AMP8 Mean and the UK Utility Contractor Sector
As the UK Utility Contractor industry braces for AMP8 (Asset Management Period 8), the challenge of addressing skilled labour shortages is increasingly paramount.
This blog explores how dynamic scheduling, performance optimisation and innovative working conditions are vital in this transformative period. Let’s get started!
What does this mean for Utility Contractors?
For contractors, AMP8 means navigating higher expectations, investing in new technologies, and adopting more flexible workforce management strategies.
Automation and AI-driven solutions are set to play a crucial role in workforce management and operational efficiencies throughout the AMP8 period. As utility contractors face increasing demands for efficiency, sustainability, and resilience, integrating advanced technologies can help streamline operations and address skilled labour shortages. Learning from industries like telecommunications and implementing AI-driven scheduling tools could be key to success.
Technological innovation and the adoption of AI, automation, and digital tools play a larger role in AMP8, helping utility contractors optimise operations and address skilled labour shortages more efficiently.
Critically, skilled labour shortages have been an ongoing issue and AMP8 sees an urgent need to integrate dynamic scheduling and cross-sector recruitment strategies to meet demand fuelled also for the demands of more proactive customer engagement, with utilities required to improve responsiveness and transparency in service delivery to their customers.
Streamlining and Automating Field Service Operations
Totalmobile streamlines the entire field service operation, from job scheduling to real-time tracking and reporting. This level of efficiency not only means faster completion of projects but also ensures that these projects are completed within budget, addressing the issue of diminishing margins.
The platform’s intuitive design and user-friendly interface make it easy for field service personnel to adopt and use, reducing training time and costs.
Key Features of the Totalmobile Platform
- Dynamic Scheduling – Totalmobile’s dynamic scheduling is a cornerstone feature that revolutionises how utility contractors allocate and manage their workforce. It enables real-time adjustments to schedules, ensuring that the right resources are deployed efficiently to meet service demands. This agility in scheduling is vital for managing the complex work orders typical in utility contracting, especially under AMP8’s rigorous demands.
- Performance Intelligence – Our platform offers comprehensive field service intelligence, providing utility contractors in-depth insights into their operations. By tracking activities and behaviours amongst field workers, ensures that tasks are performed as planned, fostering accountability among engineers. Performance monitoring enables the identification of best practices and areas for improvement, leading to more consistent and efficient performance.
- Utility Works Management (UWM) – a cloud-based work order management solution empowering utility contractors and subcontractors to manage, execute and monitor multiple contracts from a unified system. Efficiently oversees the entire lifecycle of repair & maintenance contracts, from work order receipt to payment claim submission, UWM simplifies job costing, enhances real-time project oversight and ensures adherence to compliance standards at eery stage of field operations management.
- Mobile Working – Understanding the mobile nature of field service, Totalmobile’s platform is designed to empower field workers. With mobile working capabilities, field teams can access and capture critical data on the go, enhancing service delivery efficiency and effectiveness. This feature ensures that field workers have the necessary information at their fingertips, leading to improved decision-making and job completion rates.
1.8million+
broadband installation jobs supported annually
“Our engineers do have a better life balance and are getting finished earlier”.
Jason Chandler, Operations Director, Kelly Group
30%
increase in workforce productivity
“No other provider on the market offers a fully unified field workforce-focused management platform”.
Jonny Evans, Business Support Director, United Living Group
AMP8: A New Chapter with Old Challenges
In this context, understanding how different sectors tackle similar challenges becomes crucial. The experience of the Kelly Group and in the telecommunications sector and United Living Water offers insightful parallels. Their innovative approach to managing existing resource capacity through dynamic scheduling provides a blueprint that utility contractors can follow to meet the demands of AMP8.
Conclusion
AMP8 presents both a formidable challenge and a unique opportunity for UK utility contractors. With skilled labour shortages and rising expectations around service delivery and sustainability, the sector must rethink traditional approaches. Embracing dynamic scheduling, AI-driven tools, and mobile-first platforms like Totalmobile offers a practical path forward—enabling smarter workforce management, improved operational visibility, and greater efficiency.
Critically, skilled labour shortages have been an ongoing issue and appear to be here for the long-term. By drawing on cross-sector insights and adopting innovative solutions, contractors can not only meet the demands of AMP8 but help shape a more resilient, future-ready industry.
