We hear how a contracting firm has utilised job management software to cut down on a mountain of paperwork.

From humble beginnings in a garden shed, Waterlip Electrical Contracting (WEC) has grown into a busy family-run business with 13 staff and a full schedule of commercial, industrial and domestic electrical work.

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Founder Connor started the company six years ago and has built the team around trusted family and friends. But as the business grew, so did the paperwork – and it soon became clear the old systems weren’t going to keep up.

“We were keeping up with the work, but we were just filling up our office with filing cabinets. Everything was on paper – testing, job sheets, materials. It became a nightmare to manage,” he said. To help manage the growth, the company adopted Fergus – and halved its admin load.

Before Fergus, WEC was handling everything manually. Job details were typed up in the office, printed out for the team, and returned at the end of the week in a stack of handwritten job sheets. Those job sheets were then entered into Excel for costing, cross-checked with supplier pricing, marked up, and eventually entered into accounting software for invoicing.

“We had someone in the office all week just copying up paperwork. Then we’d print it out again if we needed it. It was just a massive time waste,” explained Connor.

This manual workflow became harder to manage as the team expanded and job volume increased.

“It’s been really hard trying to grow the business when you’re relying on spreadsheets and paperwork. There was no easy way to manage everything in one place.”

Since implementing Fergus, WEC has been able to streamline operations and free up key admin time.

“Now the lads get to site and everything they need is on their phones. Job sheets, materials, notes – it’s all there. And they’re filling it in properly every time, which never used to happen,” Connor continued.

Connor estimates that just from automating job sheets alone, the business has saved four days a week of admin time – freeing up one team member to get back on the tools and another to focus on higher-value office work.

“I can invoice a customer before the lads have even left site. That used to take hours, now it takes minutes. Also, the lads would take photos on their phones and we’d spend hours uploading everything to Dropbox. Now they use the Fergus app and it’s instantly in the system, even if we’re 150 miles away.”

Having everything in one place has been a game-changer for Connor, who now has time to focus on developing the business.

The results

By moving away from paper-based processes and bringing the team onto Fergus, WEC has:

• Freed up around four days of admin time every week
• Reduced manual data entry and duplicated work
• Improved visibility across all jobs
• Accelerated invoicing and improved cash flow
• Given the team more time to focus on customers and growth

“It’s completely changed everything we do. Fergus has saved us so much time and stress,” said Connor.

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Kilpboard explain why now is the time for UK electrical wholesalers to digitise

​The UK electrical wholesale market, valued at £4.28 billion in 2024, is experiencing significant shifts driven by digital transformation and sustainability initiatives (AMA Research, 2024).

To remain competitive, electrical wholesalers are increasingly adopting digital technologies to enhance operations and customer service. By integrating advanced technologies, wholesalers can streamline operations, reduce errors, and enhance customer satisfaction, positioning themselves competitively in a rapidly evolving market.​ The timing has never been better for electrical wholesalers to embrace digital transformation.

What is digitisation?

Digitisation describes how companies can improve their processes and operations through digital technologies. For example, digitisation could involve implementing a new ERP system to streamline inventory management. Alternatively, it could provide real time stock visibility, helping electrical wholesalers in preventing costly overstocks.

In either case, such innovations are no longer just nice to have. These days, industry leaders see digitisation as essential to a successful, modern electrical wholesale business.

The evidence why speaks for itself. Early adopters routinely report that digitisation has helped them increase productivity, reduce operational costs, and quickly adapt to market changes ‘on the fly’ while having fully comprehensive control of their stock.

Should wholesalers invest in digital transformation today, or take a wait-and-see approach?

At klipboard, the new name for Kerridge Commercial Systems, we think the time to act is now, and for the following reasons:

Enhanced efficiency and productivity

Electrical wholesalers dealing with complex inventory and high-demand supply chains can replace inaccurate and labour-intensive paper-based systems with precise, real-time digital solutions. By adopting mobile technology on the shop floor and in the warehouse, businesses can eliminate paper duplication, streamline order processing, reduce costly errors, and improve stock management. This not only enhances overall efficiency but also cuts processing time, reduces waste, and helps wholesalers save thousands on administrative overheads.

