Howells Unlock Greater Value and Resilience Through Smarter Practice Management

Howells uses Milient's Project Flow, previously known as Rapport3.

Howells was one of the earliest practices to adopt Project Flow. However, in the early years, engagement with the system was limited, and it was not being used to its full potential across day-to-day operations.

As Kate Cox, Head of Operations, explains, the practice initially “lacked engagement” with the software. This changed around three to four years ago when Howells undertook a detailed process mapping exercise with the Milient team to identify where greater value could be unlocked — an initiative they describe as a “huge success.”

“We are still working through the recommendations, and as things evolve in the business, Milient has been on hand to update those recommendations with the current business needs.”

This marked a turning point, allowing Howells to better align the system with how they actually worked as a practice.

Choosing Milient

Through the process mapping exercise, Howells began to see how Project Flow — built specifically for the AEC industry — could be shaped around their workflows and evolving business requirements.

As Kate notes, Project Flow continues to be informed by the needs of its clients and the wider industry, ensuring the software remains relevant, flexible and capable of delivering value as practices grow and change.

Benefits of Milient

When the UK entered lockdown, Howells were well-positioned to transition to remote working thanks to Project Flow’s cloud-based platform and centralised data.

“Having our data in one place certainly has helped during lockdown.”

Kate also highlighted the benefit of not relying on VPN connections:

“Being cloud-based too, it was extremely easy for our staff to retain their access to the information we capture on Project Flow, without the need for VPN connections.”

The HR module proved particularly valuable during periods of uncertainty, helping the practice manage staff availability and changing working arrangements.

It enabled Howells to: “track who was working from home in the early stages before lockdown and also to track furlough when lockdown kicked in.”

The pandemic also prompted the practice to reassess its reporting processes and identify areas for improvement.

“COVID highlighted to us the importance of a good reporting tool. We have not been using Project Flow to its full potential, as we have data in too many places, and a lot of our reporting is currently manual. So going through COVID has made us aware of where these gaps are, and consequently, we are making great steps with Project Flow’s support team to find solutions for them.”

Integration and Support

A strong working relationship with the Customer Support team has been central to Howells' experience.

Kate describes the support as “excellent,” adding: “The technical support team is very quick with their response and solutions. I have a very good relationship with the team; they are always available to help, talk through and advise when necessary so that we always feel supported.”

Howells also values the way client feedback shapes the evolution of the software.

“I think a unique selling point for Project Flow is their ability to listen to their clients and use that information to influence their future business decisions.”

She continued: “They carefully take on board tweaks and suggestions from their clients using the system and adapt and change their product if they feel it would benefit everyone going forward.”

Kate also highlighted the value of Project Flow’s focus groups:

“I've not come across a company who considers the needs of their clients as much Milient. The focus group sessions they have organised for their future product have been a great success.”

The opportunity to share knowledge with peer practices has proven equally valuable:

“It really helps to understand what like-minded companies are up to and how they process their information… It’s incredibly valuable to share that knowledge with peers.”