The Two-Location Launch System
Client identity withheld.
Results
$70K
Booked revenue in 90 days, at the shop's own prices
3.1 → 3.4
Completed jobs per service tech per day
71% → 84%
First-time fix rate for techs with under 2 years' experience
5 → 1.5
Daily calls from each newer tech to a senior tech
78
Service calls booked by the phone assistant across both locations
18% → <2%
Calls left unanswered at the new location
Company Profile
Company
Residential HVAC shop with a newly opened second location. ~$1.65M revenue, 5 service techs (2 with under two years' experience), 2 installers, 1 dispatcher-CSR, and the owner. ~2,700 past customers.
Stack
Field-service management software with GPS, tablets in every truck, two business phone lines, Google Local Services Ads for both areas.
Operating Need
Run two locations with one office, and get newer techs productive without pulling seniors off their own jobs.
The Challenge
The second location was meant to capture growth on the other side of the river, but it stretched the shop thin. One dispatcher now answered two phone lines while planning routes for both areas, and calls at the new location often went unanswered. Techs crossed town because nobody had time to plan efficient routes. The two newer techs hired for the new location called a senior tech several times a day, and some jobs needed a second visit.
The Audit
We reviewed 60 days of calls on both lines, dispatch and GPS data, and job outcomes by tech.
Patterns Found
- About 18% of calls to the new location's line went unanswered
- Service techs averaged 3.1 jobs a day, with about 27% of paid hours spent driving
- Jobs were often assigned across town because routes were planned by hand
- Newer techs called a senior tech about 5 times a day
- First-time fix rate was 71% for newer techs against 89% for seniors
- The dispatcher had no single view across both locations
The expansion didn't need more office staff. It needed one system running both locations, and senior-level knowledge available on every job.
The Architecture
Three systems working as six parts, spanning both locations.
Call Handling
An AI assistant in backup mode answering both lines after 3 rings, on busy lines and after hours. It routes callers to the right location by zip code and books routine work.
Smart Dispatcher
Builds each morning's plan across both locations by skill, location and drive time, and proposes changes for the dispatcher to approve when emergencies come in.
Customer ETA Texts
Tells customers when their tech is on the way, with name and arrival time.
Tech's Pocket Expert
The tech photographs the unit's data plate or says the model number, and gets the manual, wiring diagram, error codes and likely causes, one test at a time, by voice.
Company Fix History
Loads the shop's past job notes so the Pocket Expert can say what fixed the same problem on the same model before.
Monday Recovered Revenue Report
One page every Monday by location, with calls answered, jobs per tech and dollars booked.
How the System Operates
The system answers, routes and guides. The dispatcher approves every schedule change, and techs make every diagnosis.
- Every schedule change is approved by the dispatcher before techs or customers are notified
- The Pocket Expert suggests tests; the tech decides and follows safety procedure
- Callers are routed to the right location by zip code
How It Flows
- 1The morning plan is built across both locations
- 2Calls on either line are answered and booked into the right schedule
- 3On site, newer techs diagnose with Pocket Expert support
- 4Every booking and job is logged on the Monday report by location
Schedule changes are reviewed by the dispatcher before they go out.
Implementation
| Stage | Focus | Key Results |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Two-location audit | Missed calls, drive time and repeat visits measured by location |
| Stage 2 | Setup and approval | Skills matrix, zip-code routing and dispatch rules approved |
| Stage 3 | Launch | Call Handling and Smart Dispatcher live across both locations |
| Stage 4 | Field support | Pocket Expert loaded with 3 years of job notes; Monday reports every week |
Ownership
The shop now has a multi-location setup it can repeat for a third location.
A skills matrix and dispatch rules for both locations
A searchable fix library built from its own job history
Zip-code routing for both service areas
Every call summary and Monday report
Operational Impact
The second location now runs like part of one shop. Both lines are answered, routes stay on the right side of town, and the dispatcher approves changes instead of rebuilding the board. Newer techs solve more on the first visit and become productive in months, while seniors stay on their own jobs.