How Advance Electrical Services York Ltd
ditched the whiteboard and took control with FieldPal
Advanced Electrical Services, a trusted electrical firm based in York and run by Matthew Chipchase and Paul Buckland, was doing what many small businesses do, juggling jobs, teams, and admin with a combination of “old-school” tools and modern-day workarounds.
The Challenge
Advanced Electrical faced some classic headaches:
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Limited visibility: The whiteboard only showed a week at a time. Anything beyond that? Out of sight, out of mind.
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Photo chaos: Engineers would send job photos via WhatsApp, leaving admin to match each photo to the right job. Sorting it all was a daily headache.
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Lost paperwork: Worksheets sometimes went missing, which meant completed jobs sometimes slipped through the cracks, no paperwork, no invoice.
“We were running everything off a whiteboard and a paper diary. It did the job, but only just .We could see a week ahead, after that, it was anyone’s guess.”
The Solution: FieldPal
Matthew and his team turned to FieldPal for a solution that wouldn’t complicate their lives but would finally put them in control.
A Calendar That Actually Works
FieldPal’s web-based calendar replaced the whiteboard, making it easy to plan jobs days or even weeks ahead. Everyone sees the same up-to-date schedule, whether they’re in the office or out in the van.“No more crowding round the board on a Monday morning. It’s all there on our phones or laptops,” says Matthew.
Everything in One Place
All job details, photos, and updates are stored in FieldPal’s secure portal, no more “Where’s that picture?” or “Who’s got the worksheet?” moments.“It’s made life a lot easier,” Matthew says. “We don’t have to chase each other for info anymore and the ability to quickly search the portal for detailed job information is a huge improvement.”
Less Admin, More Doing
With FieldPal, the admin team no longer spends hours each week piecing together job info. Everything’s logged as it happens, cutting down on phone calls and unnecessary back-and-forth.
Bonus Win: On-the-Fly Job Creation
One unexpected benefit? Electricians can create new jobs on-site, directly from the app. If something crops up, it’s logged straight away, no more missed jobs or lost invoices.
The Results
Since introducing FieldPal, Advanced Electrical has:
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Planned jobs well in advance, not just week by week.
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Stopped losing track of photos and paperwork.
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Cut admin time and improved invoicing accuracy.
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Made it easy for everyone to stay in the loop.
It’s so simple to use. The lads picked it up straight away. It’s not rocket science, it just works.
Matthew Chipchase, Advanced Electrical Services (York) Ltd.
Conclusion
Advanced Electrical now runs smoother than ever, with fewer headaches and more time to focus on what really matters, the work itself. FieldPal gave them the tools to get organised without adding complexity, helping them turn everyday chaos into calm.
Field-tested by real electricians in tight spaces, cold lofts, and awkward stair cupboards!
