Plumbing Company Employee Management App
Mobile App Development Case Study
🎯 TL;DR Outcome: 50% reduction in admin overhead and significantly happier field staff
The Problem
Field Operations Chaos
After successfully launching their e-commerce platform, Plumbing Company realized their field operations were still stuck in the stone age. Field technicians were managing jobs through phone calls, paper forms, and text messages, leading to confusion, delays, and frustrated customers.
Daily Frustrations:
- • Constant phone calls for job updates
- • Paper forms getting lost or damaged
- • No real-time visibility into job status
- • Manual time tracking and reporting
- • Difficulty managing multiple job priorities
Business Impact:
- • Field staff spending 2+ hours daily on paperwork
- • Managers unable to track job progress
- • Customer complaints about lack of updates
- • Inefficient job scheduling and routing
- • Lost revenue from missed appointments
Our Role
What FactoStack Did
- Conducted field research with technicians and managers
- Designed mobile-first workflow management app
- Built cross-platform app with offline capabilities
- Created manager dashboard for oversight and analytics
- Provided comprehensive training and rollout support
Technologies Used
Mobile App
- • React Native
- • TypeScript
- • Offline storage
- • Push notifications
Backend
- • Node.js API
- • PostgreSQL
- • Real-time sync
- • Cloud hosting
The Solution
Job Assignment System
Real-time job assignment and routing system that automatically distributes work based on technician location, skills, and availability.
- • Intelligent job routing
- • Skill-based assignments
- • Priority level management
- • Emergency job alerts
Photo Documentation
Built-in camera functionality for before/after photos, progress updates, and documentation that automatically syncs to customer records.
- • Before/after job photos
- • Automatic geotagging
- • Cloud storage & backup
- • Customer report generation
GPS Tracking & Check-ins
Automatic GPS tracking for job site arrivals, departure times, and mileage tracking for accurate billing and performance monitoring.
- • Automatic check-in/out
- • Accurate time tracking
- • Mileage calculation
- • Location verification
Real-time Updates
Live job status updates that keep managers and customers informed about progress, delays, and completion times without phone calls.
- • Live status updates
- • Customer notifications
- • Manager dashboard alerts
- • ETA adjustments
Offline Functionality
App works seamlessly even without internet connection, syncing data when connectivity is restored for uninterrupted field operations.
- • Offline job access
- • Local data storage
- • Automatic sync
- • No connectivity worries
Manager Dashboard
Comprehensive web dashboard for managers to oversee all field operations, track performance, and generate reports in real-time.
- • Real-time field overview
- • Performance analytics
- • Custom reporting
- • Team productivity metrics
Outcome & Results
Key Improvements
Operational Efficiency:
- Eliminated 80% of status phone calls
- Reduced paperwork by 90%
- Improved job scheduling accuracy
- Real-time visibility into all operations
Employee Satisfaction:
- Field staff love the streamlined workflow
- Managers have better team oversight
- Reduced stress from constant communication
- More time for actual plumbing work
Project Gallery
Login Screen
Secure authentication for field staff
Daily Plan
Overview of scheduled jobs for the day
Notifications
Real-time updates and job alerts
Team Chat
Direct communication between team members
Approvals
Manager review and approval workflow
Lead Management
Customer lead tracking and follow-up
Lessons & Next Steps
Key Lessons Learned
- Field research with actual users is essential
- Offline functionality is critical for field work
- Gradual rollout reduces adoption resistance
- Simple, intuitive UI wins over feature complexity
Future Enhancements
- Integration with inventory management system
- AI-powered job estimation and routing
- Customer communication portal
- Advanced analytics and predictive insights
Ready to Streamline Your Field Operations?
Let`'s build a mobile solution that makes your field team more efficient and happier.