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Mobile Software Improves Operations In Field And Office


By Sandy Townsend for The Successful Contractor

New software for contractors has revolutionized the way business is done and made life in the field easier for technicians at Reimer Heating & Air Conditioning.

They use Mobile Technician, software loaded on a hand-held device that gives technicians all the data they need to complete their jobs without having to talk to a dispatcher.

The software is developed by SWRemote and works with SuccessWare21®, operations and management software for the service industry.

“It’s incredible,” said Karen Jones, Operations manager for Reimer, a member of AirTime® 500 in Tonawanda, NY. “It’s made us more efficient in the field and office.”

She likes the system because it’s user friendly, cost effective, and it’s helped increase the company’s profitability and customer service. She also praised the developer for their customer support.

With the handheld system and wireless carrier, technicians can manage the entire job process from start to finish.

Mobile Technician is loaded on a specific mobile phone, which is plugged into a mobile printer, credit card swipe reader and barcode scanner. It can also communicate with an optional GPS using Bluetooth technology.

“Mobile Technician gives technicians all the information they need to complete the job in the field,” said Steve Kiernan II, director of Marketing for SWRemote, which developed the software.

Because Mobile Technician works with SuccessWare21, contractors must be SuccessWare21 customers to use the remote system.

“Using wireless technology, the device allows technicians to access essential data, such as customer information, in SuccessWare21,” said Ed O’Keefe, senior developer for SWRemote. “It also constantly updates information gathered in the field and incorporates it in SuccessWare21, so it can be immediately accessed by the office staff.”

When technicians log on to the remote system, it provides the customer’s name, address, phone number, what the service is for and even turn-by-turn directions to their home. It also provides the customer’s history, so the technician knows what equipment is there.

“This helps me tremendously, because our representatives can spend more time with customers and less time answering the technician’s questions, because they have the information right in front of them,” Jones said.

“Technicians love it because they’re getting all the information they need about that customer,” she added.

Back at the office, it frees up time for customer care representatives because they spend less time relaying information to technicians. This allows them to accept more job responsibilities, such as marketing.

“The service we provide our customers, whether they’re new or have been with us for 20 years, has greatly improved,” Jones said.

It also eliminated the need for a dispatcher, because the machine does the dispatching. Reimer’s dispatcher, in turn, can focus on scheduling calls with new customers and assisting the technicians in other ways.

The device is also easy for technicians to use. “You don’t have to be electronically advanced to use the system,” Jones said. “You think it will be complicated, but it’s not.

“I have a guy who had a hard time using a cell phone, and he loves it,” she said.

The Mobile Technician also provided benefits that she didn’t even expect, Jones said.

For example, it helps the company remember to make follow-up phone calls, which could lead to additional sales. If the technician suggests an item or service to a customer, he can make a note of it on his Mobile Technician. That information is then relayed to the office, where it’s reviewed by a customer care representative who can call the customer to discuss the item further.

Other ways the Mobile Technician has helped Reimer and other contractors include:

  •  Helps prepare invoices and saves time in the process. Technicians can scan parts and the price book, and the Mobile Technician records the price. It also automatically figures the correct sales tax and any customer discounts.
  • Accepts payments. Technicians can scan the customer’s credit card or enter the check number of the payment. The Mobile Technician also provides real-time credit card processing.
  • Lets the customer care representative know when the service or installation is complete, so they can make an immediate follow-up call.
  • Speeds up paperwork. When the technician finishes the call, the office staff can approve the invoice immediately in SuccessWare21, rather than wait for the technician to return with the paperwork.
  • Helps during emergencies. When a customer has an emergency, Mobile Technician allows the scheduler to see where the technicians are, so he or she can send the most qualified technician.
  • Helps track performance. Mobile Technician prompts the technicians to answer questions about their sales, closings and leads. This helps the technicians track their numbers more accurately and holds them accountable.
  • Puts the company in control of their technicians’ schedules. Reimer provides scheduled appointments to technicians one at a time, instead of providing all of their appointments for an entire day. This keeps technicians focused on their current customer.
  • Tracks inventory. The Mobile Technician allows technicians to track inventory in SuccessWare21 as they use it, so they always know what needs to be restocked in their trucks. It also generates a printout of the parts they need to replenish.
  • Tracks the technician’s activities and time throughout the day, whether he or she is on the way to a customer’s home, at lunch or finishing a job.

The Mobile Technician is mainly used by the HVAC, plumbing and electrical industries.

Technicians can learn to use the Mobile Technician with instructor-led training, videos and a user manual, all available online. On-site customized training is also available.