec Group, 2016).
Servelec Technologies won their first contract with one of the UK’s largest water company providing an end-to-end solution to the data retrieved from the water being treated. The company have developed an optimiser software worth millions which completed in March 2018. The Optimiser Software is now managing the transfer of water in various directions through the main by automatically controlling valves and pumps based on what data the telemetry has collected (Innovation Zone: Water Networks, 2018).
Nature of the business
The company specialises in providing systems to their customers so they are able to monitor data quality retrieved using the company’s software products. The company provides remote telemetry units and secure SCADA systems and business optimisation software as a complete end-to-end automation and optimisation solution (Servelec Technologies, 2018). The company ensures that their customers are receiving effective solutions gaining efficiency savings from data received from the company’s systems (Servelec Technologies, 2018). A Newspaper journal called Telecommworldwire emphasises that the company is making a name for themselves after winning a major contract with one of UK’s largest Airport. In February 2000, the Airport awarded an IT contract worth a large amount of money to Servelec Technologies to deliver IT upgrades to current airport systems. The upgrades that have been done on the unix servers and workstations at the airport, the customers were able to retrieve data from this and monitor the systems (Telecomworldwire, 2000). This is a good indication that the company is providing quality products and services to their customers, because the customers are benefiting from this having up-to-date systems and upgrades also allowing them to retrieve the data required from their systems.
There are many systems that have been developed which deliver end-to-end data acquisition, management, presentation and optimisation of the data (Servelec Group, 2018). Once the data is received from the RTU and SCADA they are provided to the customers across the global infrastructure. This includes water, rail, energy, navigation, and broadcasting. Servelec Technologies provide RTUS and telemetry products that have been connected from the software created through a global distribution (Servelec Group, 2018). Howell et al, (2018) discuss that ICT in water industries are important as they have a smart sensing optimisation and a decision support. The system is therefore able to retrieve data from clean and waste water networks as well as assets making sure it is efficient, has sustainability and in a reliable manner. Howell et al. (2018) emphasise the importance of having a smart water network which focuses on devices like pumps, valves, reservoirs where clean water measured through the network. This shows that it is important for water industries to have technology so that it helps the industry to calculate real-time data therefore this ensures the process to be more efficient for waste water that becomes drinking water. Furthermore, the company are utilising Howell et al’s theory as he emphasis that a smart water network should be used to communicate with water instrumental equipment to the SCADA server (Howell et al, 2018).
 
Servelec Technologies have differentiated from their competitors by providing an end-to-end solution for their customers this is by collecting, structuring, presenting and optimising real time data in real time. For example, using controls to calculate and retrieve results on water sites. Servelec Technologies innovation in their products and services is endorsing energy efficiency and waste reduction reducing greenhouse gas emissions (Servelec Group, 2018). This shows the importance of development and innovative ideas the company bring into their products to ensure a positive experience for the customer.
Furthermore, the company invested millions into the research and development of their products with approximately less than a quarter of their current research coming from existing products. The research contributes towards introducing innovative vital projects for water companies around the UK with software products helping to reduce energy and chemical costs in real time through management of the network (Servelec Technologies, 2018). Servelec Technologies strategy is aiming towards becoming a global brand in the real-time business optimisation by delivering unified products through development and marketing. Furthermore, the products developed by the company as well as being licenced and tested to ensure it meets the standards of the requirements of the customer (Servelec Technologies, 2018). Research is showing that Servelec Technologies is making profit on a Twin Soft which is known as a Windows application. T-Box is a system developed by the company to monitor and control applications with the customer’s mobile devices and PC’s, it works to reduce costs to customers by up to 50% by using the system in remote locations that lack commercial power (Twin Soft, 2017). The product has been an improved version from other systems and includes new features for example a new security wizard, option to store web files on a SD card and a new configuration tool. All of these new features are showing they have improved previous areas of weakness such as camera time out, and only supports maximum of 247 sampling tables in their product, taking into consideration known issues being experienced with the customer.
 
