Spescom Software is rapidly becoming established as the leading supplier of Configuration Management solutions to the rail industry worldwide, with South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC) joining existing Spescom flagship customers such as the UK's Railtrack organisation and London Underground as users of the eB Configuration Management solution.
Denton van Niekerk, Managing Director of Spescom Software's International Operations in London, says: "Although Spescom is now an international company with regional headquarters in both the UK and the US, it is always satisfying to win key customers on our home turf.
"Based on our experience of the UK rail sector, we believe that the SARCC rolling stock contract is just the first step in a process which will see many more African rail organisations and their suppliers deciding to install eB Configuration Management."
SARCC is the agency of the National Department of Transport responsible for ensuring the provision of commuter rail services throughout the country.
Not least on the company's agenda is the essential matter of safety, which was a key factor in SARCC's choice of Spescom Software as a technology supplier, supported by Spescom's existing success with similar companies in the UK and US.
The use of Spescom Software products and the specialised consulting expertise the company offers its clients also brings added value in many mission-critical areas for SARCC, a company responsible for the management and development of commuter rail assets on a national basis which represent vast financial sums, as well as the essential provision of infrastructure that safely and efficiently enables over 1.1 million people to commute daily.
The proven abilities of the eB Configuration Management software allow SARCC rolling stock management to drive its essential goals of efficient fund management of millions of rands worth of physical assets and inventory while simultaneously improving productivity of staff and the efficiency of the service provided.
This is achieved by the extensive automation of data capture and real-time updates of the company database, enabled by the comprehensive information management functions built in to eB software.
"The software will help to ensure that all documentation required for the full lifecycle (currently between 35 and 45 years) support of the rolling stock is delivered, and validate the asset-to-documentation correlation," says Douw Krynauw, who is responsible for configuration management in Rolling Stock, at SARCC. "It will also help to control asset modifications and documentation changes to ensure that the asset-to-documentation correlation remains valid throughout the lifecycle."
Another advantage is that duplication of tasks undertaken by staff is eliminated and detected errors in the existing database are quickly corrected, thanks to the built-in eB collaborative and reporting functions.
Configuration management accepts changes during an asset's life as something normal - not something to be deplored, but something to be managed. Krynauw says: "SARCC accepts, as a necessary condition for technological growth and cost effectiveness, the idea that change, provided it is properly managed, is a vehicle for optimising costs and other requirements."
The software also enables full change effects analysis, ensuring that management decisions can be tested before implementation, with immediate beneficial results for the company's bottom line and safe operations record.
Dennis Cox, Business Development Manager of Spescom Software's South African office, points out the value of the relationship established between the two companies. "Our client's use of the latest eB software tools is an essential ingredient in making its vision a reality. Spescom Software looks forward to an ongoing relationship with SARCC."
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Spescom Limited is an information and communications technology company with operations in the US, UK and SA.
The group is active in two main areas of the world IT market, namely offering product and solutions to connect to the networked economy, and the provision of software solutions to manage information and knowledge.
The strategic focus is on the convergence of knowledge, document, configuration and voice transaction management technologies.
Spescom holds the controlling interest in US-based Altris Software, a Nasdaq-, OTCBB-listed company, and developer of the award-winning eB software.
In SA, Spescom, in alliance with world-leading companies such as Cisco and Avaya Communication, provides a range of customer contact and intelligent network solutions to its blue-chip customer base.
The company is a leading supplier of communications solutions and products to network operators and service providers on the African continent.
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