VLM
A modern ERP to optimize planning, sales, and fleet management with WhatsApp integration
Invoicing Sales Project Management Dispatch & Planning
VLM is a Belgian company specializing in assembly, rigging, mechanical maintenance and overhaul, metal and stainless steel construction, internal machine relocation, industrial moves, on-site welding, and more. The company serves a wide range of industrial enterprises, SMEs, and public organizations, striving to be a reliable partner that consistently meets client expectations and requirements.
Challenge
VLM relied on Excel, WhatsApp, and paper-based timesheets to manage teams and track projects, with very little digitalization in planning and workforce management.
4 Key objectives to reach
- Lack of centralized planning and project tracking
- Inefficient manual timekeeping and reporting
- Limited visibility on fleet and employee allocation
- Communication with workers was fragmented
Solutions
Eezee-it implemented a modern Odoo ERP system to centralize planning, sales, and accounting processes. The solution focused on three core areas:
1Centralized Planning Platform
- A single hub for all project schedules, tasks, and employee assignments
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Integration of planning, sales, and accounting modules to provide a holistic overview
- Standardized workflows replacing paper-based planning
2Fleet & Resource Oversight
- Consolidation of vehicle and employee tracking into one system
- Central dashboard to monitor vehicle usage, driver assignments, and maintenance scheduling
- Connection with VLM’s real-time fleet geolocation tool (Geotracer) for live vehicle tracking
- Unified data model linking fleet, projects, and planning
3Seamless Communication with Employees
- Integration of WhatsApp to send daily schedules and updates
- Ensuring workers continue using familiar communication channels
- Central logging of messages for transparency and accountability
Result
Unified operations
& boost
business efficiency
Thanks to the implementation of a centralized planning system in Odoo, VLM now has full visibility over all projects, employees, and fleet resources. Processes that were previously scattered across Excel, WhatsApp, and paper-based workflows now operate within a single, digital operational flow.
With real-time updates, automated notifications, and integrated fleet and project tracking, managers can make faster, data-driven decisions while employees receive clear instructions directly through familiar channels.
This has significantly improved coordination, reduced errors, and increased operational efficiency across all sites.
- Centralized planning and workforce management
- Optimized fleet usage and resource allocation
- Seamless employee communication
WhatsApp scheduling alerts for employees
A concrete improvement of the communication workflow: daily schedules and updates are sent directly from Odoo to workers via WhatsApp. This ensures fast, reliable communication between onsite teams and headquarters, without changing the tools employees are already familiar with.
- Instant delivery of daily schedules and updates
- Faster coordination between onsite and headquarter teams
- Reduced misunderstandings and last-minute changes
Dynamic mileage and driver assignment tracking
Building on the fleet oversight solution, a detailed feature allows managers to see which driver is assigned to which vehicle and automatically track mileage for each trip, improving operational efficiency.
- Mileage updates tied to each project automatically
- Driver assignments visible in real time
- Prevents conflicts or overlaps in fleet usage
Project task visibility and automated follow-ups
As part of the centralized planning solution, tasks are linked directly to projects and sales orders. This allows managers to monitor progress and automatically flag overdue or upcoming tasks.
- Task-level tracking for all ongoing projects
- Automatic reminders for employees to update status or timesheets
- Clear reporting for managers without manual consolidation
Meet our experts !
Loïc was in charge of this amazing project !
Let’s talk about how Odoo can do the same for you.
