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TV2 operations supported by Trail

Trail was introduced at TV2 to manage the production technology and camera equipment. The goal was to efficiently oversee the entire life cycle of assets, from acquisition to disposal.

“We were in need of a tool to support us in managing production technology assets more efficiently,” says Jon Eirik Olsen, production manager, TV2 Oslo.

Efficient equipment management

One of the reasons for implementing Trail at TV2 was to increase efficiency in equipment management. Trail was seen as means to reduce manual administration and improve control over the condition and usage of assets. An additional expected outcome was the reduction in the risk of asset misuse.

“Even though lost or stolen items was not a significant problem, Trail was introduced also to reduce that risk going forward,” comments Olsen.

Documentation and planning support

TV2 recognized the importance of storing equipment documentation and manuals in Trail for future reference. Trail also offered a flexible planning tool for systematic maintenance and repairs. Equipment usage reports were seen as essential for evaluating TV2’s future investment needs.

Self-service storage capability

One of the more important features Trail provided to TV2 was its self-service storage capability. This feature was designed to allow photographers to take responsibility for booking, collecting, and returning camera equipment themselves. For this self-service functionality to succeed, a simple user interface was required for both mobile and browser users.

“We wanted our staff to operate the equipment independently, and Trail provided us with the right tools. Our photojournalists are in and out of the office all day, so we introduced the Trail mobile app as their primary tool for self-service operations. They can now organise their camera equipment needs for their next assignment from anywhere, and they have an easy workflow for reporting damages or maintenance needs using the Trail QR code,” says Olsen.

Implementation

Trail and TV2 collaborated on a six-month implementation project to ensure TV2 could develop and roll out internal processes for better asset management alongside the system's deployment. During this time, the Trail team further refined the Trail Asset Management system to meet TV2’s specific needs.

“The implementation was a joint effort and included several training sessions, resulting in a lot of learning—not just about the system, but also about our processes,” states Olsen.

Achieved benefits:

• Improved transparency to all equipment information

• Self-service enabled for equipment bookings

• Improved control over equipment usage

• Ability to collect and return equipment through the mobile interface

• Reduced number of lost items

• Time saved in managing equipment more efficiently

• More control over equipment maintenance

• Improved visibility to equipment in personal use

Senate Properties

Senate Properties is the work environment partner of the Finnish government. Senate Properties is responsible for the maintenance and development of the premises of government organisations and creates work environments that support customers' operations.

Trail was introduced to Senate Properties in 2018 through a public tender. As part of the implementation, a security and administrative audit of the system was conducted to ensure Trail's suitability for use by the state administration.

"The goal was to gather all the life cycle information of office furniture and AV equipment across different locations," says Jenna Mustonen, Adviser, Maintenance in Workplace and Maintenance Services at Senate Properties.

Efficient inventory

Trail is currently used to manage tens of thousands of Senate Properties' furniture and AV equipment throughout Finland. Physical RFID tags are attached to the equipment for individual tracking. The tags have basic item information and a QR code, enabling fast and effortless defect reporting through Trail's mobile application.

"We decided to label the devices with Trail’s RFID smart chips so that repetitive inventories can be completed using remote reader devices. In this way, inventories can be completed in a fraction of the time compared to before", says Mustonen.

Trail's mobile application and RFID reader are used to identify remotely readable RFID tags. In practice, a mobile device is connected to the reader, where Trail's application registers all RFID tags scanned by the reader, and then updates the system with the latest information.

A powerful RFID reader allows tags to be read from a distance of up to 10 meters, making inventory execution very fast. As an example of efficiency, about 800 articles from the entire floor were inventoried in less than 10 minutes in one of the Helsinki offices.

Gathering equipment information

Gathering equipment information into Trail works smoothly for Senate Properties as equipment suppliers provide the information in a system-readable format.

"With Trail, we finally have a comprehensive view of the locations we manage and the furniture and equipment used by different customers - and it's easy. In the past, compiling and updating such information was practically impossible," says Mustonen.

User rights management

All systems used by the Senate Properties must operate seamlessly and reliably in terms of user rights management. With Trail's comprehensive access control possibilities, information on equipment in different parts of Finland is only available to relevant personnel.

