Case Study
Four Integrated Applications Powering Utility Pole Inspection Operations
A comprehensive digital transformation delivering marketing, HR, field operations, and administrative capabilities for a growing utility services company
Challenge
The Challenge
SBS Inspections is a provider of power pole inspections and maintenance services, serving utility companies across the country. As the company grew, they faced operational challenges that paper-based processes and disconnected systems could no longer solve.
Field inspectors working in remote locations had no reliable way to capture and submit inspection data. Reports were handwritten, prone to errors, and took days to process. HR managed job postings through email and spreadsheets. The company website was outdated and failed to generate leads or showcase their expertise.
SBS needed a complete digital transformation - not just one application, but an integrated ecosystem of four specialized tools that would work together seamlessly while addressing the unique constraints of field work in areas with limited or no cellular connectivity.
Approach
Our Approach
We conducted extensive discovery sessions with SBS leadership, field supervisors, and inspectors to understand workflows across all departments. The key insight was that these four applications needed to share data seamlessly while each serving distinct user needs.
Our architecture centered on a unified backend API that would power all four applications, ensuring data consistency while allowing each app to be optimized for its specific use case. For the mobile inspection app, we prioritized offline-first design knowing inspectors often work in remote areas without cell service.
Development proceeded in phases - starting with the field inspection app to address the most critical operational need, then building out HR, administration, and marketing capabilities that integrated with the growing data ecosystem.
Solution
The Solution
R2 Consulting delivered four integrated applications that transformed SBS Inspections operations.
The Marketing Website showcases SBS services, expertise, and company culture. It features dynamic job listings that sync automatically from the HR system, SEO-optimized service pages, and lead capture forms that route directly to sales.
The HR Management Application streamlines the entire hiring pipeline. HR staff create job postings that automatically publish to the marketing site, manage applicants through customizable hiring stages, and onboard new inspectors with digital document collection.
The Mobile Field Inspection App is a custom React Native application built for offline-first operation. Inspectors capture detailed pole data including GPS coordinates, photos, condition assessments, and treatment recommendations without requiring connectivity. Data automatically syncs when connection is restored, with conflict resolution handling for edge cases.
The Administration Portal provides back-office staff with powerful tools for report generation and analytics. Complex inspection reports are generated as customizable PDFs based on each client utility company's specific field requirements. An analytics dashboard visualizes inspection trends, inspector productivity, and operational insights.
Details
Technical Highlights
The offline-first architecture of the mobile app was particularly challenging. We implemented a local SQLite database that stores inspection data, queued photo uploads, and pending syncs. A sophisticated sync engine handles conflict resolution when multiple inspectors work on related data.
The report generation system supports dynamic field selection based on client requirements. Different utility companies require different data fields, formats, and compliance information. The system generates professional PDF reports that meet each client's specifications while pulling from the same underlying inspection data.
All four applications authenticate against a shared identity system, allowing staff to move between tools seamlessly. Role-based access control ensures inspectors see only mobile features, HR staff access hiring tools, and administrators can generate reports and view analytics.
Details
Results and Impact
The integrated application ecosystem has transformed SBS Inspections operations. Inspection data that previously took days to process now syncs within minutes of connectivity. Report generation time dropped from hours of manual compilation to seconds of automated PDF creation.
HR efficiency improved dramatically with automated job posting and applicant tracking. The marketing website generates qualified leads and serves as a recruitment tool, with job listings always current and accurate.
Most importantly, the mobile app empowered field inspectors to work confidently in any environment. The offline-first design means no lost data, no paper forms, and no connectivity anxiety. Inspection quality improved as the structured digital forms ensure consistent, complete data capture.