From 2 to 20 Employees in 18 Months
How Melbourne Plumbing Group achieved 10x growth through intelligent automation, transforming from a small operation to a thriving multi-location business.
The Challenge
Melbourne Plumbing Group was stuck. With just 2 employees, the owner was spending 60% of his time on paperwork instead of growing the business.
- •Manual scheduling led to double-bookings and missed appointments
- •Paper invoices took days to process and weeks to collect payment
- •No visibility into job profitability or team performance
- •Turning away 40% of inquiries due to capacity constraints
"I was working 70-hour weeks just to keep up with admin. I knew we could be doing 10x the volume if we could just get the systems right."
The Solution
We implemented a complete business automation platform that transformed every aspect of their operations.
Automated Systems Deployed
ServiceM8 Integration
Seamless job management from quote to payment
AI Dispatch System
Intelligent job routing based on skills and location
Customer Portal
Self-service booking and payment options
18-Month Transformation Journey
Discovery & Setup
Mapped workflows, integrated ServiceM8
Automation Launch
Deployed scheduling and invoicing automation
Scaling Phase
Hired 8 new tradespeople, expanded service area
Optimization
Added AI dispatch, predictive maintenance
Expansion
Opened second location, reached 20 employees
Measurable Results
"The transformation has been incredible. We're not just doing more jobs—we're delivering better service, our team is happier, and we've opened a second location. The ROI was realized in just 4 months."
Key Takeaways
1. Automation Enables Scale
By eliminating manual processes, the team could focus on growth instead of admin, enabling them to handle 10x the volume with better quality.
2. Integration is Critical
ServiceM8 integration meant no double-entry, instant updates, and real-time visibility across all operations.
3. Fast ROI is Possible
The initial investment was recovered in 4 months through increased efficiency and capacity to take on more jobs.
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