Lunch with Richard from Connect Services…

As we sit in a bistro eating lunch, far away from the hustle of relentless phone calls and away from the sight of desks covered in paper, we ask the owner of Connect Services – “What prompted you to call simPRO?”

“My main goals in getting into business were financial independence and lifestyle – spending time with family and enjoying the weekends! But I didn’t know my business position. We didn’t know what we were really doing in the business. There were invoice discrepancies due to incorrect information or due to the absence of the right information! We were worried about staff effectiveness and stock control. There was confusion with the direction of the business and we didn’t know what we were spending on jobs.

“In business I’ve always gone forward, never gone backwards. I heard about simPRO from other electricians who used it, they loved it and spoke very highly of it. I did look around at other products, but I’m very happy with my decision in choosing simPRO. We isolated the urgent issues I needed to address but simPRO supplied much more than we needed. It just keeps on giving.

“In simplest terms, I now always feel and have control of things. As soon as I start getting confused or not sure what’s going on, simPRO helps find the solution.”

How are you going with your job and invoice discrepancies?

“It’s all there, documented, the discrepancies are no longer caused by confusion or lack of knowledge and turnover has improved since installing simPRO; gaining more and more large contracts and jobs. simPRO gives me the ability to keep a really tight control over costs.

“I can easily find out what will be costing me and give me the ability and knowledge to question suppliers why are you charging me certain prices when in the past you have charge me another. simPRO is saving me 30% on material costs which worked out to about $30k in the first year”

Has it helped the visibility of your business in terms of knowing which direction to steer the business?

“Absolutely I know exactly where I’m at with money, who l owe, who owes me. I know how to choose the best customers. Not all business is good business, simPRO allows us to discern who the right customers are with our business strengths and ones better passing off to someone else. I am able to better manage my staff, by knowing where to send that guy and to what job. Life’s easy.

“I now have lunch breaks, and I also now have the time and money to take clients to lunch. I personally do a bit in the office but I am comfortable knowing the office staff are confident and comfortable to use simPRO and to do the day to day tasks of running the business.

“When I first started I had one tradesman, now have 15 with only one admin staff and I am able to sign off after 30 hours a week.”

What’s the advantage of Digital Pens and Vehicle Tracking?

“I wanted to avoid the cost of a commercial shed – the boys don’t need to come to the office. The pen saves data entry, just goes straight into the job, keeps costs down. So easy for the staff to use and its made a real difference in terms of data entry.

“The Navman Wireless system we have works well with simPRO - it has effectively doubled the life of my company vehicles. The savings in cost are paying for it itself. It gives me even more confidence in my staff knowing that they are doing the right thing”

What’s next for Connect Services?

“Now I have wholesalers wanting my business. They are looking at ways of how to improve my

business. We are 99.9% happy with everything – that’s very important”

What would your business be looking like if you hadn’t taken on simPRO?

“I’d be a lot worse off; my business is now looking the healthiest it’s ever been.”

To download the PDF version of this case study, click Connect Case Study.