CRM Automation for Trades Businesses
Quote, book, invoice, ask for the review. Automated.
Most trades businesses lose money in the same places: quotes that go unsent, jobs whose progress isn't logged, invoices that go out late, reviews that never get asked for. None of these need a bigger team — they need automation. We build CRM systems specifically for trades, with mobile-first interfaces (because tradespeople are on a van, not at a desk) and the workflow your business actually runs.
The pain we keep hearing
- Quotes go out days late, or not at all. Customer rang for a quote on Tuesday. You meant to write it up that evening. Now it's next Monday. They've already booked the next plumber/electrician/builder.
- No idea what's scheduled this week. Diary lives in your head, jobs board, and three text-message threads. Double-bookings happen. Customers chase you for updates.
- Invoices late = cashflow late. Job done Friday. Invoice raised the following Wednesday at best. Payment terms 30 days. Money in 5+ weeks for work done in 2 days. Compounds.
- Reviews never asked for. You do good work. Customers would happily leave a review if you asked. You don't ask. Competitors get 3 reviews a week, you get 1 a quarter, your ranking falls behind.
What we typically build
Mobile-first quote-to-job workflow
Quote drafted on phone after the site visit (10 minutes vs an evening at a laptop). Customer accepts via SMS link. Auto-converts to scheduled job. Calendar synced across your team.
Live job-tracking
Each job has a status: quoted → accepted → scheduled → in-progress → complete → invoiced → paid. Visible to your team. Auto-updates customer at each stage if you want.
Auto-invoicing on job completion
Job marked complete → invoice auto-drafts → sent within minutes (or held for review). Stripe / GoCardless / bank-transfer payment. Reminders sent automatically until paid.
Automated review requests
Invoice paid → 48-hour delay → SMS asking for a Google review with a one-tap link. Doubles or triples review velocity. Lifts your local SEO. No extra effort.
Where it applies
- Plumbers & heating engineers. Domestic plumbing, boiler installs, emergency callouts — high job volume, variable urgency.
- Electricians. Domestic + light commercial — testing, installs, certifications.
- Builders & renovation. Multi-week projects with milestones, materials tracking, multiple subcontractors.
- Landscapers / gardeners. Recurring maintenance customers + one-off projects — different scheduling needs.
- Roofers, decorators, drivers, removals. Same underlying pattern, same automation pays off.
How we deliver — 5 phases
Discovery
30-min call + 60-90 min structured scoping. Fixed-price quote.
Design
Architecture doc, you sign off before any code.
Build
Git from day 1, weekly demos.
Deploy
Shadow mode → restricted live → full live.
Handover
Docs, runbook, training, 30 days bug-fix.
Full methodology at how we build.
Pricing guidance
Basic CRM + quote/invoice flow £1,800–£3,500. Add review automation + scheduling £1,000–£2,000. Full trades suite (live job tracking, customer portal, recurring scheduling) £4,500–£6,500. Monthly run £80–£250.
Where we're based
Wisbech-based, covering Cambridgeshire and surrounds.
Nearby areas we cover
- Cambridge (CB1–CB4)
- Peterborough (PE1–PE9)
- Wisbech (PE13)
- Ely (CB7)
- Huntingdon (PE29)
- St Neots (PE19)
Real engagement walkthroughs
No fabricated testimonials here. Instead, see what real engagements look like end-to-end:
Related services
Frequently asked questions
I use Tradify / ServiceM8 / Jobber already — do I need this?
If they're working for you, keep them. We can extend them with custom automation (auto-review requests, smart scheduling). If they're not working, we can replace them with a custom system that fits your specific workflow.
Will my guys actually use it?
It's mobile-first because that's how trades teams work. Most onboard in a single afternoon of training. We deliberately make the daily interactions (job status, quote update, invoice trigger) require ≤3 taps.
What about accounting integration?
Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, FreeAgent all supported. Invoices auto-sync. No double-entry.
Does it work without internet on a job site?
Yes — mobile interface caches actions offline, syncs when signal returns. Important for rural job sites.
Can customers see their job progress?
Optional customer portal: real-time job status, photos of work in progress, invoice/payment history. Cuts "any update?" phone calls materially.
How fast until I see the cashflow benefit?
Cashflow improvement (auto-invoicing) often visible in 2 weeks of going live. Quote-to-acceptance speed: immediate. Review velocity: 4–8 weeks of compounding.
Start with a 30-minute call
Tell us about the workflow that's costing you the most time. We'll tell you honestly whether automation pays back for your specific case.