Real-time data and analytics

Digital ERP systems provide instant insights and snapshots into a wholesaler’s daily operations. As a result, there’s no longer any need to spend days or hours running reports. All the data they need to make better decisions and improve performance is at their fingertips.

Also, using an ERP system makes identifying emerging trends much easier. When stock and balance sheets are input digitally, sophisticated algorithms make it much easier for users to successfully forecast demand.

Total inventory management

Keeping accurate stock records is crucial for electrical wholesalers, especially during busy periods. Digital ERP software gives wholesalers a suite of tools to manage every aspect of their inventory, helping them maintain optimal stock levels.

Additionally, by ensuring the right products are always available when customers need them, a fully digitised wholesale business is better able to maximise its sales all year round.

Enhanced customer service

In business, building trust through professional relationships is key, and today’s digitised electrical wholesalers can offer a seamless and personalised customer experience that their paper-based rivals can’t. For example, a digitalised wholesaler’s system will have customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities that help them see client preferences, purchase history, and overall engagement.

Accordingly, it’s easy for digitised wholesaler to offer customers tailored promotions. And, of course, faster and more accurate order processing is another example of how digitisation can help improve electrical wholesaler’s overall level of customer service.

Streamlined financial management

Wholesale businesses embracing digitisation can also optimise cash flow with integrated accounting and financial reporting features. It’s also possible to automate whole processing tasks, such as the administration of accounts payable, removing the need for paper administration, meaning wholesalers can now redeploy valuable resources where they’re needed most.

Enhanced supply chain management

Effective supply chain management is critical for electrical wholesalers’ reputations and cash flow. However, digitising this process through a cloud-based ERP system makes it easy to optimise procurement processes, manage supplier relationships, and ensure timely delivery of materials.

Compliance and risk management

One regularly overlooked but critical part of modern business is complying with industry regulations and standards. One of the easiest and most reliable ways of doing this is by digitising how your electrical wholesale business administers sensitive information. Users scan documents onto a secure, cloud-based ERP system, where they’re available for audits and inspections.

Integration with ecommerce

As the electrical industry increasingly moves online, ERP systems’ integration with ecommerce platforms means that wholesalers can tap into new revenue streams. By offering online ordering and customer self-service options, businesses can expand their reach and access new markets at any time.

Sustainability and waste reduction

Digitisation contributes to sustainability by optimising resource usage and reducing waste. Fully digital ERP systems encourage their users to send PDFs instead of printing and collating their user manuals online, again dramatically helping cut carbon usage. Further reductions occur in the full digitisation of paper-based processes and monitoring systems that help wholesalers eliminate unnecessary fuel waste with their deliveries.

Maximise sales

The Luckins online catalogue is an essential sales tool for electrical wholesalers, offering up to date product information, on over one million items from hundreds of manufacturers. With detailed specifications, images and related accessories, it helps wholesalers better meet customer needs.

By integrating Luckins enriched product data in to their ecommerce and in store experience through ERP software, electrical wholesalers can now see another benefit of digitisation and offer comprehensive product information, enhanced ecommerce capability and improved customer service.

Conclusion

Going digital is the only way electrical businesses can stay successful in an increasingly demanding and competitive marketplace. Those businesses that have yet to enjoy the benefits of digitalisation should act before they are left behind.

To learn more about how the ERP solutions and integrated apps from klipboard can help your business trade more profitably, click here

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As more electricians turn to job management software to streamline their businesses, electrical wholesalers have an opportunity to enhance customer loyalty and increase sales says Katie Hall, UK Marketing Manager at Fergus.

