Software Inside Tips : from JG van Graan, Director for ThermoGrid
To drive efficiency savings, many field service SMBs have implemented specialist software for contractors
As you know, businesses that manage teams of heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers rely on smart dispatching. Whether it’s assigning the team member with the most suitable skill set to each job or simply working out who can get there the quickest, it’s essential to have real-time information on hand. According to one study looking at 2022 field service trends, 55% of fleet managers and executives reported that the pandemic had negatively impacted their business, while 44% of fleet managers saw increasing costs as their top challenge.
To drive efficiency savings, many field service SMBs have implemented specialist software for contractors designed to improve accuracy and take the guesswork out of the scheduling and dispatching process. We chatted with JG van Graan, Director for ThermoGrid on the importance of smart dispatching and how it can help your business stay on track—and even scale!
How can finding the right software improve routing, scheduling, and dispatching?
A complaint I always hear is how emergency calls and last-minute jobs mess up a technician’s schedule. Most heating and cooling business owners aren’t aware how contract scheduling software can fully automate tech scheduling. This reduces downtime and even helps plan out the best schedules and fastest routes for their team.
What’s the importance of keeping your whole team on the same page with one software?
Your team in the field needs to stay connected, not only with each other, but with the folks in the office as well. When everyone is using and updating a single system together, then they’re all on the same page. This means your techs won’t need to make as many phone calls to chase down parts availability, or equipment records. Everything is available on their phone or tablet. And if you need to dispatch someone quickly, you’ll be able to easily locate the tech who has the skill and availability to jump on that job.
One of the biggest issues field service businesses face is identifying the right technician for every job. How can software help with accuracy?
Nothing is worse than a wasted trip. It costs you money and frustrates your valuable customers. If you have a service call for a boiler, you want to make sure you’re sending someone who is qualified to repair a boiler. Dispatch software will actually store your tech’s skills, qualifications, and training so that you can easily match the job to the best tech. You’ll improve call times and first-time fix rates, all while keeping your customers happy.
What about emergency work orders?
Imagine one of your customers calls you on the hottest day of the year, complaining that their A/C isn’t running. You will keep that customer for life if you can respond quickly and make sure they are sleeping in a cool house that night. Dispatch software can automatically assign the nearest or next available tech. You don’t have to scramble to arrange routes or schedules. And since the team is all synced into the process, communication and productivity are not interrupted.
Maximize Revenue & Minimize Wasted Time with ThermoGrid
Our ThermoGrid contractor management solution is built specifically for field service businesses, connecting the field with the office instantly for real-time business insight. Since implementing our software, many HVACR customers have experienced growth of more than 100% without adding IT staff or expensive equipment and you can too.
HVACR businesses owners like you are increasing revenue and gaining more business by using ThermoGrid to manage teams more efficiently.
Whether you’re working from your laptop in the office, or in the field without internet access, our ThermoGrid contractor management software keeps everyone connected. Book service agreements, provide invoices, view customer records, and access job information all from your digital device.