Case Study
Case Study
How a Custom Distance Calculator Transformed an Engineering Firm's Profitability
Company
North West
Company
North West
Company
North West
Services
Requirements Analysis • Custom App Development • API Integration • Mobile Optimisation • Training & Support
Services
Requirements Analysis • Custom App Development • API Integration • Mobile Optimisation • Training & Support
Services
Requirements Analysis • Custom App Development • API Integration • Mobile Optimisation • Training & Support
Industry
Custom Software Development
Industry
Custom Software Development
Industry
Custom Software Development
Year
2024
Year
2024
Year
2024
A mid-sized engineering firm approached us with a costly problem: their 12 field engineers were consistently losing money on distant callouts. Using outdated spreadsheets and guesswork to calculate travel costs for equipment repairs and maintenance visits, they were undercharging by thousands each month. They needed a solution that would accurately price every job based on real distance and travel costs. We built them CalloutCalc - a bespoke web application that transformed their pricing accuracy and profitability overnight.
Engineering Firm
North West
"Before CalloutCalc, we were guessing distances and losing money without knowing it. In our first month using the tool, we saved £4,000 just from accurate travel pricing. It's now impossible to undercharge on distant jobs. The system paid for itself in under two weeks and continues saving us money every single day. Should have done this years ago."
The challenges
Building an accurate pricing calculator for engineering callouts presented several critical obstacles:
Complex calculations: Every service call had different variables - distance, time, traffic, vehicle type, engineer grades, equipment transport
Inaccurate estimates: Google Maps straight-line distances didn't reflect actual UK road routes
Manual inefficiency: Quotes took 20-30 minutes with multiple spreadsheets and guesswork
Inconsistent pricing: Different staff quoted differently, leading to margin erosion
No visibility: Management couldn't track which jobs were profitable
Mobile requirements: Engineers needed to quote on-site from phones and tablets
Integration needs: Solution had to work with existing invoicing systems
The client was haemorrhaging money but didn't know exactly where or how much.
Our approach
We developed a comprehensive solution to transform their pricing accuracy:
Phase 1: Problem Analysis
We spent three days with the engineering firm's team, shadowing field engineers and office staff. We discovered they were losing an average of £150 per long-distance job due to underestimating travel costs and vehicle expenses. With 10-12 distant callouts weekly, this meant £5,000+ monthly in lost profit. The root cause: nobody actually knew the real cost of sending an engineer with equipment 50+ miles away.
Phase 2: Solution Design
We designed CalloutCalc as a simple web application that would:
Calculate exact road distances using Google Maps API
Factor in vehicle costs (65p per mile for vans with equipment)
Include engineer travel time at appropriate rates
Add customisable margin percentages
Account for equipment transport costs
Generate instant PDF quotes
Work seamlessly on mobile devices
Track quote history for analysis
Phase 3: Rapid Development
Built the application in just three weeks using:
React frontend for responsive interface
Node.js backend for calculations
Google Maps Distance Matrix API for accurate UK routing
PDF generation for professional quotes
Cloud hosting for reliability
Mobile-first design for on-site use
Phase 4: Implementation & Training
Rolled out systematically:
Started with two engineers for testing
Refined based on real-world use
Trained all staff in two sessions
Created simple video guides
Set up admin dashboard for management
Phase 5: Optimisation
After one month of use, we refined the tool based on feedback:
Added depot selection for multi-location dispatching
Included rush hour traffic calculations
Built in emergency/weekend rate adjustments
Created bulk quote functionality for maintenance contracts
Added integration with their CRM system
The challenges
Building an accurate pricing calculator for engineering callouts presented several critical obstacles:
Complex calculations: Every service call had different variables - distance, time, traffic, vehicle type, engineer grades, equipment transport
Inaccurate estimates: Google Maps straight-line distances didn't reflect actual UK road routes
Manual inefficiency: Quotes took 20-30 minutes with multiple spreadsheets and guesswork
Inconsistent pricing: Different staff quoted differently, leading to margin erosion
No visibility: Management couldn't track which jobs were profitable
Mobile requirements: Engineers needed to quote on-site from phones and tablets
Integration needs: Solution had to work with existing invoicing systems
The client was haemorrhaging money but didn't know exactly where or how much.
