The Challenge

A regional HVAC and plumbing company struggled to manage a growing number of service calls across multiple crews.

  • Manual dispatch chaos: Schedulers juggled spreadsheets, texts, and phone calls.
  • Missed follow-ups: Customers often received no update after a job.
  • Inefficient routing: Technicians were sometimes sent out-of-sequence, wasting fuel and time.
  • Low visibility: The owner couldn’t easily see which jobs were in progress or delayed.
  • Review requests forgotten: Only 1 in 5 customers received a post-job feedback message.

These issues caused lost productivity, customer frustration, and poor online reputation — hurting growth even as demand increased.

Our Solution

We implemented a unified automation system connecting scheduling, technician communication, and post-job engagement.

Phase 1: Process Audit (Weeks 1–2)

  • Reviewed job assignment workflows, call logs, and route patterns.
  • Found average 2.5-hour scheduling lag and 30% of jobs missing post-service follow-up.
  • Designed a centralized, automated dispatch and customer communication flow.

Phase 2: Implementation (Weeks 3–6)

Job Scheduling & Dispatch Automation

  • New service requests (from phone, web form, or email) automatically enter the CRM.
  • n8n workflow assigns the job to the nearest available technician based on Google Maps API distance.
  • Technician receives an automated SMS with job details, address, and client contact info.
  • When technician marks job “complete,” the system updates the CRM and triggers follow-ups.

Customer Communication Sequence

  • Instant confirmation SMS sent when job is booked.
  • “Technician on the way” alert sent 30 minutes before arrival (via Twilio).
  • After completion, customer receives an automated thank-you + feedback survey via SendGrid.

Owner Dashboard & Alerts

  • Live view of job progress, technician locations, and customer ratings.
  • Real-time alerts for job delays or reschedules.
  • Daily summary report showing revenue per crew and completed calls.

Phase 3: Onboarding & Optimization (Weeks 7–8)

  • Field staff trained to use SMS check-in/check-out commands (no new app needed).
  • Dispatch team moved from manual spreadsheets to an automated calendar synced with Google Workspace.
  • Owner receives automated reports and customer satisfaction summaries weekly.

The Results

After 60 days, the company saw major efficiency gains and happier clients:

  • ✅ Technician utilization: Increased 22%, filling schedule gaps automatically.
  • ✅ Job scheduling time: Reduced from 2.5 hours to under 10 minutes.
  • ✅ Customer review volume: Up 40%, with more 5-star ratings.
  • ✅ Admin time saved: Dispatcher workload cut by 15+ hours/week.
  • ✅ Fuel savings: Optimized routing cut unnecessary driving by 18%.

Financial Impact

| Metric | Before | After | Improvement | |——–|——–|——-|————-| | Avg. dispatch time | 2.5 hrs | 10 mins | 96% faster | | Jobs per day per tech | 3.1 | 3.8 | +22% | | 5-star reviews/month | 12 | 17 | +40% | | Admin hours/week | 25 | 10 | 60% saved | | Monthly profit lift | — | +$12,000 | ROI positive in 45 days |

Key Systems Integrated

  1. Twilio – SMS job alerts, arrival notifications, and follow-ups
  2. n8n – Dispatch and workflow automation engine
  3. Google Maps API – Route optimization and technician proximity matching
  4. ServiceTitan CRM – Job data and scheduling sync
  5. SendGrid – Automated post-job feedback and review requests
  6. Google Sheets – Summary reports and daily metrics dashboard

Client Testimonial

“Dispatching used to be a nightmare — now jobs assign themselves, and we always know what’s happening in the field. Our crews stay busy and our customers actually thank us for being so organized.”
— Operations Manager, HVAC & Plumbing Company

Specific Automations Implemented

Smart Job Routing

  1. New request logged via web form or call → Added to CRM.
  2. n8n workflow finds nearest available tech using Google Maps API.
  3. Technician receives text with details and directions.

Automated Client Updates

  1. Job booked → Confirmation SMS to customer.
  2. 30-min ETA alert sent when tech en route.
  3. Post-job thank-you + survey link sent automatically.

Review Request & Reporting

  • Completed jobs trigger follow-up emails asking for Google or Yelp reviews.
  • Weekly “review summary” email highlights team performance.
  • Management dashboard tracks reviews and satisfaction scores over time.

Ongoing Optimization

  • Added automated rescheduling if customer cancels within 12 hours.
  • Implemented predictive workload balancing (based on weather patterns).
  • Future phase: integrate AI-powered job classification to estimate duration and parts needed.

Ready to streamline your dispatch and follow-up?
Book your free 30-minute Workflow Audit to see how we can boost utilization and customer satisfaction.