As 2024 draws to a close, we take a moment to reflect on an incredible year filled with progress, growth, and memorable experiences. From welcoming new customers and team members to launching innovative projects and celebrating our achievements, this year has been a testament to the dedication and collaboration of the EPIX Systems team.
In this wrap-up article, we’ll revisit the highlights of the year, including the strides we’ve made with MARKUS, the connections we’ve strengthened with our customers, and the moments that brought us together as a team. Let’s dive into the milestones and memories that defined 2024!
Projects
This year, the development team undertook several impactful projects.
The Mobile App Refactoring introduced a modernized look and feel, updating the UI with refreshed menus, icons, and screens while maintaining functionality.
KPI and Reporting Enhancements provided new metrics, such as job status and completion times, to improve reporting accuracy and job tracking. Timesheet Management Enhancements targeted contractors, adding features like overtime rules, daily summaries, and automatic reporting. Supplier and Purchase Invoice Automation streamlined invoice and purchase order processes, integrating with third-party platforms for efficiency. For engineers, mobile app updates included survey attachments and a grace period for updates, improving field usability.
Meanwhile, the management team reimagined the office layout, creating a co-located environment that fosters osmotic communication through a balance of collaborative and individual spaces (caves and commons). The team also hosted a successful open day, bringing together customers and stakeholders to showcase the latest developments and future plans.
Coming soon in the new year
Exciting developments are on the horizon for the new year! All customers will transition to PHP8 and Python 3, and preparations will begin to move everyone to Firebird 4. We’re enhancing our system monitoring capabilities and trialing the development of a cross-platform app, making MARKUS available on both Apple and Android devices.
A series of system review visits will also launch, with one day each month dedicated to visiting a customer to review their use of MARKUS and help them maximize its potential. Additionally, Chris will host regular online training sessions to support continuous learning and skill development.
A round-up of 2024’s new features
- Mobile App Look and Feel: A major update to the mobile app’s styling, which involved updating all screens with new menus, icons, and overall aesthetic changes without disrupting existing functionality.
- Warnings for Job Status Changes: Warnings were added when trying to move a job past the approved invoicing process to ensure users acknowledge that certain costs will not be invoiced.
- Nominal Code Integration in Supplier Price Importer: Ensured that newly created product codes automatically received the correct accounts nominal code during import.
- WIP Report Enhancements: Additional WIP fields were added to provide more granular reporting on job costs and sales, improving financial tracking.
- Survey Attachments for Mobile App: Enabled the ability to attach RAMs documentation directly to risk assessment surveys, allowing engineers to confirm they’ve read the method statements.
- Job Status KPI: Introduced a KPI to report on jobs stuck at a status longer than expected, helping teams monitor and manage job flow more effectively.
- Absence Booking “Repeat” Option: A feature to allow users to book absences on a recurring daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis, enhancing scheduling flexibility.
- Priority Time Control for Weekends/Bank Holidays: Added a system option to control whether priority times should include weekends and holidays, offering more flexibility for specific client needs.
- Purchase Invoice Part Payment: A new feature that allows partial payments for purchase invoices, providing better payment flexibility and handling.
Welcoming new customers
This year, we were delighted to welcome a diverse range of new customers to the EPIX Systems family. These include Carroll Group Ltd and Prima Group in Liverpool, Connolly Ltd, SRD Building Services, and UPS in Wigan, Ground-Tec Construction Ltd and Tefnut in Yorkshire, Langdale Leisure Ltd in the Lake District, Refrigerated Vehicle Rental in Devon, Revive Property Services in Liverpool, SK Conservation in Bristol, Tenon Joinery Services Limited in Romsey, and WRPS in Bolton. We look forward to supporting their goals and building strong partnerships.