 
 
 
 
Vision/values/mission/objectives
Servelec Technologies aim is to “provide a range of products and services that fully meet requirements of our customers by working together to achieve this policy, continually striving for improvements in all areas of our business” (Servelec Group Holdings, 2018: 10). The main goals of Servelec technologies are to “achieve a high level customer satisfaction at all times through our commitment to providing high level of personal services and our desire to exceed to exceed customer’s expectation which sets us apart from our competition” (Servelec Group Holdings, 2018: 11). Furthermore, Servelec have worked on achieving this, resulting in being named the largest listed UK fundraising software company since 2000 and are continuously growing looking for improvements in all areas of the business. In 2010 Servelec has been named the largest tech IPO in the UK and have raised a multi-million amount (Allan, 2013). This indicates the company are investing in their customers in order to achieve their aims, working together to ensure their own products meet customer requirements. Market research has previously been done to ascertain what improvements are needed to their services as well as products. This is on-going to ensure the company continues to meet their objectives.
Some of the values of the company is dedicated to delivering value for the customer. One of these company values is customer satisfaction, ensuring that the needs and expectations of customers are recognised, which then is translated into their requirements ensuring they are fulfilled (Servelec Group Holdings, 2018). Servelec Technology are customer focused by making sure that valid legal requirements are determined, understood and are consistently meeting customer’s needs. The organisation looks into any issues, which have occurred with their products and aim to improve any on-going issues, taking customer feedback as a high priority (Servelec Group Holdings, 2018).
Another value of the company is trustworthiness; the company ensures they are honest with their products and services to the customer. A further value of the company is sustainability; this is through social responsibility as employees at the company are an important part of the success of the business. The company are always finding ways to improve environmentally and finding ways to create new values for their customers by sustainable products, and solutions (Servelec Group Holdings, 2018).
Culture and management style
The company uses a quality management system this is a strategic approach to ensure that the quality of the service is improving which plays a fundamental part of their business practises. Some of the key objectives applied within the organisation include:
• “Effective policies, motivated leadership and visible senior management commitment”
• “Effective organisation with clearly defined management structures”
• “clear accountability established through the delegation of well-defined roles and responsibilities”
• The setting of challenging but realisitic goals and standards for indvidual and teams”
• “The reduction of quality risks to the lowest reasonable practible level through detailed pre-planning, risk assesment, risk registers and risk control strategies”
• “the formulation and implementatrion of effective quality control, processes and preocedures”
• “regular and proactive quality performance auditing, monitoring and review” (Servelec Group Holdings, 2018, P3).
The organisation has a process in place so that these objectives can be achieved, this is through a quality management system that is in place within the company. This system proves the company’s ability in order to consistently delivering products and services that will meet the customers and other regulatory requirements as well as being effective and efficient with the overall aim to improve customer satisfaction. Furthermore, the quality management system is seen as crucial for the long-term success of the company and is communicated to all employees through inductions, meetings, on-going development and training ensuring continued observance and compliance with the requirements (Servelec Group Holdings, 2018).
In order for the organisation to achieve these objectives, the Projects Department review the relevance and usefulness of the quality management system and monitor employees work progress on projects within the department (Servelec Group Holdings, 2018). The Senior Project Management team is a vital aspect of the company because the skills they bring into the company help to achieve the aims and objectives (Servelec Group Holdings, 2018).
Different management styles can have an impact on the organisation there are three major management styles that are Autocratic, Democratic, and Laissez-Faire. Mueller et al, (2011) states that a democratic leadership style is considered as a leader who involves employees in an organisation and their input is important for the company. Mueller et al, (2011) also discuss that an autocratic management style is a leader who makes decisions without communicating with his employees. Autocratic leader’s orders methods and stages of the goal they need to achieve for the company and are not worried about employee’s development (Mueller et al, 2011). Skogstad, et al (2007) discuss that a Laissez-Faire leadership is based on a style where a leader can only trust employees who they know for long time. Skogstad, et al (2007) discusses that Laissez-Faire leader does not like to communicate with his employees (Skogstad, et al, 2007).
The chosen management style that the company is following is more of a democratic type, which represents an approach, which includes involvement with group members, input from employees and being responsible for the final decision (Derakhshandeha and Gholamib, 2012). Derakhshandeha and Gholamib (2012) emphasise that a democratic style is an effective leadership style because it involves employees and are involved having their input into business decisions. Derakhshandeha and Gholamib (2012) also mention that a democratic style is also more involved in the development of an employee allowing them to progress within the company. Foel et al (2000), emphasis his research on recent studies where his results found that employees are more satisfied with democratic leadership style, as this kind of leadership is most important when there is a leader to lead the group to success. Foel, et al (2000) states that decisions from a democratic leader are more open, as they are more likely to be formulated through employees’ ideas within the organisation (Foel, et al, 2000). This shows that in the company the senior project managers have regularly team meetings every week to discuss any changes or improvements required as well as discussing the progress of projects.
 
