How ServiceTitan gives Iron Dog full visibility into every service agreement

A couple years ago, Iron Dog, a fixture in Halifax, Nova Scotia, since 1971, was stuck. Using outdated software, the company was struggling to execute service agreements – a great revenue generator for any commercial contractor's business.

There was little information on phone calls or estimates, which led to missed sales opportunities. Often, workers at the commercial plumbing, HVAC, electrical and oil and gas shop were unsure if a service agreement had been completed.

“We had little, probably zero visual insight into any aspect of that,” said Martin Laycock, the VP of finance administration who joined Iron Dog in November 2023. “It was run the contracts, hope to God the Excel spreadsheet is correct, and move forward with that.”

Just finding simple details about a service visit became a software safari. Their software provided information about the equipment, but how many times was it serviced? Were parts changed? If so, how many hours were charged? At what price?

“We weren't getting what we needed out of (this) software,” Laycock said. “It was incredibly antiquated.”

Everything changed when Iron Dog switched to ServiceTitan. 

Actual visibility

Laycock, with a finance background, and Naseef Zaki, a data analyst, were brought in to help the transition to the new platform in May 2024.

They can’t believe the difference.

Now, Iron Dog manages about 600 agreements, using the service agreements feature to get detailed insight into the contracts, costs, maintenance visits, etc. 

• Zaki sits with management each week perusing reports that show visit completion percentages and which service agreements are profitable. 

There’s a weekly sales meeting with data and charts monitoring sales progress. All calls are recorded, so Laycock can replay them when needed. And there is better follow-up on sales opportunities and estimates.

“The accountability is there, the audit trail is there,” Laycock said.

All of that information is easily accessed from the only platform Iron Dog needs to manage its commercial and construction work.

“In terms of visibility, being on top of it, it’s something we probably never imagined was possible,” Zaki said.

Improved invoicing, more accountability

More efficient invoicing has been another big win for Iron Dog, which routinely had 100-200 unpaid invoices sitting for 90-plus days pre-ServiceTitan. That number is now zero, and late payments are down across the board.

• “We've had a 60% decrease in outstanding invoices,” Laycock said. “The ease of use for the app for the techs, improved pricebook, the purchase order processing ... everything's improved.”

The ripple effect has been felt throughout the company.

“It means our cash position is significantly better,” Laycock said. “Our customers are happier, because they're getting invoices in a timely manner. It means our staff is happier. The techs benefit because it's off their plate. Our invoicing team benefits.”

Some other areas where ServiceTitan has made an impact.

• Project management: Iron Dog gets roughly 50% of its business from commercial projects, and Zaki said ServiceTitan helps the company make better use of resources. “We can (see) the projects where the labor has gone up a bit … so we can maneuver some of the hours from a different project.”

• Setting alerts: This feature helps when, say, a customer is sent a proposal. “We set up an alert, and whenever that gets signed, we'll get a notification,” Zaki said. 

• Updates: ServiceTitan’s push to improve doesn’t go unnoticed. “That's probably one of the biggest reasons to adopt ServiceTitan,” Zaki said. “It constantly releases updates, which helps us improve the business processes.”

Those updates are a product of one of ServiceTitan’s biggest strengths.

Actually listening to feedback

Laycock and Zaki say they feel heard by ServiceTitan.

Laycock recently dealt with an issue causing Iron Dog problems with its project management.

“This was not an easy fix,” he said.

He was blown away by ServiceTitan’s response.

• “Just the level of engagement,” he said. “I've done a few of these (software) transitions, but this is the first time anyone's actually listened to the feedback, took it, and made the changes.”

ServiceTitan has also impressed with its continuous investments in the commercial side of its business.

“The things that we constantly see coming (from ServiceTitan) really speak to the commitment,” Laycock said. 

It gives him hope for Iron Dog’s future.

“We want to grow the company, and we want to be an industry leader,” he said. “And in order to do that, you have to make the right investments, and (have) the right software. 

“I think we all agree that ServiceTitan was the right investment.”