Digital Transformation of HVAC Business: A Case Study of Outback Tradies
Technology Category
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Databases
- Robots - Wheeled Robots
Applicable Industries
- Equipment & Machinery
- Telecommunications
Use Cases
- Time Sensitive Networking
About The Customer
Outback Tradies is a mobile Refrigeration business owned and managed by Myles Bradley and Sarah Bradford. The business aims to serve Australia’s rural and remote areas, leveraging Myles’ expertise in Commercial Refrigeration. The business was born out of Myles' family HVAC business, which they modernized and then sold to pursue their mobile business dream. Outback Tradies operates on a referral basis, moving between clients in Queensland. Myles is known for his ability to diagnose and fix complex refrigeration faults, while Sarah works as an adviser, helping clients improve their businesses.
The Challenge
Myles Bradley and Sarah Bradford, joint owners/managers of Outback Tradies, faced the challenge of modernizing their inherited family HVAC business. The business was operating on outdated pen and paper methods and a Microsoft Access database, which were inefficient and not suitable for their needs. They needed a system that could handle basic tasks like entering and scheduling jobs, tracking their progress, and be compatible with both Apple and Android devices due to their BYOD policy. Sarah spent 6-8 weeks searching for the right tool to meet these requirements. The challenge was not only to find a suitable tool but also to ensure a smooth transition from the old system to the new one.
The Solution
Sarah and Myles decided to implement Fergus, a job management software, in their business. They trialed Fergus over the Christmas period and found it to be a good fit for their needs. The transition to the new system was smoother than anticipated. They integrated Fergus with Xero Accounting Software and gradually explored the different features of the app to maximize its benefits for their business. The Fergus dashboard provided a visual representation of the movement of jobs through the workflow, and the ability to track job or customer history was a significant improvement over their old database. The software was well-received by their technicians, who could view the schedule in advance, query things ahead of time, and prepare themselves for the week ahead. This led to a significant reduction in administrative tasks by 66%.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
Case Study missing?
Start adding your own!
Register with your work email and create a new case study profile for your business.
Related Case Studies.
Case Study
Smart Water Filtration Systems
Before working with Ayla Networks, Ozner was already using cloud connectivity to identify and solve water-filtration system malfunctions as well as to monitor filter cartridges for replacements.But, in June 2015, Ozner executives talked with Ayla about how the company might further improve its water systems with IoT technology. They liked what they heard from Ayla, but the executives needed to be sure that Ayla’s Agile IoT Platform provided the security and reliability Ozner required.
Case Study
IoT enabled Fleet Management with MindSphere
In view of growing competition, Gämmerler had a strong need to remain competitive via process optimization, reliability and gentle handling of printed products, even at highest press speeds. In addition, a digitalization initiative also included developing a key differentiation via data-driven services offers.
Case Study
Predictive Maintenance for Industrial Chillers
For global leaders in the industrial chiller manufacturing, reliability of the entire production process is of the utmost importance. Chillers are refrigeration systems that produce ice water to provide cooling for a process or industrial application. One of those leaders sought a way to respond to asset performance issues, even before they occur. The intelligence to guarantee maximum reliability of cooling devices is embedded (pre-alarming). A pre-alarming phase means that the cooling device still works, but symptoms may appear, telling manufacturers that a failure is likely to occur in the near future. Chillers who are not internet connected at that moment, provide little insight in this pre-alarming phase.
Case Study
Premium Appliance Producer Innovates with Internet of Everything
Sub-Zero faced the largest product launch in the company’s history:It wanted to launch 60 new products as scheduled while simultaneously opening a new “greenfield” production facility, yet still adhering to stringent quality requirements and manage issues from new supply-chain partners. A the same time, it wanted to increase staff productivity time and collaboration while reducing travel and costs.
Case Study
Integration of PLC with IoT for Bosch Rexroth
The application arises from the need to monitor and anticipate the problems of one or more machines managed by a PLC. These problems, often resulting from the accumulation over time of small discrepancies, require, when they occur, ex post technical operations maintenance.
Case Study
Robot Saves Money and Time for US Custom Molding Company
Injection Technology (Itech) is a custom molder for a variety of clients that require precision plastic parts for such products as electric meter covers, dental appliance cases and spools. With 95 employees operating 23 molding machines in a 30,000 square foot plant, Itech wanted to reduce man hours and increase efficiency.
