OTISS is an online, secure website based on a geospatial information systems (GIS) database. The website works with all modern web browsers and is accessible via your internet, broadband, WiFi and 3G/4G/5G connection. Data held on OTISS is fully and securely backed up on our servers.
Arboricultural Consultants gain many benefits from an online system.
- Working with colleagues.
- Sharing maps, data, photos, documents and reports with your clients.
- Let us do the IT!
1. Working with colleagues
Tree surveying and management is often a team effort – involving you, your own staff, colleagues, sub-contract consultants and contractors.
- Unnecessary data-entry and re-entry only increases the time and cost of fulfilling your contracts.
- Mobile devices are ideal for on-site data collection. The data must then be uploaded to a system where it can be shared and collated with maps and data from your clients and colleagues. Many systems require that you all have identical mobile devices, but this approach becomes unworkable when you deal with a range of associates and sub-contractors.
- PC based applications are not good for sharing data with clients and colleagues.
- Multi-user, office based applications typically only work within a single company. It becomes a real hassle when an associate or sub-contractor needs to come into your office to collate their data.
Our web-based system provides a cost-effective solution to these problems.
- All staff and colleagues have access to one set of maps, photos and data – and its always up-to-date! You decide what level of access each user has on a per-client basis.
- Users can access OTISS from any PC, MAC, laptop, tablet or phone that has a web browser.
- Using the Tree Survey and BS5837 Survey applications on any Android phone or tablet allows you and your associates to collect data and photos on-site and upload it directly to OTISS.
2. Sharing data and reports with your clients
With OTISS you can provide your clients with online access to the data and reports that you have collected on their behalf.
- You don’t need to provide detailed printed maps and records – its all online for your client to view. With your company logo attached.
- Your final survey report can focus on a summarizing and highlighting the important findings. Clients already have access to the inspection data, photos and recommendations in OTISS.
- Share other documents and reports via OTISS online storage.
- Typically, clients are provided with read-only access – but you could allow them to report issues directly to you for maintenance or further investigation.
3. Our Security
We keep your data secure, so that it can only be seen and used by you and your clients.
- OTISS is a cloud based system hosted on our own servers that are located in a professional UK Data Centre. The data centre is physically secure and has backup power, backup servers, etc if they are ever needed.
- Our servers are regularly updated with all security updates, and they have firewalls, anti-virus, anti-intrusion systems that are kept up to date.
- Daily backups are taken of the GIS database and stored offsite. All maps, data files and photos have off-site backup.
- Each OTISS account has a separate username/email and password.
- The HTTPS secure protocol is used for communications and data transfers to/from your PCs and mobile devices.
4. Let us do the IT!
With an online solution, you can focus your time and effort on providing arboricultural services to your clients.
- There is no need to install and maintain expensive software on your PCs or servers.
- There are no upgrades for you to carry out – a real hassle with some multi-user applications.
- You are not relying on a single PC where all the data is stored.
- There are no licence keys or CDs to keep safe.
- There are no data backups for you to do.