Whatever you need,

There’s an app for everything these days, and we’re increasingly relying on them to organise our lives. Registered Gas Engineer shines a light on some of the apps and websites that could make your work life easier and give you back precious free time.

Fergus

Fergus is field service management software that gives engineers easy-to-use tools to organise their business. Fergus was designed for the trade and can manage every aspect of a heating and plumbing job, from quote to completion and final payment.

Features include:

• Build quotes and estimates; schedule, track and manage jobs

• Invoicing and purchase orders

• Create reports on the health of your business

• View job profit margins and timesheets.

Founder Dan Pollard says: “Over 75 per cent of tradespeople are still using manual, paper-based systems to manage their businesses. This leads to poor cashflow, lower profits,and significant stress. Fergus frees up the time engineers would otherwise have spent on business admin, so they can enjoy more time doing the things they love.”

What the engineers say: “The beauty of Fergus is that even before a job even starts, we know how much money we’re going to make on it – it puts us in a position where we always win.” – Allied Plumbing & Heating.

From: Fergus

Platforms: Web-based software for any internet-enabled device

Cost: Free simplified version; paid-for plans starting at £20 per month www.fergus.com

Surefire

Surefire is a customer relationship management (CRM) system, built by plumbing and heating engineer Billy Wilgar specifically to help gas engineers run their business. Features include:

• Support creating and sending quotes

• Diary management

• Payment gateways

• Accounting software

• Service and CP12 reminders

• Stock control

• Vehicle tracking

• Route optimisation

• Integration with Plumb Center and PartsArena accounts. Founder Billy Wilgar says: “Surefire pulls all the elements of running a plumbing and heating business together seamlessly, from initial enquiry/lead, right through to the life of any and all appliances. A lot of engineers use multiple apps and software that don’t communicate with each other, but Surefire synchronises all these requirements, saving time and money by increasing their efficiency. It works for any size of business.”

Don’t forget that you can also stay up to date with the latest industry news and previous issues with Registered Gas Engineer’s free app, available on iOS and Android.

What engineers say: “Surefire is an excellent online tool for plumbers. It has made our life a lot easier because there is so much that this system is able to do. I would definitely recommend Surefire to any similar company.” – Michael Hollands, Hollands Heating & Plumbing

From: Surefire Software

Platforms: Web-based software for any internet-enabled device Cost: From £30 per month www.surefiresoftware.co.uk