A 2024 trade survey found that four in ten UK installers now use at least one digital tool purely “to save time on admin for business growth,” while another third say software helps them claw back work-life balance and cope with labour shortages. In other words, the move to tech is no longer about being flashy; it’s about getting your nights and weekends back.
Yet many small crews still resist. Old routines feel safer, and the horror stories—lost log-ins, expensive subscriptions—are real. The good news is that you can modernise one slice of the job-management lifecycle at a time and choose tools that suit your budget and comfort level. Below is a walk-through of each stage, the point-solution lots of fitters already use, and how an all-in-one platform such as FitterPal can eventually pull those pieces together.
Enquiry, survey & quoting
Most owners start by tracking leads on a whiteboard. A simple upgrade is a free Trello board: each card is a customer, and you drag it from “Enquiry” to “Quoted” to “Won.” Trello lives in the browser or on your phone and takes minutes to learn.
When it comes to quotes and visuals, many installers bolt on Tommy Trinder or WindowLink. The software lets you sketch frames over a customer’s photo, auto-prices the parts, and spits out a polished proposal—ideal if you sell a mix of PVC-u, aluminium and composites. Using a dedicated quoting app typically halves the back-and-forth required to finalise style and colour, because the homeowner can see the result instead of guessing.
FitterPal angle: in the unified workflow, leads enter once and the quote is generated inside the same system—no re-typing names or re-pricing extras.
Scheduling & crew management
Even with five jobs a week, diaries get messy when glass lead-times slip. Some fitters share a Google Calendar; others extend Trello with due dates. The friction comes when you need to shuffle three crews, two service calls and a mis-measured bay in real time.
That’s where job-management platforms—FitterPal, but also broader construction CRMs—earn their keep: one drag reschedules the job, pings the fitter’s phone and drops an updated appointment into the client’s inbox. If you’re tech-shy, you can still start with Calendar and only move to automated scheduling once the team grows.
Site photos, drawings & paperwork
Smartphone photos prevent disputes but clog camera rolls. A shared Dropbox or Google Drive folder is the usual first step; crew snap “before” and “after,” then upload over Wi-Fi that evening. Construction firms using Dropbox report faster snag resolution because everyone—installers, office, even suppliers—see the same image set instantly.
The downside of a generic file store is organisation. Unless every fitter names jobs the same way, pictures get buried. Integrated systems tag photos to the job record automatically, keep them with the quote and FENSA docs, and surface them again when a warranty call lands two years later.
Ordering, invoicing & accounts
Most small trades pair a spreadsheet with an accounting package like Xero because it syncs bank feeds, VAT submissions and can email invoices straight from the app. The catch? You still need to copy job values from your quote tool and update payment status manually in the scheduling board.
An all-in-one setup pipes the accepted quote straight into a purchase order for the supplier, then fires an invoice the moment the customer signs off. If you’d rather stay in Xero, choose a platform that integrates via API so data flows without double-keying.
After-care, reviews & repeat work
Once the glass is sealed and paid, the digital journey isn’t over. Automating a quick SMS that links to your Google review page can double your feedback count and boost map-pack ranking. Some installers build this in Zapier; others rely on the CRM’s built-in prompts. Whichever route you take, the principle is the same: technology nudges happy customers while their new sash still sparkles.
Pulling the puzzle together
Running on Trello + Dropbox + Tommy Trinder + Xero is perfectly workable, and for many one-van outfits it’s the gentlest on-ramp to digital. Over time, though, the log-ins pile up and information lives in silos. That’s why platforms like FitterPal exist: same drag-and-drop board feel, but quoting, scheduling, photos, purchase orders and invoices weave into one seamless picture. The learning curve is actually shorter for new staff because they only master one interface.
If you’re reluctant, pilot just one slice—perhaps move quotes to Tommy Trinder or shift photos into Dropbox. Track how many minutes you save each week. Once you feel the benefit, stacking the next digital piece becomes less daunting. The goal isn’t tech for tech’s sake; it’s fewer late-night admin sessions and a smoother experience for every customer you serve.
Start small, measure, integrate when you’re ready—and your business will run as crisply as the windows you install.
