Operations software for trade and service businesses

Custom software for trade businesses

Custom software for trades is operations software that mirrors exactly how your business works: from the enquiry on your website through quote, job scheduling and the technician's report to the invoice with a Swiss QR payment slip, all on one shared data set. It pays off when these steps are tightly linked in your business and off-the-shelf tools only cover parts of them. We built such a system for Karo Kanaltechnik: the website with its price calculator is live, while the web app for office, technicians and clients and the iOS app for iPhone and iPad are built and in testing.

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Screenshot Karo Kanaltechnik — Built for Karo Kanaltechnik

Starting point

The problem

The quote is written in Word, jobs live in a calendar, the technician fills in a paper report, and the invoice is typed into the accounting tool once more. The same details travel through the business three or four times. Off-the-shelf trade software often covers only part of this and forces the business into workflows that are not its own.

How it works

The workflow, day to day

01
Map the workflow
Together we walk through one job from the first call to the paid invoice: which lists, Excel files, paper reports and programs are involved today, and where details are entered twice.
02
Define the core
We decide what has to work first, often job, report and invoice, and what follows in later stages. The result is a prioritised list rather than a specification that ends up in a drawer.
03
Build in stages
You get early test access and see every stage in the browser and, if an iOS app is part of it, through TestFlight on your own iPhone or iPad.
04
Migrate the data
Addresses, properties and open documents from the previous software are imported once. A dry run first shows what arrives and what needs cleaning up.
05
Testing with real cases
Before emails go out to clients, the software's outbox stays set to «internal»: every message is stored and visible in the office but not sent. This lets the team check the workflows on real jobs. That is Karo's current stage.
06
In operation: enquiry becomes job
The client calculates an indicative price on the website and sends the enquiry. The office prepares the quote, the client accepts it via link, and the job is assigned to a technician.
07
In operation: report becomes invoice
The technician reports on site, with photos and signature, even without signal. The office reviews and approves, the QR invoice is created from the report lines, and outstanding amounts move into dunning.
08
Keep developing
New modules are added when day-to-day work calls for them, such as a commission module or finer access rights in the client portal. The shared data set stays the foundation.

Modules

What the solution is made of

Every module has been built in at least one client project. Which modules you need is clarified in the first conversation.

Price calculator and enquiry on the website
Visitors choose the type of property and the scope of work and immediately see an indicative price range. Then they decide how to continue: call-back, preferred appointment or a WhatsApp link with a pre-written message. The enquiry lands as a lead in the software and, in addition, by email in the office.
Quotes with online acceptance
The office builds the quote from items in its own product catalogue and generates a PDF. The client accepts via a private link without logging in, and the accepted quote becomes the job. Quote and job numbers are issued sequentially without duplicates.
Jobs, planning and dispatch
Jobs with line items, multiple appointments, tasks and time tracking. Dispatch assigns work to technicians; the dispatch map shows a technician only with their consent, only during working hours and without a movement trail. An emergency helper shows who is closest as the crow flies.
Technician app for iPhone and iPad
An iOS app with «My day», route selection for the drive and a six-step report assistant: done, services, photos, price for the client, signature, send to office. Changes made without signal are stored locally and sent later. For Karo the app is built and in testing.
Report review in the office
A completed report moves the job to «For review». The office approves it or sends it back with a reason. Only after approval does the client see the report, and the invoice is created directly from the report lines, without retyping.
QR invoices and dunning
Invoices with a Swiss QR payment slip following the SIX guidelines, generated as a PDF on the server. Payment terms as chips, «mark as paid», and three dunning levels (reminder, first and second notice) with a QR slip for the outstanding amount. Due reminders show up in the cockpit.
Client portal for property managers
Clients such as property managers sign in with an email code and see their properties, jobs, approved reports, documents and invoices. Access can be restricted per client and per property. Large files such as sewer camera videos are shared through a protected transfer link.
Cockpit, statistics and website analytics
The cockpit shows outstanding amounts, due reminders, today's jobs and the pipeline by job status. Every figure in the statistics opens the list behind it. Website analytics work without cookies and without IP addresses and show the path from price calculator to enquiry.
Data migration from your previous software
Addresses, invoices, quotes and line items are imported once, starting with a dry run for checking. For Karo the data came from bexio. There is deliberately no ongoing sync with bexio; the new software is the leading system.

Architecture

How the parts fit together

Simplified view: who triggers what and where the data flows.

UserDeviceFrontendAdminServer / APIDatabaseExternal service

Built for

The case behind it

This is where the solution runs. The case shows screens, modules and the project history. Admin screens are shown with sample data only.

karokanal.ch

Website, Web App & iOS AppLive

Karo Kanaltechnik

Website with price calculator, business software from quote to QR invoice and an iOS app for iPhone and iPad (in testing)

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Pricing

What it costs

Custom software for trades is a web app and starts from CHF 10,000 for a first core that works in daily use. What comes on top depends on the modules, such as client portal, iOS app or dunning; after mapping your workflow you receive a quote with a fixed scope. The matching website costs CHF 3,000–25,000.

Web app / MVP
from CHF 10,000
Website
CHF 3,000–25,000
All prices excl. VAT.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How is this different from off-the-shelf trade software?

Off-the-shelf software comes with fixed workflows, and you adapt your business to them. Custom software mirrors your own workflow, for example an office review of every report before invoicing or access rights per property in the client portal. It is worth it mainly when quote, job, report and invoice are tightly linked and the standard tool covers only part of that.

Is Karo Kanaltechnik's software already in daily use?

The website with its price calculator is live. The web app for office, technicians and clients and the iOS app for iPhone and iPad are built and in testing. Emails to clients are held back until go-live; the team checks the workflows on real jobs first.

Do I need an iOS app?

No. The web app runs in the browser, including on phones. A dedicated iOS app makes sense when technicians often work without signal or rely heavily on camera, document scanner and full-screen signature. That is why Karo also has an app for iPhone and iPad, currently in testing.

Can we bring over our data from bexio or Excel?

Yes, as a one-time migration. For Karo we imported addresses, invoices, quotes and line items from bexio, starting with a dry run. Whether an ongoing interface is needed afterwards is decided during the project; at Karo the new software is the leading system.

What does custom software for trades cost?

A first core that works in daily use starts from CHF 10,000. The final price depends on the number of modules, for example client portal, iOS app or dunning. After mapping your workflow you receive a quote with a fixed scope.

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