VIP Lighting Gains Business Efficiencies with GoCanvas
VIP Lighting is a retail lighting and electrical maintenance company that services retail chains across Australia and New Zealand. The business has been operating for 25 years and now services 10,000 retail sites across both countries.
Prior to adopting GoCanvas in 2018, VIP Lighting used two systems to manage different aspects of its technician and contractor network. One system dealt with the company’s team of franchisees in major metro locations, while the other provided work orders to a network of regional contractors.
There was no way to integrate VIP Lighting’s two systems, making it difficult and time-consuming to provide updates and reports to customers. Between the disparate systems and an outdated accounting package, the company realized it needed a change.
VIP Lighting spent 12 months trying to replace its existing systems with a new “off-the-shelf” system commonly used by electrical contractors. However, given the unique structure of the business and its pricing model, using the off-the-shelf system felt like the company was trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
Some elements of the system worked, but others didn’t. VIP Lighting went on to try other systems, but none could provide the service and support required. In the end, significant time and money were spent on a failed solution, and the company needed a better alternative.
Highlights
550+
form submissions per week
110,000+
form submissions since 2018
50+
additional users added
With GoCanvas, VIP Lighting is now able to integrate all aspects of its business. Here are some of the ways the VIP Lighting team is using the platform:
- Its admin team uses the desktop version of GoCanvas to book all jobs for the company.
- Its metro technicians use the GoCanvas mobile app as their main field software for completing assigned jobs.
- Its regional contractors receive an email with PDF work orders built using a separate GoCanvas form.
“Since the GoCanvas system is both simple and flexible, we have also used it to create some custom apps and forms specific to certain customers. This customization has become a strong selling point, helping VIP Lighting stand out to potential customers,” explained VIP Lighting National Marketing Manager David Kell.
Moving the business processes over to GoCanvas has provided numerous benefits, including:
- Reduced licensing costs for field software
- Improved customer communication and relationships
- Customization that helped attract new clients
- Reduced administrative work for staff
- Reduced paper usage and improved overall efficiency
Using Data as a Competitive Advantage
For VIP Lighting, one of the main appeals of shifting to GoCanvas was the ability to extract data using the open API.
In an increasingly competitive industry, the business found its reduced ability to provide reports and data to customers was a major weakness. VIP Lighting processes several hundred jobs each week for a large customer base, and the company was seeking a way to reduce the number of phone calls and emails from customers asking for job progress updates.
VIP Lighting engaged with GoCanvas, which facilitated the engagement of a preferred third party to develop an online client portal that publishes various key customer, job, and invoicing fields using the data feed collected within GoCanvas. This integration now plays an important role for VIP Lighting’s administration team and field technicians.
The client portal also features an invoicing element that allows completed GoCanvas submissions to be pushed into VIP Lighting’s new accounting system for invoicing. This is the first time in VIP Lighting’s 25-year history that all aspects of the business use a central system.
By leveraging the open API of GoCanvas, VIP Lighting is able to use data as a competitive advantage. By integrating the data collected, the company has successfully unlocked more efficient business processes.
Ready to Rethink How You Work?
GoCanvas has helped a variety of electrical businesses transform their jobsites and rethink their project management, ultimately saving them money. Why not do the same? Reach out to one of our experts today to kick-start your process revolution.
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