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1) File Sharing Sites

There are a number of file sharing sites available that you can use from your desktop or mobile, allowing you to easily share documents with different users. Creating a central place for job sheets for example, allows anyone from an administrator to a field working electrician, to get access to their jobs on the go. Google Drive and Dropbox are a couple of great options that allow you to create an online filing system of your own, with the ability to grant access to your files to multiple users, saving you from having to send out individual emails to each employee.

2) Route Planning Software

There are a number of websites which can help you save money on fuel by helping you plan your routes more effectively. Many also include live traffic conditions. Google Maps is the most well-known, and allows you to see in real-time where traffic hotspots are and suggests alternative routes which you can take.
Waze is another app you can consider, and is in some ways more intuitive. It is available on all devices and is essentially a community of drivers! Users regularly update the app to warn others of congestion or road closures, and to find the cheapest petrol station en-route.
PetrolPrices.com and AppyParking are another couple of handy apps which can help you save money on petrol costs. AppyParking, as the name suggests also shows you where you can park your vehicle.
Many drivers get fined for going into the London Congestion Charging Zone and either not realising it or simply forgetting to pay. This can often hit businesses. There are a couple of apps available which help you check whether you are in the London Congestion Zone or London Low Emission zone and pay the charge from the app. For more information check out the No congestion charge fines website.

3) Job Management Software

Job management software can have a huge impact on the efficiency of your business. Okappy allows you to manage jobs with ease and send them to your employees or subcontractors. Your field workers can get access to them easily on their mobile phones, ensuring the office is immediately updated about the status of each job.
Invoicing is also much easier as invoices can be raised via the system. Okappy links with many accounting software applications, so information can be transferred easily, removing the need for duplicate data input.
The radar screen within Okappy lets you track your company vehicles to help you monitor your lone workers who may be working in isolated and potentially dangerous locations, as well as save on fuel costs through better routing and highlighting road traffic conditions.

4) Certificate Software

Certificate software can save you the time spent writing out certificates by automating the process. EasyCert allows you to print your electrical certificates on to plain or company letterhead and give your client a more professional impression of your business. It can also save your team time. Clik offers its NICEIC Certification Software, which can be downloaded on to mobile devices, and completed by all parties digitally before being emailed to the customer, removing the need for any paper.

5) Accounting Software

You’ll find there are many accounting software applications available all offering different benefits. Xero is a cloud based accounting package, allowing you and your team to use the software from any site. Invoices can be sent quickly and easily, you can check your cashflow in real-time, and your team can submit hours and expenses quickly and easily, reducing the need for extra paperwork.

6) Estimating Tools

There are a number of estimating tools available to help you make sure you’re charging the right price. Electrika offers a free piece of software to help you cost supplies quickly and easily, as well as complete a simple estimation. BestBid is a more advanced piece of software, giving you full control of every feature, so you can tailor it to the exact requirements of your business, and give an efficient and accurate quote.
There is lots of software available nowadays that’s neither complicated to use nor difficult to install. We hope this short review helps you navigate the world of software and get more out of your business!
 
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We were pleased to be featured in the May 2016 issue of the ECN magazine. The feature was written to help electrical contracting businesses choose the right job management software for their business. In particular it highlighted some of the points to consider when choosing between bespoke software or an off-the-shelf package.
“We often hear from customers who have tried to develop their own bespoke software tailored for their particular needs but then find there are a lot of additional things they didn’t consider, such as on-going maintenance, support, reliability and security”, said Gerry So, Director of Okappy.
This article provides some of our insights into things to think about when choosing which software is right for you. Whether your main concern is cost, flexibility or customer support, what’s important is that the software you choose should really drive productivity, reduce administration, and increase your bottom line.
Check out the article on the ECN online magazine or download a copy here.

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1) Make Plans

The start of a new year is a great chance to take a good look at your business, and assess where you are. It’s also a perfect time for looking forward and planning where you want your electrical business to be in the next 12 months. Setting short, mid and long term goals can really help keep your business on track during the busy periods, so consider taking a day out to set 3 month, 6 month, 9 month and 12 month goals, that look at all aspects of your business, from equipment to staff to advertising spend.

Do you know where your business is heading? Do you have plans for the individuals who are really helping your business to grow? What are the biggest threats to your business? You need to take the time to answer these questions, not only to help you focus on growing your business, but also for potential investors, if you require funding, to see that you have big plans and the thinking to make them happen.

2) Build Your Brand

It used to be enough for an electrician to have a listing in a reputable directory, however times have changed, and you really need to think about building your brand. This means two things, the look and the service. You want people to recognise your logo, and the visual brand you have created for your business, whether you’re gaining a name in a small town or trying to build a national brand. Every aspect of your communication from vans to invoices to your website, should use the same look to help a consumer recognise your brand.

