The challenge
Local authorities face an enormously difficult and complex challenge.
Maintaining the delivery of essential front-line services as well as meeting the expectations of residents and local businesses whilst dealing with reduced budgets is the Gordian Knot of local government.
A wide variety of approaches have been adopted to tackle this, from outsourcing to process improvement to revenue generation to optimising service offerings.
But perhaps one of the most successful approaches has been the adoption of technology-based solutions to deliver more cost-effective and efficient services. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine a council that doesn’t use IT as an enabler to facilitate ‘doing more with less’.
The provision of Waste Management services is no exception.
As an essential service that is subject to strict regulatory governance and public scrutiny, waste collection, disposal and management has to run effectively and efficiently.
The conundrum is that waste management is an area where technology can be applied successfully, but given that it comes with an almost unique set of requirements, innovation has been limited and the adoption of new technologies to drive efficiency and productivity have sometimes taken a long time to reach the market.
Part of this has been driven by the need to select and procure technologies and vendors that can deliver solutions that are reliable, robust, cost-effective, and workable. They also need to be flexible enough to adapt to change and designed to work in the long term.
In reality, it can be difficult to make a long-term commitment to solutions based on new technologies, unless providers have a proven track record and a pedigree of achievement.
Technology as an enabler
Whitespace Work Software and Masternaut are pleased to announce a new partnership that brings their combined technologies and collective experience to bear, offering local authorities the ability to select innovative waste management support systems from trusted vendors that are designed for tomorrow, but delivered today.
Whitespace Work Software is already used in over 100 local authorities, who have chosen it not only on the basis of the demonstrable benefits it already delivers, but because there is a philosophy of development and continual improvement to ensure it will be fit for the future.
Likewise, Masternaut has been at the forefront of commercial vehicle Telematics for over 20 years and has continued to innovate and refine its technology foundations, culminating with the launch of ‘Connect’, the smarter fleet platform.
The joint solution has been designed to be complementary and offers local authorities a comprehensive suite that builds on a secure, scalable infrastructure with the ability to take data from any source with a single point of reference.
As Jason Gill of Masternaut points out “By allowing multiple data entry points, a local authority can focus on providing the best service rather than on integration and data collection issues. Our partnership with Whitespace further demonstrates our commitment to providing innovation and tackling the challenges of the future.”
Mark Garvey, CEO of Whitespace Work Software added that “Together with Masternaut, we are confident that we’ll continue delivering a high-quality service to local government that incorporates the benefits from the leading telematics platform”
“The technology push surrounding connected vehicles will have an enormous impact on the waste management industry. This collaboration means that our businesses will be at the forefront of providing cost-effective and efficient service to the industry.”
It’s time for local government to take advantage of the potential of modern technologies and invest in the future of their communities. Whitespace and Masternaut look forward to helping our public-sector customers shape the future of waste management.