In the HVAC industry, a day at the office is never the same. A fleet of technicians spends most of the workday out in the field responding to repair calls or conducting normal maintenance. Communication between dispatchers and drivers is ongoing, and careful records of the day’s work is essential. Susco worked with a Star Service, Inc. to build a mobile-friendly web application that streamlined communications and improved the company’s daily operational efficiency.
As a result of this software investment, Star Service has reduced weekly reporting time by 4 hours, accounting for a 12 percent increase in technical efficiency.
About the Client
While most HVAC companies charge for repair, Star Service, Inc. takes a more proactive approach. Not unlike how an IT company operates, Star Service maintains their clients’ HVAC systems for a monthly charge and take full ownership of the system to keep it in good running order. Founded in 1952, the company serves large-scale commercial facilities across the Gulf Coast, including office spaces, schools, and chemical companies.
The Challenge
The client’s old system only worked when installed within the company’s internal network, with a limited field application that did not give field technicians full access to complete reporting. Since the legacy system was written in Delphi, which is not a commonly used language, it made it less agile and more difficult to update or integrate with other applications. As a result, it was slow and crashed frequently.
The Susco Solution
Susco replaced their legacy desktop CRM application and connected field application with one unified, mobile-friendly SMS-enabled web application. By working closely with the Star Services team, Susco was able to keep their backend database in order to minimize disruption to the organization’s daily operations during the transition. All software was also moved to the cloud for hosting to provide access anywhere, creating a much faster user experience.
In addition to the improved user experience, the new software provides:
- Increased speed to help improve efficiency and reliability
- Added security features to protect user and client information
- Scalability and modularity for a flexible, agile system that grows with the company
Once migration was complete, Susco’s developers also completed a dispatch tool which integrates with the company’s GPS in their fleet of vehicles. This allows dispatchers to see where technicians are in the field at all times for easy communication and added accountability. Now, technicians can also complete their reports while they work, 100 percent in the field using the field application. Everything happens in real time as part of the job, rather than devoting extra time going back to the office for reporting.
If your business would benefit from a mobile workforce application, speak with the team at Susco today. We can build custom solutions that enhance your current workflow to improve employee satisfaction while also making your operations more efficient. Contact us online or call our office at (504) 323-9017.