Then you need to think about what your brand stands for. If people have used you in the past, what would they say about you? In an industry built on delivering exceptional service, try boosting your electrical business by revisiting basic service standards with your team, reminding them of the level of service you expect them to offer. Your website should also portray you as a knowledgable company, so you need to upload regular blog content giving advice or sharing industry news. You really need to think about your audience and the kind of information they’ll be hoping to find on your site.

3) Embrace Social Media

We all know our business needs to have a presence on social media, however if used wisely, it can really boost your electrical business. Consider employing a copywriter or working with a marketing agency either to generate content that not only demonstrates your knowledge, but also has the key words and phrases that help it be seen by search engines. Their expertise can really help to get your business maximum coverage online, and though an initial cost outlay, it can really end up paying for itself.

Don’t ignore the power of recommendations too! It is believed that over 80% of people now trust peer recommendations more than traditional advertising, such as newspapers or television commercials, so a great comment on your social media channel can be really powerful. Consider asking happy customers to leave a review, to help grow your reputation online. Social media has to be a two way channel though, so if a customer leaves great feedback or even negative feedback, you need to have the resource to respond quickly to recognise their comments. It’s also worth doing a quick Google search of your business, to see if reviews exist on other sites, as this is exactly what consumers are going to do before calling, so make sure there is nothing that is likely to put them off.

4) Streamline Your Communication

With apps like Okappy, chasing invoices or submitting electrical job sheets can be so simple and save you a lot of time. Think about the amount of time you spend chasing unpaid invoices or waiting for your electricians to submit their job sheets. Electrical project management software enables you to quickly brief jobs to your team from your iPhone or Android smartphone and easily see where you’re waiting for late payments. Electrical job sheets, for example, can be submitted easily, giving you full visibility of your business, and the workload of your team. Electrical contractor invoice software is even smart enough to export invoices sent and paid to external software application such as Sage, so you know exactly what’s coming in and out of your business.

Streamlining your communications can really help to boost your business, as late invoices and job logging, distract you from doing what you do best, and that’s running your successful electrical business!

5) Keep Innovating

Spending time off the job to research the latest electrical innovations might seem like a waste of time, however it can really help power your business forward in 2016. Visiting trade shows or just taking time out to read the industry press can ensure you always stay ahead of developments and discover new technologies and techniques to help your business grow. Elex Show, The Electricians’ Exhibition held in Manchester, would be a great place to start as it’s dedicated to the industry, and invites relevant speakers, demonstrators and suppliers, so you can get a great overview of new developments in the industry, as well as an insight in to the competition!

You know that a small new piece of equipment or a clever software can make all the difference, so make sure your business remains relevant, and that you keep your skills and knowledge fresh as the industry continues to evolve.

2016 could be a really exciting year for your business. Plan ahead, promote your brand, get your communication in order, lead the way with innovation, and you’re sure to give your business a real boost this year!

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Inefficiencies that constrain small plumbing companies can be eliminated with the use of job management software, according to project management company Okappy.

Gerry So, the company’s finance director, says automating the cycle of jobs for engineers can be beneficial because it reduces the time taken to chase incomplete job sheets or invoices, while increasing visibility for the user.

Using the software’s desktop site or mobile application to create a job task and allocate it to an engineer or subcontractor starts the process, sending an automatic job alert to the selected employee.
The engineer or subcontractor then updates the job status onsite using a mobile phone, filling in check sheets or extra job details, attaching photos and obtaining a customer’s signature for acknowledging completed work as the job progresses. Job status can be tracked via the software.

Once complete, an invoice can be raised, with the user given the option of exporting it to accounting software such as Sage or Xero.

In addition to removing the need to email and print off check sheets or invoices at either end of the chain, a manager’s visibility of their workforce is improved to the point where it is unnecessary to repeatedly telephone to check on worker progress or request documents.

One key feature of this job management software is the ability to manage jobs that have been allocated to subcontractors outside the company.

The software also enables users to customise how features are displayed according to their individual needs, and save this setup as a template to reuse. The company says this could be used to create a unique check sheet or a uniform customer feedback questionnaire.

“A lot of the feedback we got was around the problems plumbers face with missing phonecalls, filling in paperwork, admin and invoicing. Using software like Okappy will remove these unnecessary headaches,” Ms So said.

“As a business owner, it doesn’t matter if you are on site, in the office or at home, you can monitor your business from any location.”
Graham Warby, managing director of EPR Response said “Monitoring the exception rather than having to watch every job is a godsend. It means we can take on more work in more areas and really grow our business.”

Okappy Job Management Software is available on iOS operating systems from the Apple App Store, or registration is possible via www.okappy.com. Fourteen days of free usage is offered before customers opt-in to a monthly plan for continued use.

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Here are 10 tips of how you can manage your time better.