Our approach
We developed a comprehensive solution to transform their pricing accuracy:
Phase 1: Problem Analysis
We spent three days with the engineering firm's team, shadowing field engineers and office staff. We discovered they were losing an average of £150 per long-distance job due to underestimating travel costs and vehicle expenses. With 10-12 distant callouts weekly, this meant £5,000+ monthly in lost profit. The root cause: nobody actually knew the real cost of sending an engineer with equipment 50+ miles away.
Phase 2: Solution Design
We designed CalloutCalc as a simple web application that would:
Calculate exact road distances using Google Maps API
Factor in vehicle costs (65p per mile for vans with equipment)
Include engineer travel time at appropriate rates
Add customisable margin percentages
Account for equipment transport costs
Generate instant PDF quotes
Work seamlessly on mobile devices
Track quote history for analysis
Phase 3: Rapid Development
Built the application in just three weeks using:
React frontend for responsive interface
Node.js backend for calculations
Google Maps Distance Matrix API for accurate UK routing
PDF generation for professional quotes
Cloud hosting for reliability
Mobile-first design for on-site use
Phase 4: Implementation & Training
Rolled out systematically:
Started with two engineers for testing
Refined based on real-world use
Trained all staff in two sessions
Created simple video guides
Set up admin dashboard for management
Phase 5: Optimisation
After one month of use, we refined the tool based on feedback:
Added depot selection for multi-location dispatching
Included rush hour traffic calculations
Built in emergency/weekend rate adjustments
Created bulk quote functionality for maintenance contracts
Added integration with their CRM system
The challenges
Building an accurate pricing calculator for engineering callouts presented several critical obstacles:
Complex calculations: Every service call had different variables - distance, time, traffic, vehicle type, engineer grades, equipment transport
Inaccurate estimates: Google Maps straight-line distances didn't reflect actual UK road routes
Manual inefficiency: Quotes took 20-30 minutes with multiple spreadsheets and guesswork
Inconsistent pricing: Different staff quoted differently, leading to margin erosion
No visibility: Management couldn't track which jobs were profitable
Mobile requirements: Engineers needed to quote on-site from phones and tablets
Integration needs: Solution had to work with existing invoicing systems
The client was haemorrhaging money but didn't know exactly where or how much.
Our approach
We developed a comprehensive solution to transform their pricing accuracy:
Phase 1: Problem Analysis
We spent three days with the engineering firm's team, shadowing field engineers and office staff. We discovered they were losing an average of £150 per long-distance job due to underestimating travel costs and vehicle expenses. With 10-12 distant callouts weekly, this meant £5,000+ monthly in lost profit. The root cause: nobody actually knew the real cost of sending an engineer with equipment 50+ miles away.
Phase 2: Solution Design
We designed CalloutCalc as a simple web application that would:
Calculate exact road distances using Google Maps API
Factor in vehicle costs (65p per mile for vans with equipment)
Include engineer travel time at appropriate rates
Add customisable margin percentages
Account for equipment transport costs
Generate instant PDF quotes
Work seamlessly on mobile devices
Track quote history for analysis
Phase 3: Rapid Development
Built the application in just three weeks using:
React frontend for responsive interface
Node.js backend for calculations
Google Maps Distance Matrix API for accurate UK routing
PDF generation for professional quotes
Cloud hosting for reliability
Mobile-first design for on-site use
Phase 4: Implementation & Training
Rolled out systematically:
Started with two engineers for testing
Refined based on real-world use
Trained all staff in two sessions
Created simple video guides
Set up admin dashboard for management
Phase 5: Optimisation
After one month of use, we refined the tool based on feedback:
Added depot selection for multi-location dispatching
Included rush hour traffic calculations
Built in emergency/weekend rate adjustments
Created bulk quote functionality for maintenance contracts
Added integration with their CRM system
The results
The CalloutCalc implementation transformed the engineering firm's operations:
£4,000 monthly savings from accurate pricing on distant jobs
12% margin improvement in the first month alone
Quote time reduced from 25 minutes to 3 minutes per job
100% pricing consistency across all staff members
Zero underpriced jobs after first month of use
£48,000 annual profit improvement from this single tool
12 engineers using daily with full adoption in one week
350+ accurate quotes generated in first month
The investment paid for itself within two weeks of going live.
Testimonial
"Before CalloutCalc, we were guessing distances and losing money without knowing it. In our first month using the tool, we saved £4,000 just from accurate travel pricing. It's now impossible to undercharge on distant jobs. The system paid for itself in under two weeks and continues saving us money every single day. Should have done this years ago."
