Case Study: Locksmith Company Goes Paperless in 24 Hours with FieldProxy
SecureLock Solutions, a mid-sized locksmith company serving the Greater Atlanta area, was drowning in paperwork. With 15 technicians handling over 200 service calls weekly, their paper-based system was causing delays, lost invoices, and frustrated customers. The company needed a digital transformation but feared the complexity and downtime typically associated with implementing new software.
Within 24 hours of deploying FieldProxy's AI-powered field service management platform, SecureLock Solutions completely eliminated paper forms and transformed their operations. This case study explores how they achieved this rapid transformation and the dramatic improvements in efficiency, customer satisfaction, and revenue that followed.
The Challenge: Paper Chaos in Locksmith Operations
Before FieldProxy, SecureLock Solutions relied on a cumbersome paper-based workflow that created bottlenecks at every stage. Technicians carried clipboards with work orders, service forms, and inventory sheets that often got damaged, lost, or filled out incorrectly. The office staff spent hours each day manually entering data from these paper forms into their accounting system, creating a 3-5 day lag between service completion and invoice generation.
Emergency lockout calls, which represented 40% of their business, were particularly problematic. Dispatchers had to call technicians individually to check availability and location, wasting precious minutes when customers were locked out of homes or vehicles. This manual dispatch process resulted in average response times of 65 minutes, causing customer complaints and lost business to faster competitors.
- Lost or damaged paper work orders resulting in billing disputes
- 3-5 day delay between job completion and invoice delivery
- 65-minute average emergency response time due to manual dispatch
- 15+ hours weekly spent on manual data entry by office staff
- No real-time visibility into technician locations or job status
- Difficulty tracking inventory across multiple service vehicles
- Customer complaints about slow invoicing and payment processing
Why SecureLock Solutions Chose FieldProxy
After evaluating several field service management solutions, SecureLock Solutions selected FieldProxy for three compelling reasons. First, the promise of 24-hour deployment meant they could go paperless immediately without extended training periods or operational disruptions. Second, the unlimited users model meant they could onboard all 15 technicians plus office staff without worrying about per-user licensing costs eating into their margins.
Most importantly, FieldProxy's AI-powered dispatch system addressed their most critical pain point: slow emergency response times. The platform's intelligent routing automatically identifies the closest available technician with the right skills and equipment for each job. Similar success stories, like the electrical contractor who achieved 98% first-time fix rates, demonstrated FieldProxy's proven track record in service industries.
The custom workflows capability was another deciding factor. Locksmith services range from simple lockouts to complex commercial security installations, each requiring different forms, checklists, and approval processes. FieldProxy allowed SecureLock to digitize their exact existing workflows without forcing them to adapt to rigid, one-size-fits-all software limitations.
The 24-Hour Implementation Process
SecureLock Solutions began their FieldProxy implementation on a Monday morning at 9 AM. The FieldProxy onboarding team conducted a two-hour virtual session with the office manager and lead technician to configure the system. They imported their customer database, created custom service types for different locksmith jobs, and set up their pricing structure with labor rates and common parts inventory.
By Monday afternoon, all 15 technicians had downloaded the mobile app and completed a 30-minute training session. The intuitive interface required minimal instruction—technicians could view their assigned jobs, navigate to customer locations, complete digital forms, capture customer signatures, and process payments all from their smartphones. The simplicity was crucial for rapid adoption among technicians who ranged from tech-savvy millennials to veteran locksmiths in their 60s.
By Tuesday morning, just 24 hours after starting implementation, SecureLock Solutions was completely paperless. Every new job entered the system digitally, technicians received assignments through the mobile app, and completed work orders synced instantly to the office. The transformation was so seamless that several customers didn't even notice the change—they simply received their invoices faster than usual.
- Hour 0-2: System configuration and customer data import
- Hour 2-4: Custom workflow creation for locksmith service types
- Hour 4-6: Technician mobile app setup and training sessions
- Hour 6-8: Test jobs completed to verify end-to-end workflow
- Hour 8-24: Full deployment with all new jobs processed digitally
- Day 2+: 100% paperless operations with continuous optimization
Immediate Results: First Week Performance Improvements
The impact of going paperless was immediate and measurable. Within the first week, average emergency response time dropped from 65 minutes to 36 minutes—a 45% improvement. FieldProxy's AI dispatch system automatically routed calls to the nearest available technician, eliminating the phone tag that previously wasted 15-20 minutes per emergency call. Customers noticed the difference immediately, with several posting positive reviews about the faster service.
Invoice delivery time collapsed from 3-5 days to same-day or next-day. Technicians completed digital work orders on-site, captured customer signatures electronically, and the system automatically generated invoices that were emailed within minutes. This dramatic improvement in billing speed improved cash flow significantly, with the average time to payment decreasing from 28 days to 14 days as customers received and paid invoices faster.