1) Set up a work routine – kick off with short tasks to get the ball rolling.
Accomplishing something small, like an easy and quick task, is the best way to get your mind on the right path.
2) Have daily to-do lists and prioritise them – one I love!
Having daily to-do lists and prioritising them is an effective way of scheduling your day, helping you to focus on top priority tasks. Tick them off as you go along, it gives you a sense of achievement by the end of the day!
3) Always know the one thing you really need to get done during the day.
To help prioritise, determine what task in front of you is most important, and focus your energy into getting that done as soon as possible.
4) You get more done when you’re in the zone.
It’s ok to have ‘off days’. Don’t beat yourself up for it, but take advantage of those days when you can maintain focus and are in the zone.
5) Quality and not quantity.
More work hours don’t always result in more productivity. Make sure you make time for relaxation or else your exhaustion will catch up on you and make you less productive than you otherwise would be.
6) Take notes.
Rather than keeping all your good ideas in your head or thinking what you need to do, write them down so you are not exhausting your brain.
7) Learn to delegate work to other people.
No one person can do it all, learn to delegate. It may take up more of your time to start off with but it will pay off in the end.
8) Multitasking kills your focus.
Studies have found that it’s more productive to take a moment to clear your head and consciously focus on the task in front of you rather than multitasking. You are exhausting your brain and a huge amount of time can be wasted as a result.
9) Being a perfectionist can hinder progress.
A well-known saying, “A good plan executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.”
10) Don’t get distracted by the past.
Focus on what’s in front of you. Don’t get distracted by the successes or failures of the past.

How Can Okappy Job Management Help

Okappy can’t help with all of the above aspects but can definitely help you to delegate your jobs and ensure you are organised.
With Okappy Job management you can allocate jobs to your employees and subcontractors. You can see all the job status on one screen as they are updated to help you focus on the exceptions. To be able to view your jobs by day, week or month helps you to focus on top priority tasks.
Key information is automatically recorded meaning less potential for disputes with clients. You can also enter notes for your employees to improve communication or even better, use instant messaging between your computer and your employees and subcontractors mobile telephones.
Find out more about Okappy Job Management and how it can help delegate your jobs and organise your day. Be Okappy!
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Efficiency, however, is a broad term that could mean a lot of things. But what it really boils down to is one question: How can my company make the biggest profit in the smallest amount of time? Here’s our top tips for making your business more efficient.

1. Figure out how much money you’re throwing away, then find a way to reduce it

How often do you lose money because of simple mistakes, like making a delivery to the wrong address? How often are you penalised for arriving late? Even if you accept a certain amount of waste as being inevitable, the fact is that these things add up over the year, potentially taking a large chunk out of your profits.

2. Use your time more effectively

In a nutshell, time is money – or the potential for money. The more time you waste on inefficient activities, the less free time you have to spend doing productive activities that will help your business grow.
Michael Gerber, in his world-famous book ‘The E-myth revisited – Why most small businesses fail and what to do about it’, stresses that one of the reasons businesses fail is that the owners spend too much time on day-to-day tasks. So if you are a small business owner, it’s vitally important to spend enough time steering your ship in the right direction.

One of the most common ways our clients improve their time efficiency is by using Okappy job management features. Because Okappy gives you automatic notifications whenever a job is added by a customer, or whenever the job status is updated by an employee, you spend less time chasing jobs up. In addition, you’ll spend less time filling out and duplicating job sheets, as all data is managed and sent to staff electronically. Okappy even generates invoices for you, saving yet more time.

3. Help your employees do their jobs better

This one is particularly important if your employees are out in the field. If you can’t assign jobs to staff and relay information to them easily, they will miss out on opportunities to finish jobs quickly. This could result in you taking on fewer jobs overall, meaning you’ll make less profit.

This is another reason that a mobile-based job system like Okappy is so useful. As soon as a job is entered into your system by you or a customer, it can then be assigned to an employee, who receives an instant notification on their mobile device. Additionally, you can simply communicate via Okappy’s messaging system. It’s a lot easier than trying to get busy workers on the phone.

4. Ask your employees how you can improve

Have you ever been working for a company and thought “our company could save so much money if our managers only asked us for input”?

The fact is, a lot of companies just never think of asking low-level employees for help. Your employees do the same job every single day, so there’s a chance they know their corner of the business better than you do. Why not ask them if they have any ideas on how you could save money or improve your service?

5. Don’t give your customers a reason to go elsewhere

It may not always be possible to give a flawless service to your customers, but at the very least, you should make sure that you are doing a better job than your competitors. Even if you feel you’re already doing this, it’s worth asking yourself a couple of times a year, “if a competing company opened tomorrow, would I have any reason to be worried?”

One of the best ways to retain your regular orders is through giving good customer service. If you don’t, it could cost you – a 2014 study showed that UK businesses lose £12billion a year through poor customer service.

While we don’t want to overdo the self-promotion, this is another area where Okappy can help. Because your employees can update job statuses from their mobiles, it means that when customers call for updates, you’ll always have up-to-date information for them. Okappy also warns you if a job hasn’t been picked up or is running late, so you can correct the problem sooner.

Find out more about how Okappy’s job management software can help your business.

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