Dispatched jobs, signed off from the truck.
Custom field-service app with jobs, dispatch, mobile forms, offline sync, and photo capture. PWA or React Native. Monthly subscription delivery.
Who this is for
Service or trade company dispatching technicians where paper forms and phone calls still run the day, and there's no visibility into job status until the tech calls in.
The pain today
- Paper job sheets getting lost or illegible
- Dispatchers on the phone all day coordinating tech schedules
- Photos of completed work living on tech phones, not the office
- No visibility into current job status until end of day
- Service Titan or ServiceMax overkill and $500+/mo per tech
The outcome you get
- Dispatch board showing every tech, every job, every status in real time
- Mobile app for technicians — jobs, forms, photos, signature, sign-off
- Offline sync — techs work through dead zones, data syncs on reconnect
- Photo and video capture with auto-upload when connectivity returns
- Customer-facing updates — ETA texts, tech-on-the-way, on-site, complete
Mobile-first PWA vs React Native
Two paths. Progressive Web App (PWA): installable from browser, works on iOS and Android, single codebase with the web app, offline via service workers, access to camera and GPS, no app store friction. React Native: native feel, better camera performance, more offline-robust, app store distribution. For most field service apps, PWA covers 90% of needs at 30% of the maintenance cost. React Native becomes right when you need heavy offline work (full day without connectivity), high-quality camera capture for documentation, or push notifications that don't go through browser notification APIs. I'll assess in week 1; PWA first, React Native when PWA ceiling is real.
Offline sync patterns
Field techs work in basements, job sites, rural areas — connectivity is not a given. Offline-first architecture: local database (IndexedDB for PWA, SQLite for React Native) holds the day's jobs, completed work, photos. Sync protocol: push local changes to server on reconnect, pull server changes, resolve conflicts (most conflicts are additive — two photos added offline don't conflict; overlapping edits are rare in field service). Photos queue in IndexedDB and upload in background when bandwidth returns. Techs see pending-sync indicators so they know what's in the queue. The pattern is standard mobile-first engineering; getting it right is tedious but well-understood.
Dispatch and routing integrations
Dispatcher tools: drag-and-drop job assignment, filter by tech availability and skills, automatic routing by proximity. Route optimization: integrate with Mapbox, Google Directions, or dedicated routing (e.g., Routific) depending on complexity. For single-day route optimization (8–12 jobs per tech), Google Directions is enough. For multi-day or multi-tech optimization with constraints (skill, vehicle type, priority), dedicated routing helps. I scope per your actual dispatch complexity — small shops with 3 techs don't need route optimization; 50-tech ops often do. Customer-facing ETA updates fire automatically based on tech location and job status.
Forms and documentation
Digital forms replace paper. Form builder: checkboxes, inputs, photos required, customer signature capture. Forms configured per job type (e.g., HVAC service differs from plumbing install). Photos tagged to specific form fields (before, after, nameplate). Customer signature on iPad or tech's phone. PDF generation on sign-off with tech name, timestamp, GPS coordinates (optional) — legally compliant for most service categories, often accepted in court. Forms customizable without engineer intervention so ops can add new job types as business grows.
Pricing
Field service apps fit the Applications Standard tier at $3,499/mo for typical ops (single dispatch center, 5–30 techs, standard job types). Pro at $4,500/mo for larger scale (multi-location dispatch, 100+ techs, route optimization, complex compliance). First-version timeline: 5–7 weeks. Subscription continues through iteration — field service apps always find new edge cases when real techs use them (customer not home, wrong part, emergency upgrade). 14-day money-back, cancel anytime, Work Made for Hire.
When Service Titan or Housecall Pro is enough
For HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and similar trades, Service Titan ($400/tech/mo) or Housecall Pro ($65–200/tech/mo) cover the standard features well. Custom becomes worth it when your service model doesn't fit the standard playbook — specialized industries (elevator service, medical equipment, cannabis), complex multi-visit jobs (solar install, HVAC replacement with staged deliveries), or when fleet integration (vehicle telematics, parts inventory on truck) is central. I'll tell you honestly in the first call. Custom field service is a meaningful investment; the math has to justify it against the off-the-shelf options.
Frequently asked questions
The questions prospects ask before they book.
- Does it work offline?
- Yes — core PWA or React Native architecture holds jobs, forms, photos in local storage. Techs work through dead zones; data syncs when connectivity returns. Photos queue and upload in background. Tech sees pending-sync indicators so they know what's queued.
- Can customers see tech ETA?
- Yes — customer-facing tracking page (similar to Uber) updates with tech's current status: scheduled, on-the-way (with ETA from GPS), on-site, complete. SMS notifications at each stage. Reduces no-customer-home situations significantly.
- How does it integrate with QuickBooks for invoicing?
- Completed job auto-generates invoice draft in QuickBooks Online with line items, parts, labor, tax. Tech can accept payment on-site via Stripe (card, ACH, Apple Pay) and invoice marks paid. Unpaid jobs flow into QuickBooks receivables. Native QuickBooks Online integration standard; Desktop needs an additional connector.
- What about parts inventory on the truck?
- Truck inventory supported as a specialized location in the inventory module. Techs decrement parts used on each job. Low-parts alerts notify dispatcher to restock. For deep fleet management (vehicle telematics, fuel, maintenance), specialized integrations (Samsara, Fleetio) layer on.
- How secure is customer data in the field?
- All local data encrypted at rest. Auth required on each app open (optional biometric). Lost-device revocation — dispatcher can remotely invalidate the tech's session. Photos and signatures encrypted in transit. GDPR/CCPA-compliant deletion of customer data when required. Security questionnaire answers ready for vendor reviews.
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