Can you help with website idea?

[mchid]

Hi,

I am considering developing some software to help engineers schedule, manage and bill for work. It is likely to be in the form of a secure website/database with additional access via mobile phone.

Does anyone in this forum have any ideas for features that may be of interest?

Many thanks
Mark

 

[GreenArmy]

I use this app on my iphone (sometimes). It tracks your time on each job and once a job is complete you can email the invoice straight from app. Its very good but could do with an upgrade.

 

[mchid]

Thanks Mark - very interesting. I'm particularly interested in supporting the end-to-end process from the first customer contact through estimating, allocating & scheduling work, job delivery/reporting and invoicing. Although I am also experienced in developing iPhone (and Windows PDA) applications but must assume that most users will have only basic mobile phones.

However I may well be interested in an iPhone application - how would you suggest the bjango app could be extended or improved?

 

[justlead1]

Hi. When running a 24 hour service in the seventies, i remember trying to adapt a pigeon fanciers clock/time counter. The idea was to click it on when entering the property and placing on the kitchen table. Carrying out the work and printing off the time on site when completed, as evidence for invoice that was always made out on site and the money collected before leaving. I think this concept is as relevant now as then. Especially when fault finding.

 

[GreenArmy]

Thanks Mark - very interesting. I'm particularly interested in supporting the end-to-end process from the first customer contact through estimating, allocating & scheduling work, job delivery/reporting and invoicing. Although I am also experienced in developing iPhone (and Windows PDA) applications but must assume that most users will have only basic mobile phones.

However I may well be interested in an iPhone application - how would you suggest the bjango app could be extended or improved?

On the bjango app (Jobs) i would like to have a box for material costs. It would be good to be able to transfer the data into my own invoice sheet (made on pages in iwork on the mac) before exporting to client using my email address as the sender rather than bjango.
This way the client can receive a professional looking invoice to print off. Ive found that because i use a mac and iwork its best for my clients to receive the invoice in pdf format so this would be a good option. The invoice can also be copied to me for filing.
Also on the app topic, i would like to see an iphone app for the British plumber with a radiator size calculator and gas rates chart ect..... there is loads of software for pda's that gas engineers use but surprisingly none for the iphone (ok there is an American app for engineers but nothing that the British domestic plumber will use).

 

[mchid]

Hi. When running a 24 hour service in the seventies, i remember trying to adapt a pigeon fanciers clock/time counter. The idea was to click it on when entering the property and placing on the kitchen table. Carrying out the work and printing off the time on site when completed, as evidence for invoice that was always made out on site and the money collected before leaving. I think this concept is as relevant now as then. Especially when fault finding.

Thanks justlead1 - I am surprised there isn't some kind of timer like this.

On the bjango app (Jobs) i would like to have a box for material costs. It would be good to be able to transfer the data into my own invoice sheet (made on pages in iwork on the mac) before exporting to client using my email address as the sender rather than bjango.
This way the client can receive a professional looking invoice to print off. Ive found that because i use a mac and iwork its best for my clients to receive the invoice in pdf format so this would be a good option. The invoice can also be copied to me for filing.
Also on the app topic, i would like to see an iphone app for the British plumber with a radiator size calculator and gas rates chart ect..... there is loads of software for pda's that gas engineers use but surprisingly none for the iphone (ok there is an American app for engineers but nothing that the British domestic plumber will use).

Thanks again Mark. Very good suggestions re costs and invoicing - I'll have a think. Can you point to me in the direction of one of these PDA apps you mention?

One concern I have is the size of the market. Do you know where I may be able to get figures for the numbers of plumbers (or other engineers/fitters/trades)?

Cheers Mark

 

[GreenArmy]

HeatSmart Software
this is one but at that price far to expensive. Something like this on the iphone i think would sell hundreds if not thousands if it was priced below a tenner.