Commercial Blinds Installer, Jesse Blinds and Shutters Moves to a Software Solution

by | May 9, 2022

About Jesse Blinds & Shutters

Family-run business, Jesse Blinds & Shutters, has been operating since 1981 and has 3 generations working together. The business is a commercial blind and shutter installer, operating across the country and working with a variety of businesses. It offers a diverse range of products inspired by growing trends and customer feedback.

What challenges did you face? Why did you feel the need for this software in the first place?

In 2021, we were still working on a paper-based system of raising job numbers in a book, creating paper copies of orders for manufacturing and sending job sheets to the site prior to installation for the customer to sign.

If job sheets were lost in the process, it created a problem. Even asking a customer to sign it was embarrassing. Every other aspect of our business is now online so it made perfect sense to get a system in place for the manufacturing and fitting side of the business.

After a conversation with my Account Manager at Barclay Communications (a sister company of WorkPal) and explaining our need for tablet devices, they recommended the WorkPal solution. We knew right away that this was the exact thing we needed to put in place.

How has WorkPal benefitted you since you implemented the software?

It has streamlined the entire administration side of raising orders, from sending to the workshop to manufacturing and then arranging a team for installation. It helps keep all the information in one place and can be easily recalled when needed.

The tasks and parts feature means we can easily see when certain tasks are completed, for example, making sure photos of completed works are uploaded, vehicles are checked and customers have signed off on the job. We have noticed a much better response from the staff without the needing to remember.

How easy was WorkPal to implement into your business?

It was easy to implement and our staff found it simple to navigate. The added bonus is we could export all customer details from our accounts system straight into WorkPal making the setup much quicker.

WorkPal’s dedicated team of implementation specialists are focused on delivering a solution that integrates seamlessly with existing business processes to ensure a smooth transition. We take customers through a step-by-step process, showing end-users how to navigate the system, and giving them the opportunity to ask questions throughout the training.

Do you think you were given enough training and support with WorkPal and is there enough support post-set-up?

The system is very easy to operate so the training required is minimal, however, the support from WorkPal has been second to none. They scheduled numerous training meetings to ensure every area of the system was covered so our teams could fully utilize all features. They let us test the setup for a week prior to full roll-out, giving us the opportunity to improve processes before launching to all users. We were fully up and running within two weeks of signing the contract. We have been using the system for over 5 months and the WorkPal team still check in regularly to see if anything can be improved.

Would you recommend WorkPal to another company?

We would definitely recommend WorkPal to other businesses, especially when working out on sites.  It is very simple to set up and use.  The benefits of using this system far outweigh any monetary value.  WorkPal always seems to be continuously developing the system.