Ezytreev in action: A day in the field with Russell Higgins – Tree Contract Manager at Tree Technique

Managing jobs and keeping teams connected requires focus and the right tools. Today, we feature Russell Higgins, Tree Contract Manager at Tree Technique. He has been using the Ezytreev’s Contractor Plus for over a year to plan tasks, check work orders, and stay organised—all from his tablet out in the field. In this field-based interview with Amelia Williams, Russell shares how he uses the platform — from planning surveys to logging work history.

“As the tree contract manager working for Tree Technique Limited on behalf of Test Valley Borough Council and New Forest District Council framework tree contract, I have been using the tree contractor module of Ezytreev now for 12 months. I use the onsite app to check tree work order packages, to survey sites with work orders, and to determine resources and teams. I also use the desktop version for issuing and allocating work to teams and for data analysis, production of additional maps and month-end reporting.

I find the on-site app mapping feature to be excellent, and the ability to look at the previous photographs of the tree stock aids me in identifying the exact tree specified for work on the tree work orders I review in my role. The ease with which I can review tree work orders on site using the tablet and tree contractor module to transition this data to work packages to allocate onto the team tablets saves time and improves my efficiency.

I find the on-site app reliable & straightforward. When work is assigned to the teams, it is simple for them to see, sign off and take before and after photographs in a very clear procedure. In terms of hardware, I use the Samsung 8-inch Galaxy Tab Active 5 and version 5.4.7, and I use the tree contractor module app daily and the desktop weekly in my role.

It was a new software program for me, and I have found it easy to use, and it reduces the amount of paper I need to print out. It allows me to manage my time and site visits effectively and provides me with all the tree work details and tree information on site in real time. Using What3Words helps the tree teams to easily locate trees for work, which also makes them more efficient in their day-to-day tasks.

The contractor module allows me to generate monthly scorecard key performance indicators to demonstrate compliance for the tree contract. It also allows me to produce monthly updates for the company as well as manage my own performance.

I have found the support team to be great; they always find a solution to any problems I have and are easy to deal with and friendly and, most importantly, quick to resolve any issues.“

A big thank you to Russell Higgins for sharing his time and insights — and to Amelia Williams for making this conversation possible. Amelia is the founder of The Arboricultural Company, a trusted consultant, mentor, and a valued friend of the Ezytreev team.

See how our tools for contractors work in the field. Take a closer look at Contractor Plus.