Expanding our team
We were excited to welcome Rohan and Marwah, our newest apprentices, to the EPIX Systems team in September! Since joining us, they have made great strides, diving straight into projects and learning the ropes with the support of their mentors, Pat and Madi. Both apprentices received a thoughtful Welcome Pack, created by Ella, our business apprentice, which helped them quickly familiarise themselves with the company culture and tools, like Jira and Slack. As part of their onboarding, they were involved in small coding tasks for web and mobile applications, setting them up for future success as they continue to build their skills. Their enthusiasm and dedication have already shone through, and we can’t wait to see all they will accomplish in the coming years.
2024 customer visits
This year, our team undertook a series of customer site visits to strengthen partnerships, understand operational needs, and provide tailored support. The journey began in January with visits to A1 and WRPS, where we focused on deepening our understanding of their workflows and identifying opportunities to enhance efficiency. In February and April, we reconnected with UPS to follow up on system implementation progress and discuss feature adoption strategies. In July, we visited the Carroll Group, focusing on integrating MARKUS into their expanding operations. Our travels also took us to Scotland to meet with John G Baird, further demonstrating our commitment to supporting customers across all regions.
Additionally, our engagements with Tenon Joinery, RVR, Connelly, Cura, Jem, BCS, and Sapphire throughout the year allowed us to address unique challenges, share best practices, and collect valuable feedback directly from their teams.
Building on the insights gained during these visits, we are excited to introduce a structured system review initiative for the new year, conducting one review meeting per month. These reviews will provide an opportunity to assess system usage, celebrate successes, and identify areas for further improvement, particularly in areas like job tracking, reporting, and communication. We’ll also showcase recent updates, demonstrate new features, and share tips to help customers maximize the value of MARKUS. Outstanding issues, including active support tickets, will be reviewed with clear action plans and timelines for resolution. Each session will include a Q&A, a review of action items, and documentation of progress, ensuring we maintain a collaborative approach and stay aligned with each customer’s evolving goals.
Our team highlights of 2024
This year, the EPIX Systems team enjoyed a series of unforgettable moments that strengthened connections and created lasting memories. From lunches at Society, House of Fu, and The Tap House to thrilling activities like Junkyard Golf with Italian dining at Grigio and an escape room paired with dinner at Zizzi, every outing brought fun and camaraderie.
Special celebrations included a post-open day steak and drinks event, Jess’s graduation, and a heartfelt farewell for James. The year wrapped up with a festive Christmas celebration featuring Secret Santa, dinner at Gusto, games at Boom Battle Bar, and late-night chips at Society.
Everyone’s favourite moments
Mike: Two amazing open days.
Ian: Hosting two open days this year.
Tim: We got 2 brand new servers and moved all our customers from old servers to new servers and no-one noticed!!
Chris: My highlight is paying visits to two of our long-standing customers and getting the mobile app going for them.
Bob: Seeing how happy Jess and her family were on her graduation day. Being given time to develop a KMP app for EPIX was also a highlight.
Zahir: Working on the new EPIX API, and general UI improvements like outer headers on Items Requiring Action and individually coloured cells on reports
Jess: I graduated with a first class degree.
Madi: Getting to work on my first interface, UWE. I’ve loved the challenge of coding an interface, getting stuck into real-world APIs and having seen some of my colleagues working on them over the years, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.
Pat: The work Christmas outing.
Ella: Attending CIH Brighton, I love the beach – any time spent by the beach is time well spent!
Rohan: This year I started at EPIX systems.
Marwah: My highlight was my first sprint review presentation and meeting, or maybe seeing Rohan in a pineapple costume…
Conclusion
As we wrap up 2024, we’re proud of what we’ve achieved together. From exciting new projects to welcoming customers and team members, this year has been one of growth and progress. We’re grateful for the hard work and dedication of the EPIX Systems team and the continued trust of our customers.
As we look to 2025, we’re ready to build on this year’s successes, take on new challenges, and find ways to improve and grow. Thank you for being part of our journey—we’re looking forward to what lies ahead!