Lessons learned
Accuracy beats speed: Taking 3 minutes for accurate pricing beats instant guessworkReal data transforms decisions:
Simple interfaces win: Engineers adopted it immediately because it was easier than spreadsheets
Management could finally see which jobs made money
Mobile-first is essential: 70% of quotes were created on-site from phones
Small changes compound: Accurate mileage calculation alone improved margins by 8%
Training matters: Two hands-on sessions ensured everyone used the system properly
Key takeaways
CalloutCalc proves that bespoke solutions can deliver extraordinary ROI when they solve specific, painful problems. By focusing on one company's exact needs rather than building generic software, we created a tool that fundamentally transformed their profitability. The key wasn't complex technology - it was deeply understanding the problem and building the simplest effective solution. Sometimes a three-week project can save a business £48,000 per year.
The results
The CalloutCalc implementation transformed the engineering firm's operations:
£4,000 monthly savings from accurate pricing on distant jobs
12% margin improvement in the first month alone
Quote time reduced from 25 minutes to 3 minutes per job
100% pricing consistency across all staff members
Zero underpriced jobs after first month of use
£48,000 annual profit improvement from this single tool
12 engineers using daily with full adoption in one week
350+ accurate quotes generated in first month
The investment paid for itself within two weeks of going live.
Testimonial
"Before CalloutCalc, we were guessing distances and losing money without knowing it. In our first month using the tool, we saved £4,000 just from accurate travel pricing. It's now impossible to undercharge on distant jobs. The system paid for itself in under two weeks and continues saving us money every single day. Should have done this years ago."
Lessons learned
Accuracy beats speed: Taking 3 minutes for accurate pricing beats instant guessworkReal data transforms decisions:
Simple interfaces win: Engineers adopted it immediately because it was easier than spreadsheets
Management could finally see which jobs made money
Mobile-first is essential: 70% of quotes were created on-site from phones
Small changes compound: Accurate mileage calculation alone improved margins by 8%
Training matters: Two hands-on sessions ensured everyone used the system properly
Key takeaways
CalloutCalc proves that bespoke solutions can deliver extraordinary ROI when they solve specific, painful problems. By focusing on one company's exact needs rather than building generic software, we created a tool that fundamentally transformed their profitability. The key wasn't complex technology - it was deeply understanding the problem and building the simplest effective solution. Sometimes a three-week project can save a business £48,000 per year.
The results
The CalloutCalc implementation transformed the engineering firm's operations:
£4,000 monthly savings from accurate pricing on distant jobs
12% margin improvement in the first month alone
Quote time reduced from 25 minutes to 3 minutes per job
100% pricing consistency across all staff members
Zero underpriced jobs after first month of use
£48,000 annual profit improvement from this single tool
12 engineers using daily with full adoption in one week
350+ accurate quotes generated in first month
The investment paid for itself within two weeks of going live.
Testimonial
"Before CalloutCalc, we were guessing distances and losing money without knowing it. In our first month using the tool, we saved £4,000 just from accurate travel pricing. It's now impossible to undercharge on distant jobs. The system paid for itself in under two weeks and continues saving us money every single day. Should have done this years ago."
Lessons learned
Accuracy beats speed: Taking 3 minutes for accurate pricing beats instant guessworkReal data transforms decisions:
Simple interfaces win: Engineers adopted it immediately because it was easier than spreadsheets
Management could finally see which jobs made money
Mobile-first is essential: 70% of quotes were created on-site from phones
Small changes compound: Accurate mileage calculation alone improved margins by 8%
Training matters: Two hands-on sessions ensured everyone used the system properly
Key takeaways
CalloutCalc proves that bespoke solutions can deliver extraordinary ROI when they solve specific, painful problems. By focusing on one company's exact needs rather than building generic software, we created a tool that fundamentally transformed their profitability. The key wasn't complex technology - it was deeply understanding the problem and building the simplest effective solution. Sometimes a three-week project can save a business £48,000 per year.
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Sometimes the hardest part is reaching out — but once you do, we’ll make the rest easy.
Phone
Opening Hours
Mon to Fri: 9.00am - 5.30pm
Sat Sun: Closed
Sometimes the hardest part is reaching out — but once you do, we’ll make the rest easy.
Phone
Opening Hours
Mon to Fri: 9.00am - 5.30pm
Sat Sun: Closed