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.
The Problem
TheProblem
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 Between the disparate systems and an outdated accounting package, the company realized it needed a change.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.
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.
Overcoming Electrical Jobsite Challenges: The Power of Going Digital
Managing electrical jobsites comes with a unique set of challenges—from endless paperwork and communication breakdowns to delayed payments and safety risks. These issues not only hinder productivity but can also impact your bottom line.
As jobsites grow more complex, traditional methods of management are proving increasingly insufficient, leading to frustration, inefficiency, and costly mistakes.
Challenges Electricians Face
Jobsite Chaos
75% of electricians report spending too much time on paperwork and administrative tasks. (McKinsey & Company)
Frustrated Customers
68% of customers cite delays and communication issues as the main reasons for dissatisfaction. (JD Power)
Delayed Payments
Many electricians face challenges with slow invoicing processes, leading to cash flow issues and operational delays.
Safety Concerns
Electrical jobsites often experience accidents due to poor documentation and communication. Improving these areas is crucial for enhancing jobsite safety.
How You Can Solve These Problems
Digital Work Orders and Invoices
Save an average of two hours per day by automating administrative tasks. (2020 In(Sight) Report)
GPS Tracking
Improve dispatch efficiency with real-time GPS tracking. Unlock a 10% to 20% reduction in fuel costs through optimized route planning. (Fuel Express)
Photo Capture and Annotation
Capturing and annotating photos directly in an app can significantly enhance communication with clients and improve inspection accuracy.
Customizable Forms
Customizable forms allow for precise data collection and compliance, significantly reducing errors compared to manual entry.
Safety Enhancements
Reduce safety risks by ensuring accurate, real-time documentation of inspections and work orders. Decrease jobsite accidents by 26% through better communication and documentation. (CLEAR)
Do All of the Above with GoCanvas
Software Efficiency Boost
Users report an average productivity increase of 34%.
Cost Savings
Users save an average of $52,250 on annual administrative costs.
Customer Satisfaction
90% of users report improved customer satisfaction.
Safety Improvements
Users report a 25% reduction in jobsite accidents.
Why Choose GoCanvas?
GoCanvasⓇ is the go-to app for electricians, designed to streamline workflows and reduce errors to ensure efficient jobsite management. Trusted by thousands of electricians, it offers scalable growth to match your business needs and provides 24/7 support from a dedicated team. With real-time updates, customizable forms, and seamless communication, GoCanvas empowers you to overcome common jobsite challenges, enhance safety, and boost your bottom line.
Ready to boost your efficiency, enhance safety, and cut down on paperwork? Get started with GoCanvas today.
Service Electric Company, a longstanding industrial-commercial electrical contractor that has operated nationwide since 1945, faced increasing inefficiencies due to its outdated paper-based processes. Its technicians were burdened with completing and submitting paper forms—causing delays, lost paperwork, and hundreds of wasted hours—while office staff struggled with manual reporting. Recognizing the need for a change, Service Electric partnered with GoCanvas® to digitize its data management, streamline operations, and eliminate paper-related issues, ultimately leading to significant improvements in productivity and cost savings while unlocking the ability to generate real-time reports.
The Problem
TheProblem
For a business like Service Electric, time is money—and every moment spent manually filling out paper forms or waiting for paperwork to be turned in is money left on the table. That’s why Service Electric began exploring solutions to speed up and streamline the daily cycle of assigning jobs and creating and submitting reports.
In addition to affecting technicians working on electrical transmissions and switchyards in the field, Service Electric’s paper-based processes were complicating the jobs of back-office staff. Manual reporting was causing the company to lose hundreds of hours to inefficiency, making it impossible to generate real-time reports. Tommy decided to look at digital solutions to replace his paperwork-heavy processes.
When GoCanvas first met Service Electric Risk Manager Wendy Nelson in 2010, the goal was to identify the biggest inefficiencies in the company’s processes and develop a success plan to boost productivity while cutting operational costs. GoCanvas worked with Wendy and her team to convert Service Electric’s most time-consuming paper-based processes into streamlined mobile forms—including safety test forms, crew surveys, work orders, and equipment check-in/checkout logs.
Once the success plan had been established, it was time to deploy the solution. The first step was for Service Electric to get its new GoCanvas mobile forms into the hands of the technicians who would be using them on a daily basis. This was a critical part of the process, as it positioned the company to get feedback that could be easily incorporated back into the platform using GoCanvas’s no-code, drag-and-drop app builder tool.
Once the testing phase was complete, Service Electric was ready to deploy its customized GoCanvas platform to its 300+ technicians across the U.S. From the beginning of the full rollout, the benefits were clear: Staff immediately noticed that reports were returned on time and without being lost or misplaced, while office managers celebrated their instant access to data. Since GoCanvas automatically transfers all data from technicians’ mobile devices to the office, there is literally no room for error.
The Outcomes
The Outcomes
Service Electric was one of the first large industrial-commercial electrical contractors to take the plunge and ditch the paper process it had in place since the 1940s, and its “leap of faith” has been handsomely rewarded. Since fully automating its field and back-office data management processes, Service Electric has seen a dramatic increase in business productivity and a substantial decrease in its operational costs, thanks in large part to the elimination of paper and paper-based inefficiencies.
With GoCanvas mobile forms, Service Electric saves almost $20,000 per year on the cost of paper alone! The cherry on top? The company was able to recognize a full return on its investment in GoCanvas within the first nine months of deployment.
Seven years later, Service Electric is generating an annual ROI of over $300,000 and regaining over 846 hours per year by going paperless!
Ready to Rethink How You Work?
GoCanvas has empowered electricians to transform their worksites and optimize project management, leading to significant cost savings. Why not make the same impact on your electrical projects? Reach out to one of our experts today to kick-start your process revolution.
Comprehensive Guide: 5 Steps for Job Safety Analysis
Learn the five critical steps to conducting a successful job safety analysis, ensuring workplace safety and compliance. Enhance your safety protocols now…
