Case Study : Premier Concrete Floors, Cape Town, South Africa

Customer Case Study:        February 2025                  

Premier Concrete Floors – Enhancing Time and Attendance Management with Better Times

Client Overview: Premier Concrete Floors, based in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa, is a leading contractor specialising in high-tolerance concrete flooring and been in business since 2012. With over 120 employees, the company serves multiple sectors, including industrial, retail, and commercial markets. Known for its expertise in high-rack and very narrow aisle (VNA) facilities, Premier Concrete Floors has delivered more than 1.3 million m² of internal surface beds and 600,000 m² of external hardstands. Their comprehensive service offering spans design, construction, and long-term maintenance, which has contributed to their continued success and strong client relationships.

The Challenge: Concrete placing is highly weather-dependent, making it difficult for Premier Concrete Floors to allocate shifts to specific teams in a predictable manner. The variability in working hours and team assignments created significant challenges for their previous time and attendance system, which failed to accommodate the dynamic nature of their operations.

Several pain points led to the need for a more reliable solution:

1. Inconsistent Shift Allocations: Weather and site conditions meant that teams would often start, and finish shifts at irregular times, sometimes working up to 24 hours depending on project requirements.
2. Biometric System Failures: Concrete workers’ hands, fingers, and palms often became too dirty or rough for biometric devices to function correctly, which resulted in frequent scan failures.
3. Manual Data Entry: Time and attendance data had to be manually captured, leading to inefficiencies, inaccuracies, and payroll discrepancies.
4. Mobile Teams: With teams frequently moved between multiple sites, tracking their attendance became increasingly complex.

The Better Times Solution: Better Times introduced a streamlined, mobile-first time and attendance solution that resolved Premier Concrete Floors’ key pain points.

1. Flexible Clock-In/Out System: Better Times allowed for open clock-in/clock-out shifts, which could accommodate various start and end times based on the unpredictable nature of the work.
2. Mobile Application: The Better Times App, compatible with both Android and iOS, enabled supervisors to easily clock in and out their teams’ using smartphones. This solution was flexible enough to work across multiple devices, meaning team drivers could clock employees in and out at different locations with ease.
3. Offline Functionality: Given that Premier Concrete Floors often operates in remote areas with limited internet connectivity, the offline feature of Better Times ensured that no clock-in or clock-out data was lost.
4. NFC, QR Code, and Face Validation: To prevent manual errors, Better Times used advanced features like NFC, QR codes, and facial recognition to ensure the accurate capture of attendance data.

Implementation: The implementation of Better Times was quick and straightforward. The system’s cloud-based portal required minimal training due to its user-friendly interface. Employees were easily uploaded into the system through a simple spreadsheet or manually. The app was available for download from Google Play or the Apple Store, making it easy for the team to get started.

Premier Concrete Floors was able to experience the full value of the system through Better Times’ free trial period, which allowed them to test its functionality in their real-world environment. After a brief trial, the company fully adopted the solution, going live almost immediately.

Benefits: Better Times’ implementation delivered measurable improvements across various aspects of Premier Concrete Floors’ operations:

1. Accurate Payroll: The key benefit for Premier was the peace of mind that came with knowing employee attendance was accurate, directly translating into precise payroll data. The system eliminated discrepancies that often resulted from manual entry.
2. Overtime Management: The system’s real-time data helped ensure that overtime hours were accurately captured, preventing over-allocation of working hours. The anti-fraudulent nature of the clock-in/out process further reduced payroll errors.
3. Employee Satisfaction: Employees appreciated that their hours were accurately recorded, resulting in fewer post-payroll disputes and improved trust in the system.
4. Cost Reporting: Better Times allowed for easy tracking of team costs and project budgets, offering daily reports on actual vs. allowable costs. This helped Premier avoid surprises and manage costs proactively.
5. Improved Accountability: The secure and accurate system removed any confusion regarding employee attendance, ensuring accountability for both teams and management.
6. HR Efficiency: The HR and admin teams saved significant time preparing payroll. With data exported directly from Better Times to an Excel spreadsheet or bespoke payroll format, payroll processing became faster and more accurate.

Client Feedback: As one Premier Concrete Floors client put it, “I cannot recommend Better Times enough. I love the ease of the system, and we have consistently seen a vast reduction in costs towards wages. Their after-sales service is unbeatable! A huge thanks to Craig and the Team!“

Key Takeaways: The adoption of Better Times provided Premier Concrete Floors with significant operational efficiencies:

• Eliminating Doubts: The complexities of allocating shifts and managing attendance for multiple concrete placing and finishing teams, which had caused considerable confusion in the past, were eliminated.
• Cost Reduction: By eliminating the need for expensive biometric devices and streamlining time-tracking through the mobile app, Premier reduced unnecessary costs associated with employee attendance systems.
• Real-Time Data: The cloud-based portal, operating in real-time, provided Premier’s management with accurate, up-to-date information, enabling them to make informed decisions about team assignments and site management.
• Increased Employee Morale: Accurate clocking and payroll data resulted in fewer disputes, helping to foster a more positive work environment.

Conclusion: Better Times has significantly improved the accuracy, efficiency, and transparency of time and attendance tracking for Premier Concrete Floors. The company has experienced tangible benefits, including cost savings, reduced administrative workload, and enhanced employee satisfaction. The success of the system has made Better Times an indispensable tool for Premier, helping them continue their growth as a leader in the concrete flooring industry

Craig Fussell

Better Times

Founder & Director