Home > Case studies > Safe Side Security Streamlines Operations with FieldHub Software

Safe Side Security Streamlines Operations with FieldHub Software

Company:

Safe Side Security

Industry:

Security and Investigations

Website:

https://safeside.com/

Company Overview

Established in Davis, California in 1983. For over 35 years, we have provided design, installation, monitoring, and servicing of security systems. We are the “local” company serving Yolo, Sacramento, Placer, Solano Counties, and the surrounding areas. As active members in the Sacramento Area Alarm Association and the California Alarm Association, we continue to work with our fire departments and law enforcement agencies on local and national industry issues.

We take pride in providing each customer with a professionally installed, user-friendly system tailored to fit their needs. Service is a high priority, with technicians on call 24 hours a day. Our systems are monitored by our U.L. central station located in Sacramento, California.

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Challenges

Safe Side Security recently adopted FieldHub, an innovative cloud-based software uniquely designed for the security industry, to automate and streamline operations and accounting.

Their migration process included a scripted data import of 10+ years of accounting, customer, and resourcing data from their legacy software, bolstered by excellent support and responsiveness from the FieldHub staff.

The new platform offers seamless integrations and has significantly improved Safe Side's day-to-day workflow and efficiency.
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Safe Side Security's Need for Modernization

Safe Side Security, a California-based company that offers design, installation, monitoring, and servicing of security systems, with 40 years of experience, needed something new.

Safe Side was using outdated legacy operations and accounting software that had not been significantly updated in many years, which led to ongoing issues and gaps in service. It also required a major investment in IT infrastructure to support the requirements of the software. Before making the investment, Safe Side decided to explore their options.

Evaluating Software Options

Safe Side’s requirements for new software included:

Maintaining 10+ years of existing data from their legacy software, without downtime between systems
Adaptation of a modern web-based system, with an intuitive interface for management, back office and field staff to use from anywhere
Ability to use a field technician mobile app for time, material, and project tracking that worked without continuous data service
Maintainance or improvement of all required processes, such as recurring billing automation and revenue recognition
Improvement of operational efficiency
Integration of their existing configure, price, quote (CPQ) system

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Solutions by FieldHub

After an extensive review of available products and on recommendation of trusted partners, FieldHub was identified as the solution to best meet their needs. The cloud-based, modern software is feature-rich and designed for security integrators by people who know the industry. It offers excellent workflow and automation, including field service management, recurring billing automation and recognition, and reporting. FieldHub's import scripts streamlined the move from their legacy software, seamlessly bringing over customer and systems history.

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Results

A Fully Supported Migration

Introducing all-in-one operations software to an existing business means changes to processes and workflows for teams throughout the business. The process needs to be managed effectively and delicately for both a smooth migration and to get the most out of the software, without impact on any customers or vendors.

Preparing for a smooth transition and minimal disruption

The team at FieldHub supported Safe Side throughout the procurement, pilot, training, data migration and go-live processes. It was a smooth transition from legacy software, keeping the integrity of 10+ years of accounting, customer, and resourcing data.

Harnessing FieldHub’s Scripted Import

FieldHub used a scripted import process to bring the data across efficiently. This involved:

Configuration of a new FieldHub environment tailored to Safe Side's needs
Review of test data exported from the legacy software, including customer and systems history, service history, vendors, and manufacturers
Recurring services, including billing, labor and even notes were all part of the scripted migration to ensure there was no down time for ongoing projects or billing.
On the scheduled "cut over" date, FieldHub deployed their new cloud based operations and accounting environment.
Implementing comprehensive team training and regular check-ins
FieldHub provided training sessions for the whole team, with regular check-ins, and a dedicated project manager to understand Safe Side’s specific needs. This was essential to adopt any new processes and handle intricacies within their business that needed to be reflected in the software setup.

“Laura and the FieldHub implementation team are fantastic. They have been responsive to our needs throughout the process. Any issues or challenges we had were addressed with a quick Zoom call and they were patient in supporting us through the transition" –Jon Klosinski, General Manager

FieldHub Works with Existing Software and Add-ons

FieldHub’s API offers seamless integrations, and support for add-on products with the ability to link invoices to payment tools.

Benefit: faster sales proposals with customer details mapped to jobs

This meant that Safe Side could keep their existing configure, price, quote (CPQ) software using a streamlined integration with FieldHub. Sales proposals are built effortlessly, saving time and removing duplicate data entry.

For each proposal, relevant customer information flows back to be available in FieldHub and into the automated workflows that the software offers.

"My day-to-day workflow has improved. Some daily processes used to take five or ten minutes and are now nearly instant." — Klosinski

Benefit: opportunity to get competitive pricing on credit card and ACH payment processors

Safe Side had the option to retain their existing credit card and ACH payment processor but chose to move to a new processor for better pricing and service. FieldHub offers a number of merchant service options available to Customers.

Safe Side’s team saw cost savings, automation and remote work uniquely empowered by FieldHub

Enabling significant cost savings

Safe Side estimates their savings were around $10,000 from day one, and another $10,000 in savings per year, by moving to FieldHub. Jon Klosinski (General Manager, Safe Side) noted that, “switching to FieldHub saved us significantly from day one because we did not need to maintain servers and software licenses."

Improving remote functionality

FieldHub also enabled Safe Side's field team to do more of their tasks remotely, as the system is designed for all devices with a web browser. This was a big leap forward from their previous client server software, as their field and back office teams were previously required to use cumbersome 3rd party VPN applications and remote desktop in some field locations.

The remote functionality also allowed for real-time tracking of the movement and installation of job material, which is reflected in the installation and service records of each customer or business.

Automating and Streamlining Invoicing & Accounting

Billing automation was an important requirement that Safe Side had specified, and FieldHub is pleased to offer it. “This is an automated feature of FieldHub that is always invoicing, always collecting” - Miles Fawcett, FieldHub CEO

FieldHub software automatically invoices and charges customers, handles revenue recognition and deferment at the required intervals, and eliminates the need for batch processing of statements, recurring invoicing, and payment processing.
Safe Side could easily view the items, resources, work orders, and proposals associated with each invoice without the need for manual entry.
FieldHub software also tracks when customers have received an invoice through email tracking, and customers can easily pay their recurring or one-off invoices through a link.
Unpaid invoices are accessible in both the customer's records and general collections records for management.

Closing the gaps in functionality

Safe Side’s team acknowledges they no longer need to perform work-arounds due to the gaps in the legacy software they were using. “[FieldHub] fixed many of the issues we have with our legacy software. It is really impressive” - Klosinski.

Offering frequent product updates

The software is highly supported and FieldHub listens to their customers. This results in frequent releases (at least monthly) to improve features and continually provide value. “Feature updates are driven by customer feedback, so we’re very responsive to the requests from our customers” - Fawcett

FieldHub + Safe Side = a more efficient match

Safe Side was looking for a comprehensive solution to enhance their operations. FieldHub was integrated smoothly into their business with a scripted migration and full support, and delivered over and above expectations. It improved Safe Side's day-to-day workflow and efficiency, along with cost savings.

"FieldHub's modern and comprehensive software for accounting and operations has helped us to streamline. The team has supported us at every step, and our operations are already benefiting.", Jessica Saar Klosinski, Vice President Safe Side Security Inc.
Built by experts in security installation systems who were looking for a better way to do business, FieldHub is specifically designed for businesses like Safe Side Security.

What is FieldHub?

FieldHub is an all-in-one cloud accounting and ERP system, uniquely designed for business operations of field service and security system installers. It provides a single system to manage leads and proposals; manage projects and field service operations; track inventory; and automate recurring and deferred revenue management.

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