Is resource planning in your company still done the traditional way? In an ERP tool, in an Excel file, or even on paper? Then you’re not alone.
It may look efficient: you can see who is scheduled when, what job needs to be done, and which resources (people, equipment, vehicles) you need.
But is that enough?
The real question is: how complex does planning—or rescheduling—become when multiple factors affect the schedule? Think absences, sick leave, last-minute deliveries, safety requirements, employees with different qualifications, and so on.
That’s when intelligent planning can work wonders. Because smart scheduling isn’t just about showing who or what is available and what needs to be done. It’s about thinking along with you: automatically matching, predicting, optimizing, and anticipating.
Why traditional planning often falls short
- Basic data (employee availability, qualifications, required vehicles or consumables, safety requirements, etc.) is often scattered across separate systems or stored in separate Excel or Word files.
- The risk of errors is much higher with manual planning, because things are easily overlooked.
- There’s usually no automatic link to administrative follow-up (reporting, payroll calculations, stock, etc.) and invoicing after a planned project has been completed.
- There are no automatic suggestions or matches: who is the best-suited employee for a job, what is the most efficient timing, and so on.
The benefits of intelligent planning: two real-life cases
HCI: 30% time savings and 3x faster invoicing
HCI is a company that has specialized in industrial cleaning, waste and catalyst works for the petrochemical industry for more than 30 years. The company has over 400 certified employees and a fleet of more than 130 industrial vehicles, spread across sites in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Their move from visual scheduling to intelligent planning had a huge impact on efficiency and ROI. Here are the key benefits.
Integrated data and one central solution
We brought all relevant HCI data together in Salesforce. Thanks to that integration, the system can combine parameters itself (who is qualified, which job requires which equipment, which vehicle is available, etc.) and propose the most efficient schedule. Planners only need to review and confirm those proposals. Result: far less searching and puzzle-solving, fewer errors, and optimal use of expertise, people, and equipment.
Automated payroll and invoicing
Salesforce doesn’t only handle planning—it also supports the administrative follow-up. Employee performance is checked against applicable contracts, and extra allowances (night shifts, mask premiums, etc.) are calculated automatically.
That reduces payroll errors and builds trust with employees. At the same time, invoicing speeds up: all work is tracked accurately, taking contractual and pricing agreements into account. As a result, HCI invoices three times faster—and more accurately—than before.
Real-time insights for management
Because all data sits in one system and is linked to accounting, HCI’s management now has real-time dashboards with the most important KPIs. This doesn’t just create transparency—it also enables more targeted forecasting.
Intelligent planning beyond the office
Through the mobile app, employees can enter performance data, report absences, view vacation schedules, and even have customers sign work orders after a task is completed. This also allows planners to immediately see which tasks are finished and which jobs are impacted by absences—helping HCI avoid delays or mistakes.
Services voucher sector: higher-quality matching
Another great example is a company in the services voucher sector, where we built an advanced intelligent planning solution using our AutoMatch and AutoPlan engine for Salesforce.
The company has 53 active office holders who need to create the perfect match every single day between nearly 36,000 customers requesting a cleaning assistant and more than 5,400 domestic workers who are available. Combined, that adds up to around 100,000 jobs per month.
Before the intelligent planning solution was implemented, this was a massive puzzle—one that employees often spent half their day on because so many parameters were involved. Think transport, locations, available hours, specific preferences from customers or cleaners, illness or unavailability, cancellations, and more.
The new engine takes over this task entirely. It automatically searches for the best possible combination between demand and supply, taking all parameters into account, and proposes the best match to planners—who make the final decision.
And it doesn’t stop there: the administrative work that follows planning—usually a time-consuming and complex process—is also largely automated.
The result is a solution that not only saves time, but also significantly improves the quality of the matching. A true game changer for the sector—and a competitive advantage for the company.
Why intelligent planning is no longer a luxury
The benefits of intelligent planning go beyond efficiency gains alone.
- Higher reliability and customer satisfaction: automatching and intelligent scheduling reduce errors and surprises, making it easier to consistently deliver on promises.
- Better use of people and resources: intelligent planning balances workloads, prevents peak pressure, and minimizes wasted capacity or materials.
- Less firefighting, more focus on value: automation removes repetitive planning work, freeing planners up for other tasks.
- Cost advantage and competitiveness: more efficient processes, fewer errors, and a higher return on resources strengthen your competitive position long term.
Curious what intelligent planning could mean for your business?
Get in touch with us. We’ll be happy to look at your specific business case or answer any questions you may have.
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