Alphabet fuels Baywater Healthcare to help deliver essential at-home lifeline

• Alphabet provides Baywater with a bespoke fleet of vans to transport and supply oxygen cylinders to patients in the safety of their own homes
• Working closely with its convertor partner Bri-Stor, Alphabet created a bespoke solution fit for purpose, even using existing assets within the conversion in alignment with Baywater’s CSR commitments 
• Alphabet used its agile Smartsheet Build and Conversion Management system to maintain ‘business as usual’ throughout unprecedented times and deliver the fleet on schedule 

As an independent specialist provider of healthcare services to patients with long term conditions, Baywater Healthcare delivers care closer to home to more than 40,000 patients across the UK. Providing crucial support to the changing role of the NHS, it helps patients maintain their mobility, independence, and overall quality of life.

Baywater was seeking a fully outsourced fleet management service to design a unique mobility solution, enabling it to safely transport and supply oxygen cylinders of varying sizes to patients at home for oxygen therapy, ventilation therapy and emergency oxygen. 

During this time, Alphabet worked closely with both Baywater and its convertor partner Bri-Stor to create a bespoke solution fit for purpose. This included small cranes installed into the vans to help safely lift oxygen tanks in and out, as well as hand washing sinks to ensure staff could maintain high levels of hygiene. The retrofit has been to a higher spec than previously done before, with a number of new features added to the fleet. Bri-Stor was also able to use some of Baywater’s existing assets within the conversion of the light commercial vehicles (LCVs), in alignment with the business’ corporate social responsibility commitments.

Alphabet’s tailored mobility solution and close partnership with Bri-Stor proved a great fit for Baywater and saw Alphabet awarded the tender for the North West, Yorkshire and Humber, and the West Midlands Baywater NHS regions in January 2020, for an initial order of over 130 LCVs. Alphabet is providing complete fleet management and operational service, including accident management and a full maintenance package.

Alphabet also implemented an agile Smartsheet Build and Conversion Management system as part of the outsourced solution, uniquely providing all three businesses full transparency to easily oversee and continue the complex conversion, without any delays throughout the nationwide lockdown. This was particularly important as Baywater’s employees are key workers and needed to remain on the move to help patients at home. Alphabet worked diligently to ensure operation remained business as usual and collaborated with Bri-Stor to deliver frequent updates on the conversion and ensure the build remained on track throughout. 

Jordan Lincoln, Fleet Manager at Baywater Healthcare says: “When we went to tender we were not only looking for efficiencies and a high quality fleet, but more importantly a partner to work collaboratively with while establishing a long lasting relationship. Alphabet’s innovative approach to fleet management has kept us informed throughout the process, from the moment the vehicles were ordered, right through to delivery. They completely understood our needs and we look forward to working together again in the future.”

Dermot Kehoe, Corporate Sales Manager at Alphabet (GB) says: “It’s been a very different start to the year than the one we were expecting, but we’ve continued to go above and beyond to support our customers and ensure their fleet requirements are met on time, with the high level of service they expect from Alphabet. Working with Baywater Healthcare to provide a holistic fleet management solution has been a great success, and we quickly developed new ways of working to make sure the project remained on track. We have now begun delivering the fleet and are looking forward to developing this relationship in the future.”

Jay Akerman, Head of Sales at Bri-Stor systems says: “It has been great to continue to strengthen our partnership with Alphabet on the conversion of the Baywater fleet. This was a unique build and solution to be involved in, and we're pleased to have played a vital role in supporting just some of the key workers who use these vans daily. Although the pandemic brought with it challenges, our hard-working team, along with the support of Alphabet, enabled us to deliver a high-quality fleet on time and fit for purpose for Baywater."