Soefker Services, LLC is a division of Memphis-based W.A. Soefker & Son, Inc., a major regional provider of mechanical services for commercial, institutional, & industrial facilities. Soefker’s 30+ field technicians perform a variety of services ranging from construction services to energy management to HVAC repair, maintenance, plumbing, and mechanical contracting.
The Challenge
Soefker wanted to improve the billing cycle by automating the back-office invoicing process using a mobile field software solution. The back office transcribed paper-based work orders and time cards to generate invoices. In addition, field technicians were spending time reconciling their payroll hours with work orders instead of spending time serving customers.
The Solution
In 2009, Soefker implemented FieldConnect’s FieldAccess mobile electronic work order and time card software to integrate with its existing Sage 300 Construction & Real Estate (Sage CRE, formerly Sage Timberline) accounting software. The integration eliminated the need for transcribing paper-based time card and work order data into the accounting system. The software also streamlined the reconciliation of work order activity with payroll hours.
The Results
The integration of FieldAccess with Sage CRE reduced the billing cycle from an average of 8 days to 30 hours – an 84% reduction in billing cycle time – and Soefker used the software to grow its service business.
“The implementation also eliminated the need for technicians to spend 1.5 hours every Thursday to reconcile payroll hours,” says Service Manager Steve Harvey. “With that time freed up, Soefker can now realize $1,800 each week in additional, billable technician time.”