The rise of job management software is transforming the way electrical contractors run their businesses. By automating tasks, reducing admin and streamlining everything from quoting to invoicing, these platforms help contractors focus on their trade while staying in control of their finances. But this shift isn’t just benefiting electricians – it’s creating new opportunities for electrical wholesalers to add value, improve customer loyalty and increase sales.

For electrical contractors, efficiency is everything. A typical day can involve juggling multiple jobs, sourcing materials, managing teams and keeping track of payments. Without a proper system in place, it’s easy for costs to spiral, invoices to go unpaid and jobs to become disorganised. But job management software, like Fergus, can really help.

Fergus allows contractors to log new jobs, track costs, schedule work and invoice customers – all in one place. It keeps everything running smoothly, making it easy to manage team workloads, send quotes quickly and ensure that every job remains profitable. One major advantage is automated payment processing, which allows electricians to accept contactless payments on-site via Apple Pay, Google Pay or credit card. Late payments can also be chased up automatically with SMS reminders, taking the hassle out of credit control.

By integrating scheduling and client communication, Fergus also helps businesses keep customers informed with appointment confirmations and job updates. Instead of manual diary entries and missed calls, the system provides a clear visual calendar, reducing the risk of overbookings and improving customer service.

The right stuff

While job management software is designed to help contractors, its impact extends much further, including for wholesalers. One of the biggest challenges for trade customers is ensuring they have the right materials, at the right time and at the right price. Fergus solves this problem by integrating directly with wholesalers, making it easier for electricians to place orders, manage stock and track material costs in real-time.

Fergus currently integrates with over 26 electrical wholesalers, including Yesss Electrical, Rexel, CEF and Edmundson Electrical. This means that electricians using Fergus can order materials straight from their preferred wholesaler without leaving the platform. Pricebooks are uploaded directly into the system, ensuring contractors always have access to the latest prices, reducing errors in quoting and improving pricing accuracy.

For wholesalers, this integration does more than just make it convenient for customers – it provides valuable insight into purchasing trends, stock levels and contractor buying behaviour.

One of the stand-out features of Fergus for wholesalers is the way it simplifies procurement. Instead of electricians having to manually check stock, call for prices or visit a branch, they can place purchase orders directly from Fergus. These orders go straight to the wholesaler for pricing, pickup or delivery.

Frustrations

One of the biggest frustrations for trade businesses is waiting to get paid so the automatic invoice-matching function is another major advantage. Supplier invoices are imported into Fergus and automatically assigned to the correct job, removing the need for manual data entry. For electricians, this means no more lost paperwork and no more confusion over material costs.

With Fergus, wholesalers can help their customers speed up the invoicing process, ensuring that contractors can bill their clients the moment a job is completed. Because material and labour costs are already logged in the system, invoices can be generated in minutes – whether from an initial quote or a quick final calculation.

The ability to pull in live supplier pricing also ensures that electricians apply the correct markups and discounts, helping them protect their margins while keeping costs transparent for customers.

The growing use of job management software presents a clear opportunity for wholesalers. Contractors are increasingly relying on digital solutions to improve efficiency, reduce errors and increase profitability and wholesalers who integrate with these platforms stand to benefit. By becoming a preferred supplier on Fergus, wholesalers can improve customer retention by offering seamless ordering and invoice integration and increase sales by making it easier for electricians to purchase materials directly from their platform. Wholesalers can also gain valuable sales insights on what products are in demand and when and enhance customer service by making procurement faster and more efficient.

As electricians continue to embrace job management software, wholesalers that integrate with these platforms will be in the best position to support their customers, streamline operations and drive sales growth.

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The UK construction industry is projected to grow significantly in the coming years, reaching £476.6 billion in revenue by 2027. This growth presents an incredible opportunity for trade businesses to capitalise – but only if they’re prepared.

To help you seize the moment, Fergus is offering an exclusive 25% discount this January, giving you the tools you need to run a lean, profitable operation. Don’t let outdated processes hold you back – by starting the new year with Fergus, you’ll be setting your business up for long-term success.

