Digital Transformation of HVAC Business: A Case Study of Outback Tradies
Technology Category
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Databases
- Robots - Wheeled Robots
Applicable Industries
- Equipment & Machinery
- Telecommunications
Use Cases
- Time Sensitive Networking
About The Customer
Outback Tradies is a mobile Refrigeration business owned and managed by Myles Bradley and Sarah Bradford. The business aims to serve Australia’s rural and remote areas, leveraging Myles’ expertise in Commercial Refrigeration. The business was born out of Myles' family HVAC business, which they modernized and then sold to pursue their mobile business dream. Outback Tradies operates on a referral basis, moving between clients in Queensland. Myles is known for his ability to diagnose and fix complex refrigeration faults, while Sarah works as an adviser, helping clients improve their businesses.
The Challenge
Myles Bradley and Sarah Bradford, joint owners/managers of Outback Tradies, faced the challenge of modernizing their inherited family HVAC business. The business was operating on outdated pen and paper methods and a Microsoft Access database, which were inefficient and not suitable for their needs. They needed a system that could handle basic tasks like entering and scheduling jobs, tracking their progress, and be compatible with both Apple and Android devices due to their BYOD policy. Sarah spent 6-8 weeks searching for the right tool to meet these requirements. The challenge was not only to find a suitable tool but also to ensure a smooth transition from the old system to the new one.
The Solution
Sarah and Myles decided to implement Fergus, a job management software, in their business. They trialed Fergus over the Christmas period and found it to be a good fit for their needs. The transition to the new system was smoother than anticipated. They integrated Fergus with Xero Accounting Software and gradually explored the different features of the app to maximize its benefits for their business. The Fergus dashboard provided a visual representation of the movement of jobs through the workflow, and the ability to track job or customer history was a significant improvement over their old database. The software was well-received by their technicians, who could view the schedule in advance, query things ahead of time, and prepare themselves for the week ahead. This led to a significant reduction in administrative tasks by 66%.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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