Graduates and students of Wrocław University of Science and Technology and Poznań University of Technology have developed an application that will allow quick reporting and managing failures. It can be used not only by hotel and apartment managers but also by service companies.

The idea to develop the application came into being a year and a half ago when an IT company established by our graduates was approached by the person in charge of the municipal greenery in Jelenia Góra. Until now, the planning of all renovation and cleaning works there had been done by reporting on the phone, sending dozens of e-mails, and dividing tasks verbally, which would take a lot of time.

- It was important for the client to have the procedures streamlined, above all. We went to the site to see how it all works and decided that creating a suitable application might be a good solution. The result of our work is the "Usterka" (Fault) system, used in Jelenia Góra to perform tasks including the maintenance of playgrounds - says Mikołaj Ostrowski, a WUST graduate, responsible for the company’s marketing operations.

The system consists of a mobile application, which is installed on a smartphone, and an administration panel, to which the user logs on using a website. The application is used mainly by employees reporting the failure and repair crews, and the panel is used by people coordinating their activities.

- When working on the application, we focused on the simplicity of use. We wanted to make sure that adding information about faults or breakdowns and the subsequent management of reports takes as little time as possible - adds Mikołaj Ostrowski.

Using the application is really easy. It’s enough, for example, to scan the QR code on the damaged item and add its photo along with a short description. After the report is sent, it goes to the system and from that moment on the administrator can assign it to a particular person and then monitor the repair on an ongoing basis.

Scanning the QR code is only one of the ways of reporting a fault, which does well in urban space, for instance, where such codes are in daily use. In hotels, on the other hand, it’s necessary to develop an appropriate database of items included in the room furnishings and fittings in advance. It is prepared by our graduates in cooperation with clients, and additionally, the possibility of taking master pictures was implemented.

Collecting all the information about clients’ needs is the most difficult and time-consuming aspect when developing the appropriate version of the application. From the technical point of view, it’s not so difficult, because the company, which has been operating for several years, already has the appropriate background for the project.

- What makes us stand out is our comprehensive approach to problems. Not only do we offer a ready-to-use system but also develop an action strategy, examine the environment, build an effective base of items, and conduct training in the use of the system for the entire staff. Training sessions allow us to break down the barrier to the use of the new solutions, as it’s always the case in the beginning. However, after the first few attempts, it turns out that the application is so friendly that everyone can use it - emphasises Mikołaj Ostrowski.

"Fault" is currently being used for the technical maintenance of playgrounds or hotels, but the system could easily be adapted to the needs of companies that carry out servicing projects or lease office space, or ones managing residential property.

The company is already holding talks about the implementation of the system in the halls of residence of Wrocław University of Science and Technology. The idea is that the application will be used by students, who could in this way report any type of failure to the facility administration.

- The application is universal enough to be adapted to individual requirements. Let's take a look, for example, in a situation where a client wants to report damaged furniture. Until now, they had to report it to the store, which passed the issue on to the distributor or manufacturer, and only at the end was it taken over by the service technician. Thanks to our application, the whole process can be limited to the customer-service technician line, with the manufacturer only having to supervise the complaint - explains Mikołaj Ostrowski.

The makers of the software are already planning its further development. In the next versions, new functionalities are to appear, including a calendar, allowing the user to plan the dates of inspections and checks, and when such an event is coming, the administrator will be notified accordingly.

The team working on the software comprises ten people, the vast majority of whom are graduates and students of the Faculty of Electronics and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of Wrocław University of Science and Technology. They are developing their startup in cooperation with WUST’s Academic Entrepreneurship Incubator.

You will find more information about the application on the website.