Severn Electric, one of the Midlands’ largest electrical contractors, was established in 1965 and expanded into plumbing, heating, gas, ventilation and air conditioning to form Severn Group.
The challenge
A database printed paper job sheets. Operatives doing three or four small works a day had to collect them from the office — losing an hour a day each. Admin wasted time cross-referencing timesheets. Missed hours were left off invoices. Jobs completed in January might not be invoiced until March.
A simpler job-management system they tried first “wasn’t flexible enough and wasn’t properly geared up for our industry.”
The solution
They looked at many options. “What really swung it for Pro Pal was the really good feedback from Field Force’s existing customers.”
The result
The invoicing backlog is gone. Small jobs are often invoiced the same day and cash flow is much improved. Operatives go straight to the job in the morning.
Photographs and job reports arrive in real time. If a client needs a quote on a remedial, they can quote on site or send pictures back — without sending another person later.
Scheduling can move time slots without calling around. Staff can see the business investing in fixing the frustrating stuff. Next: parts control and stocktaking on vans and stores.
