ABOUT PROJECT
IoT solution using beacons integrated with
existing time and attendance management system via API
ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation was looking for a way to obtain "reliable and visualizable information" on employee work status in order to realize flexible work arrangements in the transformation of work styles. To meet this need, the company introduced AsiaQuest's IoT solution, which enables acquiring simply by passing by a gateway with a beacon. The solution was linked to the existing time and attendance system via API.
Customer HP：https://www.ctc-g.co.jp/
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Background and Purpose
ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation places importance on proper management of working hours as the cornerstone of its efforts to eradicate long working hours and has been taking measures such as providing training sessions more focused on facilitating the efforts.
In addition, the flexible work-style that “increases freedom of working hours and location”, which is one of its current major measures to change the way how its employees work, requires individuals to be autonomous, to be aware of and practice collaboration, and to enhance mutual trust by establishing better communication than ever with superiors and others who work with them.
To this end, the company has been seeking to acquire "reliable and visualizable information" to aid such communication. The main reason for introducing beacons was that, unlike contact cards, beacons transmit radio waves at all times, so logs can be obtained automatically simply by passing near the gateway device, making it difficult to falsify actual attendance without increasing the workload on employees. In addition, the company has multiple offices across the country, so the affordable installation cost per office was also an attractive feature of the solution.
Another reason for introducing the IoT solution "beaconnect plus", which utilizes beacons, was its strength of not only being able to manage beacons and gateway devices, but also being able to aggregate the acquired logs and link them to the existing attendance system.
ROLE
Role
All of its employees carried a small portable beacon, and gateway devices (beacon radio wave receivers) were installed in each office and floor throughout Japan.
We offered three types of gateway, wired LAN, WiFi, and mobile line (3G/LTE), and suitable devices were selected according to the network environment. Gateway devices were placed so that beacon signals could be received at each location, and every beacon log could be obtained when employees entered and exited the floor.
Main features of the solution include ability to manage beacons and gateway devices, check their status, and search and view logs on a dedicated management screen.
Furthermore, data on arrival and departure times was compiled from the acquired beacon logs, and by linking the system to their existing attendance system via API, the system was used as an attendance management system using beacons.
BRAND EXPERIENCE
Brand Experience
The company employees have input their attendance records into its attendance system online since before.
After the introduction of "beaconnect plus", the daily records are checked against the beacon logs in the attendance system, and if there is a discrepancy greater than a certain level, the attendance record is rechecked and an employee who made the record is required to enter the reason for the discrepancy if considered necessary.
This has stimulated communication between supervisors and subordinates, and as a result, attendance input omissions and errors have been reduced and more appropriate working hour management has been realized.
OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE
Outlook for the future
We will consider deploying this system at locations throughout Japan, subject to approval by our business partners.
About AsiaQuest, Inc.
AsiaQuest is a "digital integrator" that supports corporate DX. We do not only provide ordinary system integration, but also provide consulting services to help our clients think about DX together, and design, develop, and operate systems that make full use of digital technologies necessary for DX.
We have specialized technology teams in the digital fields of IoT, AI, Cloud, Mobile, Web, and UI/UX, and we can put together the most appropriate project team to achieve the client's goals. We are capable of speedy response from implementation of PoC to verification of effectiveness of business models and technical issues to construction of large scale systems for digitalization.