Office staff productivity soared as the 15+ hours previously spent on manual data entry were eliminated entirely. The office manager redirected this time to customer service and business development activities. The reduction in administrative burden was so significant that SecureLock decided to expand their service area without needing to hire additional office staff, similar to how a fieldproxy-switch-d1-43">plumbing company added 200 jobs monthly after their FieldProxy implementation.
- Emergency response time: 65 minutes → 36 minutes (45% improvement)
- Invoice delivery time: 3-5 days → same day (95% improvement)
- Administrative data entry: 15 hours/week → 0 hours (100% elimination)
- Average payment time: 28 days → 14 days (50% improvement)
- Lost work orders: 3-4 per week → 0 (100% elimination)
- Customer satisfaction score: 3.8/5 → 4.6/5 (21% improvement)
Long-Term Impact: Three-Month Results
Three months after going paperless with FieldProxy, SecureLock Solutions had transformed from a struggling local locksmith into a highly efficient operation gaining market share. Monthly job volume increased from 800 to 1,150 jobs—a 44% increase—without adding technicians. The efficiency gains from AI dispatch, mobile workflows, and eliminated paperwork enabled each technician to complete 2-3 additional jobs per day.
Revenue grew by 52% over the three-month period, driven by both increased job volume and improved pricing accuracy. Previously, technicians often forgot to charge for small parts or additional labor on paper forms, resulting in revenue leakage. FieldProxy's digital forms with itemized pricing ensured every service component was captured and billed correctly, increasing average ticket value by 6%.
The real-time visibility into operations enabled data-driven decision making that was impossible with paper records. The owner could now see which service types were most profitable, which technicians were most efficient, and which neighborhoods generated the most business. These insights informed strategic decisions about service offerings, technician training, and marketing investments that further accelerated growth.
Key Features That Drove Success
Several specific FieldProxy features were particularly valuable for SecureLock's locksmith operations. The custom workflow builder allowed them to create different digital forms for residential lockouts, commercial rekeying, safe installations, and security system work. Each workflow included the specific information, photos, and checklists required for that service type, ensuring consistent quality and complete documentation.
The mobile app's offline capability proved essential for locksmith work, as technicians often work in parking garages, basements, or rural areas with poor cellular coverage. Technicians could complete entire work orders offline, and the data automatically synced when connectivity was restored. This reliability eliminated the frustration and workarounds that plagued their previous attempts at digital tools.
The unlimited users pricing model delivered unexpected value beyond the obvious cost savings. SecureLock added their part-time weekend technicians and subcontractors to the system at no additional cost, creating complete visibility across their entire workforce. They even added key commercial clients as portal users, allowing property managers to submit service requests directly and track job status in real-time, strengthening these valuable relationships.
- AI-powered dispatch routing for fastest emergency response
- Custom workflows for different service types (lockouts, rekeying, installations)
- Mobile app with offline capability for work in areas with poor signal
- Digital signature capture for immediate job completion verification
- Automated invoicing with customizable payment options
- Real-time inventory tracking across multiple service vehicles
- Customer portal for commercial clients to submit and track requests
- Analytics dashboard showing profitability by service type and technician
Lessons Learned and Best Practices
SecureLock Solutions identified several factors that contributed to their successful rapid transformation. First, securing buy-in from their most experienced technician before rollout was crucial—when veteran staff embraced the new system, others followed quickly. Second, they went "cold turkey" on paper rather than running parallel systems, which forced everyone to adapt quickly and prevented confusion about which system was authoritative.
The company also learned to leverage FieldProxy's flexibility to continuously optimize their workflows. After the initial deployment, they refined their custom forms based on technician feedback, added new service types as they expanded offerings, and integrated additional tools as their needs evolved. This iterative improvement approach, similar to strategies used by an appliance repair business that doubled revenue, maximized the platform's value over time.
Perhaps most importantly, they recognized that going paperless was not just about replacing forms with digital versions—it was an opportunity to rethink their entire service delivery process. They eliminated unnecessary steps, standardized best practices across technicians, and automated routine communications. This holistic approach to digital transformation delivered far greater benefits than simple digitization would have achieved.
Transform Your Locksmith Business in 24 Hours
SecureLock Solutions' experience demonstrates that going paperless doesn't require months of planning, expensive consultants, or operational disruptions. With the right field service management platform, locksmith companies can eliminate paper workflows, dramatically improve efficiency, and accelerate growth in just 24 hours. The combination of rapid deployment, unlimited users, and AI-powered automation makes FieldProxy uniquely suited for locksmith businesses ready to modernize their operations.
Whether you're struggling with paper chaos like SecureLock was, or simply looking to scale your locksmith business more efficiently, FieldProxy's AI-powered platform can transform your operations as quickly as it did theirs. The platform's flexibility supports everything from single-technician mobile locksmiths to multi-location security companies with dozens of field staff, all with the same rapid deployment and intuitive user experience.