With the high demands on Fire & Life Safety Inspection and Testing, performance fire protection turned to Formlink for a better process.
Performance Fire Protection, LLC is a fire and life safety company based out of Mooresville, NC that proudly work with clients all throughout the Southeast. Their highly-trained employees and project crews with 16+ years of experience help set their teams apart.
Because the company manages fire sprinkler system designs and fire & life safety inspections for many high-end clients, it needed a streamlined process for managing all of its reports. Realizing that the inspection forms were becoming too hectic to organize through paper filing alone, Performance Fire Protection decided to investigate a new system.
Performance Fire Protection had a multi-step process for managing its reports and tests. Because it was too cumbersome for the inspectors to take a laptop in the field, they would first make their notes on paper and later type up those details in a Word document.
The problem with these Word documents though, was that there were too many different versions of the software in play. Different devices and software updates meant that the reports sent to the office weren’t always compatible. Making these types of revisions during the review process was taking up 30 arduous hours every week. Ensuring everything is filled out correctly and consistently is an important step to limiting their liability, yet it shouldn’t need to take that long to complete.
The slow turnaround time of the final reports was also creating a slower invoicing and accounts receivable process. It was obvious that if the conversion time of completing professional, ready-to-use reports was expedited, their receivables would immediately follow suit.
With an electronic system, Performance Fire Protection knew it could speed the process along. For starters, it would have consistency across the board, for both the admins in the office and the inspectors in the field. For both backflow tests and their regular inspection reports for fire and life safety equipment, Performance Fire Protection knew a paperless solution could help keep their company on-track.
Managing the NFPA 25 criteria is no easy task for their extensive client list, and they knew they needed a solution that could help them manage their reports with ease. As they met with various software companies, they determined that a handful of criteria would make their new software system better than the rest. A simple setup for implementation, the ability to work offline, and customizable features all made their “must-have” list. They also felt that teaming up with a software solution that catered to the fire & life safety solutions would be their best course of action.
1. Ease of Use
A short learning curve was a must-have for Performance Fire, so they were set on finding a software solution that was simple to use. Ideally, they wanted the entire interface to be easy to learn to ensure high user adoption
Of course, having an electronic system would also give them forms that would be easier to read, quicker to fill out, and more mobile. They also loved the idea of being able to use their smart devices (whether an iPhone or Android phone, or anything else) to fill out their electronic inspection reports. Having the flexibility to use almost any type of technology meant they could have a solution that was truly adaptable to just about any user!
2. Offline Functions
Another critical aspect that Performance Fire Protection hoped to find for its testers was the ability to use the software even when they didn’t have an internet connection. If inspectors could continue filling out the forms on their device even without internet, they knew the solution would be a good long-term fit. This versatility helps keep productivity high on every shift.
3. Custom Forms
The other big benefit Performance Fire Protection was looking for was customization. They wanted to find a company that allowed them to create forms that matched their particular criteria and method of reporting. Changing the design of the forms the inspectors were accustomed to would be frustrating, so an electronic solution that mirrored their current process was key.
Customizing the look of the forms at every stage of the reporting process had a big appeal. For Performance Fire Protection, this meant giving their team a larger size font that’s easier to read in the field. After the forms are approved by the admin team, a clean PDF is exported to share with the client. The final document even includes their company logo and information at the top of the form for a truly professional presentation.
After working through a detailed vetting process, Performance Fire Protection determined that FormLink Systems came out on top. The solution’s streamlined simplicity, offline functionality, and customizable features proved to be the deciding factors for its new electronic process.
Send Professional PDF Reports to Clients Quickly
Access Report History through Online Portal
Build Customizable Reports and Add Attachments
Receive On-going, 24/7 Technical Support
Utilize FormLink Systems with Your Favorite Tech!
What truly made FormLink Systems a “win” for this company was that there was little to no pushback from the users, which was critical to the success of the program. The team members at Performance Fire Protection were able to quickly adapt to the new system.
Partnering with FormLink Systems has benefited Performance Fire Protection in more ways than one. Now that they have a streamlined process for managing their reports, they’re able to run their business much more effectively.
In the past, paperwork would pile up quickly. If the inspectors weren’t transferring their notes to their Word document report immediately, they would risk inaccuracy. Now they type up the forms directly on their phone or tablet which makes it simple to complete and process reports. This makes it easier for the office to review the files in an electronic version—without the confusion they were getting with miss-matched Word documents.
They also have a faster invoicing time because forms are being reviewed sooner. Before, many of the inspections weren’t sent same-day to the office. Now the majority of reports (roughly 95%) are completed same-day, and aside from the larger projects, all are wrapped up within a 48-hour window. As soon as reports are sent to the customer, they also send invoices. About 99% of the time their invoices are going out the same day as the inspection reports are sent to the customer. A quicker invoicing process helps them process payments faster than ever.
Performance Fire Protection also reports an overall increase in annual revenue thanks to their faster review time. While they always quoted repair costs for deficiencies in the past, now they can get that information to the customer much quicker. An efficient system for note-taking and a speedy turn-around time is much better for these types of quotes. They find that they capture more business now because they have customers see repair proposals faster—instead of 3 or 4 weeks down the road. A streamlined process is a win-win for everyone!
One of the great things about the FormLink process is that it didn’t matter what sort of smart devices the Performance Fire Protection team was using on a day-to-day basis. FormLink’s Fire Inspection Software can be adapted to just about any hardware, from Android phones to iPads, to desktop computers in a back office. This helped make FormLink’s solution the logical choice for Performance Fire Protection. For more information on their company, please visit www.PerformanceFire.com or call (704) 663-1664.
