Barr Electrical (Hamilton, New Zealand)
Barr Electrical Ltd, an electrical contractor operating in the Waikato region of New Zealand, has significantly streamlined its operating processes by implementing SmartTrade, a job management application designed for trade service businesses such as electricians and plumbers. In 2004, experiencing the growth pains inevitable in a rapidly expanding business, Mike Barr decided it was time to upgrade his operational systems. Barr Electrical was already well advanced technically, with laptop computers in each of the service vans, but Mike knew that job management was the weak link in the chain.
Mike looked for a software package that was designed to meet his company’s needs, and that would also integrate with his MYOB accounting package. After reviewing 3 applications, he selected SmartTrade. “We decided on SmartTrade as we felt it was easy to get around within the system, the way it managed the entire job from concept – quote – ordering of materials - job card entry - to invoice,” explained Mike.
Invoicing customers is an example of a process that SmartTrade has significantly streamlined. In the past, this was a time consuming task, with supplier invoices and timesheets having to be matched with jobs. Mike used to take the paperwork home and sort it into piles on the floor!
Today, the invoicing process is much easier and more efficient. Material purchases are allocated an order number and the resulting supplier invoices electronically imported into SmartTrade, allowing them to be automatically matched with jobs. Technicians enter items drawn from van stock direct into the job sheet, and enter labour via the SmartTrade timesheet function, allowing Mike to see the hours spent on the job. As Mike Barr says “I can review the job and invoice it out without touching a piece of paper - simple… Invoicing is now done before the end of the month, not around the 10th of the following month as used to be the case.”
After testing PDA’s, Mike decided to continue to use the existing laptops as mobile terminals, connected wirelessly to the office server via the Telecom New Zealand TG3 network. This setup allows any technician to log and access jobs from the field. It also has the security advantage that no data is stored on the laptops.
Mike Barr is very happy with his decision to implement SmartTrade and with the support he has received. “SmartTrade has performed outside the square and with the improvements that are continually being made, they will have the backing of my company for many years to come.” Mike demonstrated his faith in SmartTrade in September 2005, when he volunteered to test a pre-release copy of SmartTrade version 3, using live business data.