Suttons Seeds Upgrade Tensor System
Suttons Seeds is an internationally renowned supplier of flower and vegetable seeds, young plants, bulbs, fruit bushes and other horticultural products to amateur gardeners. The company has a reputation for quality and service that is second to none, and a remarkable history that goes back over two hundred years.
In 1965 Suttons were the first company to offer foil packets to the amateur gardener in the UK, after they developed their Harvest Fresh Foil seed packet system over many previous years. Today, Suttons is part of the international company Vilmorin, the world’s largest packet seed distributors.
The company relocated to Torquay in Devon from Reading in 1976, then, in December 1998, moved again to new premises in Paignton where all packaging and distribution was carried out. At the time, the management team wanted to install a Time Management and Access Control within their new facility.
After reviewing various systems, Sutton Seeds opted for a Tensor’s top-range Smart Card based Time & Attendance and Access Control system.
Over the years, Tensor implemented various upgrades to the original system but, around mid-2013, Sutton Seeds undertook a complete review of their Time and Attendance system so that they could meet the needs of an expanding workforce.
Following a thorough review process, Suttons decided to continue their successful partnership with Tensor and upgrade their Smart Card system to the latest available hardware and software versions. The decision was based both on their very good experience with Tensor and the “value for money” costs involved.
“The system’s capability to generate comprehensive reports, the reliable clocking solution, etc., all contributed to our decision to migrate to an upgraded Tensor system”, Ms. Dawn Sylvester, Suttons Seeds HR Manager, told the Tensor reporter.
The hardware and software installation processes was completed by the Tensor Operations Department without any incidents.
The updated system installed at Suttons included several latest-generation T1488G IP networked Smart Card readers and electromagnetic locks protecting sensitive areas, as well as multiple Smart Card door entry points and the associated door releases.
On the software side, the updated system is based on the enhanced, multi-functional Tensor.NET platform, which enables Suttons to add to the core functionality a variety of extra options, such as the WinAC.NET suite for secure access control or the WinHR.NET module for in-depth workforce management.
Suttons also opted for implementing the Self Service Module available via the WinHR.NET platform. This is a very useful application that allows employees to request holidays, managers to approve these requests and a host of other employee-friendly information – all by using their mobile phones.
The data is secure and employees can use their mobile phone to access personal & confidential HR information held about them on the Tensor.NET database – 24/7.
All information relating to basic personal details such as the person’s address, their marital status and other contact information can be displayed and amended. Likewise, emergency contact entries can be added or changed as well as financial account numbers – along with the basic function of booking annual leave.
The Suttons Seeds HR Manager received comprehensive training on using the updated system and described the quality of the training process as “very good”.
“The trainer was brilliant, he was really helpful” the HR Manager added. When asked by the Tensor reporter what she liked most about the Tensor system, Ms. Sylvester’s answered “the reporting options and its ease of use”. The Tensor Smart Cards are “user-friendly as well”, she added.
Suttons have used the Tensor HelpDesk from time-to-time over the years and have found the service to be helpful.
Ms. Sylvester said she would recommend Tensor to other companies, and concluded by saying, “The Tensor system is a good, comprehensive product, but we are yet to unlock its full potential.”
Customer Information:
Suttons Consumer Products
Woodview Road,
Paignton,
Devon,
TQ4 7NG
Telephone: +44 (0 0870 220 2899
E-mail: mail@suttons.co.uk
