A condemned unit and no one to say yes
Your engineer is servicing extinguishers at a dental practice. Two units are condemned on inspection and one is past the age your firm replaces at. The engineer has replacements on the van. The receptionist cannot approve spending, the practice manager is on leave, and the owner is with a patient. The engineer labels the units, notes them on the sheet and moves on.
Back in the office, a quote is written up a few days later and emailed to the practice manager, who returns from leave to a full inbox. Three weeks later someone approves it, and a second visit is booked to fit replacements the engineer could have fitted the first time.
Why approvals do not happen on the day
Many customers, from small businesses to branches of larger organisations, cannot authorise spending on site. The engineer knows what is needed and has the stock. What is missing is a quick way to put the decision in front of the right person.
- The person on site is rarely the person who approves spend.
- Engineers do not have prices to hand, or are not comfortable quoting.
- Approval contacts are not recorded for each customer.
- Quotes are written in the office later, as a separate task.
- A second visit is needed for something that could have been done the first time.
Whether a unit is condemned or replaced is the engineer's decision under the standards and schemes they work to. We deal with getting the customer's approval quickly.
What the delay costs
A second visit to fit replacements is wasted travel and engineer time, and the work is often priced as if it were one trip. The quote sits in the office queue. The customer is left with units that need replacing for longer than anyone would want. And the replacement sale is sometimes lost, because the customer buys units online in the meantime.
Approval requests sent from the site
We add an approval step to the engineer's service form, connected to your price book and each customer's approval contacts.
- Each customer has an approval contact, or a list in order, with how they prefer to be reached, and any pre-agreed rules such as approval not needed below a set value or for like-for-like replacement.
- When the engineer condemns a unit, they record the reason from your standard list, take a photo and pick the replacement from their van stock.
- The price comes from your price book, including any customer-specific pricing, so the engineer does not have to quote.
- An approval request goes to the customer's contact by text or email with the units, reasons, photos and total, and a link to approve or decline.
- If the contact approves while the engineer is on site, the replacement is fitted and recorded. If not, the request stays open and is chased automatically.
- Declined or unanswered requests are listed for the office and shown to the engineer on the next visit.
| Moment | Today | With on-site approval |
|---|---|---|
| Unit condemned | Noted on the sheet | Reason, photo and replacement recorded |
| Price | Worked out in the office | From your price book on the phone |
| Approval | Quote emailed days later | Request sent from site |
| Fitting | Second visit | Same visit if approved in time |
A normal visit with the approval step
At the dental practice, the engineer records the two condemned units and the aged one, and the app sends the request to the owner, who is listed as second contact while the practice manager is away. The owner reads it between patients, sees the photos and the price, and taps approve. The engineer fits the replacements from the van before leaving. The invoice lines are ready, and the register is updated with the new units.
What you get from it
Fewer return visits for replacements. Office staff who no longer write small quotes for work the engineer could have closed on the day. Customers who get a clear, photographed explanation of why a unit is being replaced, which reduces arguments later. And replacement sales that stay with you.
Signs you need on-site approvals
- Engineers regularly return to fit replacements they had on the van.
- Replacement quotes are written in the office after the visit.
- You do not know who approves spend for many customers.
- Customers buy replacement units elsewhere while your quote waits.
- Engineers are uncomfortable quoting prices on site.