The Client
A successful HVAC contractor operating in the greater Toronto area with 8 technicians and $2.3M annual revenue. Despite strong market demand, they felt stuck at 4-5 jobs per technician per day and were considering hiring more crew. Before investing in new hires, they wanted to optimize their existing operation.
The Challenge
The owner was scheduling jobs using Google Maps and years of experience. While his routing wasn’t terrible, it was leaving gaps:
- Technicians sometimes waited for callbacks between jobs
- Reverse commutes ate into afternoon jobs
- New jobs weren’t getting fit into the optimal spot
- Travel time estimates were rough estimates, not data-driven
The real problem: they were leaving 10-15% of potential revenue on the table every month.
The Solution
We implemented an AI-powered dispatch system that:
- Analyzed 6 months of historical job data – Understanding real job duration vs. estimates
- Mapped optimal routes using real-time traffic data
- Recommended job sequencing based on location, timing, and crew skills
- Integrated with their existing CRM – Minimal workflow disruption
- Created a mobile app for technicians to track progress and navigation
The Results
After 3 months of optimization:
- Jobs per day increased from 4.2 to 5.7 average (+35%)
- Drive time down 22% – About 45 minutes less per technician per day
- Fuel costs reduced by approximately $3,800/month
- Quote-to-close time decreased as jobs got scheduled faster
- Technician retention improved – Less driving = happier crew
Revenue impact: That extra 1.5 jobs per day × 5 technicians × 250 working days = approximately 1,875 additional jobs annually. At their average service call value of $95, that’s $180k+ in incremental revenue from the same team.
Key Learnings
- Data matters – The system got smarter after the first 2 weeks as it learned their actual job durations
- Buy-in from crew is critical – Technicians were skeptical until they realized they’d spend less time driving
- Integration is everything – The system needed to work with their existing CRM, not replace it
- Continuous optimization – The system learns seasonal patterns, traffic changes, and job types
Their Quote
“We thought we’d need to hire 2 more technicians to hit our growth targets. Turns out, we had capacity we didn’t know about. The dispatch system paid for itself in the first month. This is the kind of practical AI that actually moves the needle.” — Owner, 8-Person HVAC Company
Curious whether dispatch optimization could work for your trades business? The first step is understanding your current routing efficiency.