The culture of the organisation can have an impact in terms of the environment and how people interact with one another in the organisation. Warren et al. (2014) emphasises the influence of e-commerce to share information across a network is benefitting the organisation. Such applications ensure a more effective approach to communication and the sharing of information between employees (Warren et al, 2014). It has also been emphasised that most employees in an organisation do not like change, as it can be difficult for them to adapt to different circumstances and/or systems (Kolli and Narrayanswamy, 2013). An e-commerce application in organisations can help employees communicate more effectively, such as using Skype where employees are able to send ideas and share information with one another in real time (Warren et al. 2014). Using an e commerce application can be an effective way of communicating amongst employees in an organisation. This is an effective approach that the organisation can use ensuring communicating with staff members in a more personal and friendly way through an e commerce application.
The culture of the organisation suggests that some employees have been there more than 30 years, employees have stayed there because of the environment and the people who make the organisation enjoyable to work. A survey had been done as a whole on Servelec Technologies organisation and employees at the company have mentioned that the structure of the organisation requires to be improved. The survey results showed that graduates leave the organisation after year or two because there is no progression. The Culture within the organisation is a sociable place of work when interacting with employees at work. The approach the organisation has taken is very flexible. For example, an employee can start any time from 7am -10am and finish between the hours of 4-6pm, allowing employees to be flexible on when they want to start.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Organisational analysis
Structure
5.1 Organisation Structure
Figure 1: Organisation Structure of Servelec Group
The top management within the Servelec Group manages and delegates responsibilities and tasks to team members and employees. This is done by using an effective quality management system where roles and responsibilities are defined and delegated to team members (Zhang, et al, 2012). All the managers and supervisors within the company are responsible for effective communication amongst employees in relation to daily tasks and activities. This is undertaken through team briefings and management reviews. In terms of employee’s contribution to achieving objectives, this is through performance reviews (Servelec Group Holdings, 2018).
 
 
 
 
5.2 Department Structure
Figure 2: Project Department Structure of the company
The Project Department structure and team structure below shows how the department operates and how each team member communicates with one another. Senior Project Managers ensure their own projects are running smoothly by monitoring on a daily basis that it is meeting its deadline. The Senior Projects Manager also communicates with the Principle and Senior design engineers highlighting any problems occurring with the project. Furthermore, student and graduate engineers are there to assist design engineers with their projects, where testing is a key aspect. In addition, Student and graduate engineers communicate with design engineers in regards to the project they are working on any concerns they are able to assist them with the task. Principle engineers are also there to allocate tasks to student and graduate engineers and monitor their progress on the tasks they are doing on the projects. All the information that the Senior Project Managers are receiving is then fed back to the Projects Director to ensure any issues or concerns can be raised with the customer.
 
 
5.3 Team Structure of the company
Figure 3: Team Structure of the company
Department of the Organisation
The organisation has different departments that is key to the success of the business and each department has different skills in order to help the business in a particular area. The company has three departments Projects, Configuration and Development. The Projects Department have various projects for customers such as water companies, travel and the oil and gas industries.
Projects Department
Projects are involved in monitoring end-to-end data. This is done by the system being designed and developed in order to monitor the data, which is approved by customers and the company itself through a testing phase. The Engineers in the projects department would take the system to the customer’s organisation and install it ensuring it works by testing some of the signals.
Configuration Department
This department is tasked with designing systems and tagging the database to the system. Once a system has been designed it is sent to the Projects department for testing. Having completed testing if no errors are found it is ready to be tested with the client and customer.
Development Department
The Development team develop the software of the products by writing the software in programming languages this also allows the other departments to work on these products once being developed. The Development team use different programming languages mainly implementing Java as most of the company’s products are programmed in this language. The Projects department raise tickets on where they have found issues with testing identifying bugs that require attention.
Please see appendix 1- Team members and their role description.
My Role
My role at Servelec Technologies involves mainly testing the systems on a daily basis to locate any errors. During the testing phase any errors logged from a system that has been tested is sent to the configuration department where they make the changes on the system to ensure there are no errors. Once this has been completed the system is sent back to re-test to ensure the configuration department have made the changes on the system. When all systems have been tested I work on other small projects being involved in the designing of the systems and creating databases. When a customer sends an excel spreadsheet with their data, I convert that information into a database using an appropriate database tool. After this process is complete I tag addresses from the database onto objects that are on the system designed by myself. This is then ready to test with the customer. Another part of my role involves testing the system with the customer, where I setup my equipment in the server room, once my equipment has been setup and connected to the Remote telemetry unit. The customer will test signals from his device to ensure he is receiving the correct signals from our system. Furthermore, my role is related to the objective off the company by ensuring our customers are satisfied with the service I provide them for example when testing the system with the customer any changes required I would make a note of them and complete the changes.