Trade businesses face countless daily challenges, from managing cashflow to scheduling jobs efficiently. Job management software (JMS) like Fergus can transform how your business operates by automating repetitive tasks, consolidating your data and providing insights that drive growth. Fergus also empowers trade businesses to:

• Get paid faster: Fergus automates invoicing and payment reminders so you don’t have to chase. It also includes a Tap-to-Pay feature in its mobile app so clients can pay on the spot.
• Manage jobs seamlessly: From quoting to job scheduling, all your key tasks are handled in one intuitive platform.
• Improve cashflow: Fergus’s analytics help you identify your high-margin jobs and forecast revenue so it’s easy to make decisions about which jobs to take.

With Fergus, you will spend less time on admin and more time growing your business. And if you’re concerned about switching from your current provider, you don’t need to be – Fergus has made it incredibly easy for new customers to migrate.

“Many tradespeople feel stuck with their current software, fearing a time-consuming and complicated switch – that’s why we’ve made it as straightforward as possible to join Fergus,” explained Katie Hall, Marketing Manager at Fergus UK. “The team takes care of the heavy lifting, including data transfer and onboarding, so your business faces minimal disruption during the transition.”

The offer is available for new sign-ups only and applies to the first payment upon checkout. The 25% discount is valid until January 31, 2025. Full terms and conditions are available on the Fergus website.

Visit www.fergus.com to learn more about how Fergus can transform your business.

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Job management software is helping electrical contractors and wholesalers increase efficiency and produce sales data of real value, explains James Chillman, UK Country Manager of Fergus.

Over the last few years there has been a significant rise in the use of job management software by hard working professionals, many of whom shop at their local electrical wholesaler. The reasons for this move are many, but the main drivers include automating tasks, decluttering administration and moving to a system that helps electricians to grow their business, giving them the time back to do the things they love.

Job management software, like Fergus, allows electrical contractors to become more efficient, manage their teams, invoice on time and monitor profit levels on every single job. It also allows them to review and order materials from their preferred wholesaler. Over 26 electrical wholesalers, building and plumbing merchants, including Yesss Electrical, Rexel, CEF and Edmundson Electrical, are now integrated on the platform, helping electrical contracting businesses to manage their supplier interactions, invoicing and job costing quickly, saving time and money.

For wholesalers, this integration has the potential to deliver valuable data on purchase patterns, levels and trends and adds a level of customer loyalty and convenience. Fergus was originally developed in New Zealand and soon grew in Australia too. Wholesalers in these territories soon found that the integration with job management companies increased sales levels and opened up sales insights.

The supplier integrations allow automatic import of supplier invoices, directly matching line items to the appropriate jobs. This saves significant time for electricians as the painstaking process of manual invoice entry is eliminated, freeing up evenings and weekends that were once consumed by administrative tasks.

Just one click

With just one click, invoices can be instantly assigned to jobs, ensuring that every material cost is accurately allocated and nothing is overlooked. This level of precision in tracking supplier documents and costs across jobs is unparalleled, offering users a comprehensive overview of their financials in one location.

Fergus also simplifies the materials procurement process with the ability to send purchase orders directly from the platform to wholesalers for pricing, pickup or delivery. This functionality saves time and streamlines the supply chain management. Trades businesses can now skip the line, secure in the knowledge that Fergus is handling their procurement needs with speed and accuracy.

One of the most significant benefits of these integrations is the ability to invoice in minutes. With labour and material costs already allocated to jobs, Fergus users can generate customer invoices swiftly, directly from quotes or by creating a quick invoice that incorporates all material and labour costs. The system also allows for the incorporation of used stock for a job, pulling in line items with up-to-date pricing from supplier price books that are instantly imported into Fergus. Applying margins and discounts is equally straightforward, enabling businesses to manage their billing with a few simple clicks.

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