Achieved benefits:

• Up-to-date view of all equipment

• Efficient and reliable inventory

• Efficient equipment data collection

• Effective user rights management

AssetOps to support with investment planning and improving the use of equipment

"We wanted to analyse the efficiency of our purchases based on life cycle cost and maintenance history and utilise this in investment plans", Marko Myöhänen, Presentation Technology Manager, Sibelius Academy

Sibelius Academy provides the highest level of music education in Finland. It has 1,400 students, 230 teachers, and 140 other employees across six locations. The Academy organises hundreds of concerts each year.

The music technology department at Sibelius Academy manages over four thousand pieces of equipment used by students, teachers, and staff in their productions. The Academy needed a system and operational model to monitor equipment usage and ensure that the equipment met the needs of all productions.

Trail Asset Management and the AssetOps culture it introduced to Sibelius Academy have provided much-needed control over equipment management.

Barcodes and RFID asset labels help with tracking

Sibelius Academy's equipment is marked with both barcodes and RFID labels, enabling fast borrowing and returning of items. Printing barcodes and attaching RFID labels is straightforward and can be done directly from the Trail application. The Academy selected a wear-resistant label that remains in place and readable even with heavy use.

The main reasons for choosing Trail:

• Intuitive and easy user interface

• Secure web-based solution with SSO login possibility

• Support and advice provided by the Trail team

Achieved benefits:

• Monitoring equipment utilisation rates: Utilisation has clearly improved.

• Centralized equipment information: All data is available in one place, reducing time spent searching.

• Reliable data: Enhanced decision-making.

Up-to-date equipment data supporting the technical operations of Helsinki City Theatre

"Trail’s functionalities were superior compared to the competition" says Henri Sneck, Technical Manager at Helsinki City Theatre.

The largest professional theater in Finland, the Helsinki City Theater creates unforgettable theater productions on five different stages around Helsinki. Approximately 240 theater professionals create approximately 1,000 performances every year.

The technical operations of large-scale theatre productions and simultaneous shows require precise planning and process know-how. Up-to-date and reliable equipment information is an essential factor in the theatre’s technical production.

What does the Helsinki City Theater use Trail for?

Technical Manager Henri Sneck notes that before the introduction of Trail, information about existing equipment was fragmented and unreliable. Now, equipment details, including purchase information, are easily accessible. For example, vendor details, purchase dates, prices, and warranty periods can be retrieved in seconds. Trail’s investment planning feature has significantly improved the process of planning future equipment purchases.

With Trail, equipment status is always up-to-date, providing reliable information on location, condition, maintenance status, and availability—all crucial for planning technical production for upcoming shows. Sneck also highlights the "device audited" functionality, calling it a "handy feature that conveniently confirms the device's location information."

Trail’s maintenance management module is essential for overseeing and ensuring equipment compliance. User manuals for lifting aids and devices, inspection protocols, and other device-specific information are readily available in the item cards. The asset reservation feature in Trail further ensures equipment availability at the specified time.

Achieved benefits:

• Up-to-date information on equipment condition, availability, and location is readily accessible

• Enhanced visibility into equipment purchase details

• More informed investment planning with detailed equipment data

• Equipment compliance guaranteed through Trail’s maintenance management

Transparent overview of equipment

Musiikkitalo in the heart of Helsinki chose Trail as its equipment management system in 2011. Musiikkitalo is a 38,700 square meter building with six concert halls. Its main users include the Helsinki City Orchestra, the Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Sibelius Academy.

Musiikkitalo has equipment used by all operators, as well as equipment specific to each main operator. Additionally, numerous guest performers bring their own equipment for the duration of their performances. It is crucial that Musiikkitalo’s own equipment is easily identifiable.

The responsible AssetOps culture and the efficient equipment management system provided by Trail help Musiikkitalo reduce equipment loss and save time spent searching for equipment.

The main reasons for choosing Trail:

• Easy-to-use interface

• Cloud-based solution

Achieved benefits:

• All equipment information is available easily and quickly

• A clear and precise overview of the owned equipment