As iTransport4U’s reputation began to grow, its business began to scale. However, many of the existing processes that worked fine for a tiny business caused gridlock as the staff and traffic grew. Office staff tracked orders, quotes, insurance, and invoices via email. Delivery techs were driving around with 2-3 inches of paper orders, invoices, and installation notes on clipboards. It was hard to enforce quality control measures, plan van routes, and communicate delivery times, when so much of the data was floating around in disconnected documents.

Hearing all this, the Angel City Data team quickly sized things up and stepped in to help. First up, was a digital CRM and Work Order System, so the entire team could create, edit, and view all the jobs they had, without scrolling endlessly through emails. ACD built this with FileMaker Pro, which was the ideal platform for iTransport4u’s growth and rapid changes. We later added invoicing, insurance tracking, and other logistical information so that all the details surrounding a job were in one place. This new centerpiece served as the perfect staging area for what came next.

The new system helped the administrative staff be more productive, and the change was immediately noticeable. However, the road warriors in the delivery vans were still relying on clipboards and stacks of paperwork for each of their trips. That’s when the team at ACD crafted a mobile version of the system for tablet use, designed specifically for the road. The technicians now have live access to where they’re going, what they’re picking up or delivering, and can even collect signatures from the recipients when a delivery is complete. The live access also means that the office staff can update the drivers in real time with any new pickups or schedule changes.

iTransport4U continues to grow. They continue to add more vans to their growing fleet as Bob and the team continue in their nationwide expansion. ACD is continually working with them to discuss new innovations and enhancements to their system, like customer web portals, integration with accounting, automation, and other efficiency improvements. This dynamic company has surrounded themselves with world-class tools and has open road ahead of them for even more growth and prosperity.

Bryan Exhaust Service is a veteran-owned, family operation that has been in business for over 40 years. They continue to thrive by offering highly-trained experts along with state-of-the-art tools to ensure that kitchen hoods and exhaust systems are clean and operating at maximum efficiency. Their lead technicians average over ten years of experience in the industry. They are a dedicated team that services restaurants across Southern California and they take pride in the impact they make on a daily basis.

When Angel City Data met Bryan Exhaust, they had some workflow build-up of their own. They needed to improve their processes when it came to providing estimates, scheduling, work orders, and more. They relied heavily on printing work orders throughout the day, utilizing mounds of paper and loads of ink. They struggled with many things that other businesses struggle with:

Drowning in paper.
Redundant data entry.
Minimal automation.
Inadequate reporting.

The cost of doing nothing was actually costing thousands.

At Angel City Data, we’d heard this all before.

After listening and learning about Bryan Exhaust’s challenges, Angel City was able to provide a digital transformation. Not only did we reduce their reliance on paper with a custom-built Claris Pro app, but we also automated their processes and streamlined their services. A key ingredient of this effort was the tailored mobile app for their technicians, allowing them to acquire their work orders in-app without physically driving in to the office. All those hours previously spent in LA’s famous rush-hour traffic, are now spent as (billable) time working with clients.

Less gas and paper.

More time and revenue.

Like in other ACD systems, we created a job log dashboard, that allows the home base team and field technicians to be on the same page. Using simple taps in their mobile app, techs can now view contact information, effortlessly review work orders, get turn-by-turn directions to service locations, and review crucial job details from one, centralized place. Once onsite, all work is now processed in real time, saving everyone hours throughout their week. Fewer calls, emails, and texts between staff are happening, because updates happen everywhere in real time. Their newest mobile feature extends these benefits to their customers, allowing for the immediate receipt of completed work orders via email and SMS/MMS text message. Detailed deficiency reports are generated automatically upon the completion of every job. These reports are quickly filed and the work performed is now billed within 24 hours – compared to weeks using their previous workflow. These simple changes can dramatically improve a small business’ cash flow.

Old Dog, New Tricks.

Our own Joe Gold made us aware of Apex’s mission, and how their impact was diminished not only due to the tracking and paperwork associated with any non-profit, but also with the care and management of live animals. Detailed tracking was needed to specify each animal’s diet, medications, exercise schedule, etc. Unlike many non-profits, Apex is also a 24-hour operation, with a lot of coordination and handoff between various volunteers. A volunteer may come in to work and immediately need to be updated on an injury or change in a wolf’s condition or dietary requirements.

The past few years under the cloud of covid-19 have made running any business more difficult. Smaller budgets, higher inflation, and fewer in-person events have caused many non-profits to struggle more than usual. Apex has experienced many of these challenges and others. At Angel City Data, we decided further help was ours to give. We decided on a three-pronged approach to assist Apex:

Lights.

Camera.

Action.