The average tradesperson didn’t start their business to deal with paperwork, but it’s certainly one of the largest roadblocks to their productivity.
According to one study, one out of every four tradies has been compelled to leave their occupations due to the administrative burden they face. The job they give up isn’t minor, either: depending on the trade, the average worth of work lost to admin is $120,000 each year.
This is due to the fact thattradies spend 14 hours a week on general administration and quoting. They don’t need to spend this time because automation can take care of a lot of it. This is why we’re witnessing a “rise of the digital tradie” in this industry, which has a reputation for being conservative when it comes to technology but is suddenly embracing the opportunities that digital tools bring.
Productivity can be boosted by automation
The correct software solutions can help tradies with business administration, bookkeeping, payroll, project management, and even customer service, taking a lot of the heavy work out of their day. Automation can organise and assign assignments intuitively, calculate and submit billing, and cut travel time between jobs. Seven out of 10 tradies feel that this type of technology application can save them time on its own.
For example, the correct team management platform will enable a tradesperson to advise their employees on a job via site photographs rather than physically being there on site at first. This saved time can be put toward business development, managing additional projects remotely, and expanding the company.
While you’re here: Regardless of what technology you choose to boost your productivity, you should take time to understand your business risks and how you can safeguard yourself against any unanticipated legal action you encounter. Tradies liability insurance is a great place to start.
e-invoicing can streamline operations
Receiving payments (37%) and creating bids (33%) are two of the most difficult tasks for tradies. Furthermore, 33% of customers dislike paying with cash. For the tradie, the push has already been on to “get digital,” and a digital payments platform, backed by automation, may help maintain a tradie’s business in a variety of ways, in addition to shouldering the burden of creating bids and monitoring for payment.
Consider the case of human error. If a quote is miscalculated, the customer may feel overpaid, or the tradie may be committed to a job that will not generate profit. Furthermore, automation can better manage unforeseen expenditures and provide a layer of transparency to the consumer, ensuring that they are satisfied with the results. Embracing automation for the payments platform is a beneficial move for the health of a tradie’s firm, even if it isn’t for the sake of saving time.
Technology can improve your client service
The correct digital platform can assist in providing exceptional customer service. The digital platform can “predict” when someone from the team will be late for an appointment by tracking their mobility and time spent on tasks and conveying this to the customer in real time.
Predictive analytics can become another way to improve the customer experience once the company has moved to a digital platform. IoT sensors might be deployed on-site to monitor equipment and, in the case of a defect, arrange a work order to fix it before the client even realises there is a problem. Automation can keep track of inventory levels throughout the company, ensuring that customers never have to wait for a component to be ordered.
Customer service can also benefit from automation, with AI chatbots and similar technology available to trade organisations of all kinds and capable of providing rapid responses to typical questions. The AI will delegate the duty to a member of the team for more sophisticated responses, but by dealing with fewer inquiries about routine questions, the tradie saves time that can be reinvested in the business.
Technology can help you grow
It takes time to generate leads, but it’s necessary for the business to flourish. Technology can help here as well, with 57 percent of tradies believing that advancements in technology are assisting them in growing their businesses.
CRM is the best illustration of intelligent operations. A well-designed CRM that has been connected into the digital platform, such as Microsoft Dynamics 365, will collect data on a person’s every interaction with the firm. With such knowledge, you may reach out to them with highly targeted communication that is suited to their specific need. It also assures that a customer is never “lost,” because a field agent has access to the same history as a customer care representative, and everyone on the team can communicate with that consumer in real time. Demonstrating that degree of expertise and knowledge of each customer will help the tradie’s business develop tremendously.