TBI Airport Management productivity takes flight

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success story

Wings of Efficiency

There aren't too many busier sites in the world than airports. The sheer volume of travelers, the intense hustle and bustle; airport management staff is under intense pressure 365 days a year to keep things flowing freely. That's what TBI Airport Management, Inc. specializes in. Based in Sanford, FL, but managing several airports around the U.S., TBI personnel are experts in this field.

Serving an expected 1.6 million airline passengers, TBI was looking to tighten up staff efficiency at its Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) location.

"Through our AT&T mobile carrier, we were looking into the evolution of mobile business solutions for our smartphones, something that could help take our paper forms the electronic route," says Michael Damico, the ISS Manager for TBI.

Damico decided to arm several of his on site agents with ProntoForms, a mobile business application that eliminates paper forms in favor of custom mobile forms for smartphones and tablets. The customizable mobile solution also integrates with any back office system.

ProntoForms paid immediate dividends at the hectic airport in a variety of ways.

"The first form we converted onto our smartphones with ProntoForms was the medical refusal form. In the past, our agents would have to go back to the office for a form and then get back out to the location of the injured traveler. Now, they carry the form on them at all times, electronically."

Indeed, the airport is not your average working environment. The terrain that agents have to cover in the course of their shift can be significant and time-consuming. Having the medical refusal form on their person means a lot less ground to cover. It's one of the reasons that apprehension from the agents was non-existent when Damico implemented ProntoForms.

In fact, ProntoForms was even able to help TBI get to the bottom of a mystery that plagued the airport parking staff.

"We developed a car count form for the parking department. It actually helped us uncover why the parking arm was not registering every exiting car. Before ProntoForms, we thought it was an equipment malfunction. But we've now since been able to figure out that it was traveler-related." Damico and his team also instituted an airplane service ticket form, designed to document and report requests from incoming airplane personnel. This form addresses any additional aircraft requirements that may arise prior to take-off.

Previously, Damico says paper form service tickets would pass through what he likes to call the 'Sneaker Network,' and take several days to arrive at accounting. Simply put, the average service ticket used to arrive at its intended destination sometimes with a substantial delay. With ProntoForms, service tickets are sent off to accounting in real-time, allowing TBI to invoice the airlines in a timelier manner.

As for the future, TBI Information Technology Teams are looking to possibly implement ProntoForms at other airports locations in the States.

"Our mobile progress with ProntoForms has intrigued the other airports. Currently, some locations are using a more expensive solution that isn't as customizable. Discussions are ongoing."

A great addition to its Orlando Sanford operations, the TBI US Information Technology Team sees the future of airport management - and it includes ProntoForms.