01732 759725 18 WORKPLACE Dave Higgott, Technical and R&D Director at PCL Direct, picks the tools he uses every day and couldn’t do his job without I couldn’t do my job without... and for maintaining our stringent quality standards. I find the technology fascinating and am still amazed to think how far these machines have come since the first slow and clunky analogue photocopiers I started working on in our industry. The MFPs we remanufacture and upcycle, under the Eco-Direct brand, are selected for their unwavering robustness, reliability and performance and built well enough to withstand multi lifecycles, which helps us to reduce wastage and work towards supporting the circular economy. r Microsoft Excel Microsoft Excel is indispensable for my daily workflow. It has seamlessly integrated into my work routine, tackling everything from cost analysis to keeping an eye on production and technical capacity evaluation. Excel empowers me to navigate through the complexities of R&D, helping me make informed decisions and it takes the strain out of organising and calculating intricate information and quickly transforms convoluted tasks into a more manageable and useable format. For me, Excel isn't just a piece of software; it's a virtual partner that helps me to streamline my operations and enhances efficiency; a true unsung hero of my work routine. t Monday.com I came across this software quite recently and although I’m still running it in and seeing what it’s really capable of, it's proving to be a great tool for the many projects I have under development. Its intuitive interface and versatile features are allowing me to manage projects more efficiently and because I can collaborate with other members of the team to make sure we’re all communicating. q My production and technical teams A great deal of the success of my role, within PCL Direct’s remanufacturing process, hinges upon the expertise and commitment of my production and technical teams. Their exceptional standards in quality control and knowledge and their drive to make our products the very best they can be, are crucial to our achievements. Without their expertise and dedication, what we are accomplishing would merely remain plans on paper. As a remanufacturer, in our industry, we have to make sure we deliver on every promise we make with operational efficiency and care towards our final products. We work together but the production and technical teams truly deliver on the projects I deploy, and I couldn’t do my job without them. w My magnetic screwdriver This is still as essential to me today, in my role as head of technical and R&D, as it was when I started out as an engineer in 1986. Product development and product enhancement is an ongoing role that I am still at the forefront of, and I could not do it without this trusted piece of kit. My magnetic screwdriver isn't just handy for assembling or fixing something; over the years its presence reminds me of how I've kept pushing the limits in this ever-changing technical world and that it’s really important to draw on years of solid experience and knowledge when meeting new challenges, connecting with people and pushing boundaries. e MFPs MFPs play an integral role in our operations. They are at the centre of why we are in business. Within my role, I see them as indispensable tools for our everyday testing and analysis processes I’m impressed by its ability to track projects and assign tasks while I can still oversee multiple projects. The real-time updates and overview reports enable me to make decisions based on what is going on at the time. As I continue to explore Monday.com, I can see that it has a lot of potential making it an essential tool to make my job easier. y Mobile smart devices I need to stay connected to every part of the business, my team, the other directors and be able to access crucial data and documentation at any time, so my mobile smart devices – namely my iPhone and iPad – are indispensable tools for my job. I’m not always in the office so I need to have instant access and be available to talk to people, make a quick decision or view a document or even see what’s happening via video, wherever I am. I’m not sure how we managed before these devices came along but I know I can’t go anywhere without taking my iPhone and iPad with me. u Microsoft Teams Like Zoom, Teams has allowed better communication with people at any time. As I am speaking to colleagues, suppliers, and customers globally, it has enhanced the way we are able to communicate with much quicker responses and cuts through boundaries and time-zones. There’s no time lag and the sound quality is excellent. It also helps to build relationships by speaking in real-time, face-to-face with a person as it allows you to have their full attention. I have found this increases the responsiveness and efficiency during the call. At this point it’s hard to see how we would want to work without it. https://www.pcl-direct.com Dave Higgott
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