Device Magic Partner Program: The Secrets of ServiceTrade’s ‘Overnight’ Success

Key takeaways

• ServiceTrade set expansion goals driven by customer demand. Instead of developing software from the ground up, ServiceTrade chose Device Magic’s white-labeled software platform.
• Device Magic’s open APIs allow data to be shared between it and the ServiceTrade application to create more efficient workflows for service companies to collect data. 
• They introduced the new product – ServiceForms – to existing customers at a conference in November 2019, signing up 20 companies on the spot! 

“ServiceTrade’s customers sent our founders on a mission to add a mobile data component, and Device Magic is where we ended up!”

So begins the story of how ServiceTrade – a SaaS provider that focuses on commercial service contractors –  turned to Device Magic’s unique Partner Program to launch an add-on product called ServiceForms. Founded in 2012, Durham, NC-based ServiceTrade has more than 800 customers that manage more than 12,000 skilled technicians and generate almost $3 billion in annual service contracting revenue. Service contractors use the company’s applications to provide inspection, maintenance, repair, and project services for fire safety, mechanical, and electrical systems in commercial and industrial facilities. 

According to Brian Smithwick, ServiceTrade CTO and co-founder, there were practically no SaaS providers in the space when he launched ServiceTrade. 

“If you can appreciate just how far we’ve come in a decade, an actual common preference was to have the server in the office where they could see it. We’re grateful to work with progressive business leaders who continually bring new ideas and challenges we can help them solve,” said Smithwick.  

What Was ServiceTrade Missing? 

Most commercial and industrial service contractors require a data model and workflows that other software providers don’t understand. Although tailored software solutions like ServiceTrade help service contractors increase technician productivity and save time, customers were clamoring for even more tailored solutions for their businesses.  

According to ServiceTrade CEO and co-founder Billy Marshall, one thing their customers wanted was a mobile data component. By listening to product requests, both Marshall and Smithwick personally went on a mission to solve their customers’ needs.

What they found was Device Magic! 

How Fast Did They Scale With ServiceForms? 

It was under six months total from the time that ServiceTrade got in touch with Device Magic to officially launching ServiceForms.  

• September 2019: ServiceTrade got in touch with Device Magic. 
• November 2019: ServiceTrade introduced ServiceForms to existing customers at a conference, signing up 20 companies on the spot.  
• February 2020: ServiceTrade officially rolled out ServiceForms to all new customers. 

What Exactly Is ServiceForms?

ServiceForms modernizes forms so service contractors collect vital data at every inspection and maintenance appointment. With the tagline “Free your data from paper and PDFs,” it’s a mobile data collection tool that simplifies things for ServiceTrade’s customers. 

Although fillable PDFs are certainly better than paper, the data is still trapped in a PDF – customers really can’t do anything with it. 

So the team works to educate customers on more advanced options – and that starts with ServiceForms. It allows them to collect data in a way where they can do lots of things with the data, and even create professional reports that customers need to stay in compliance. 

Device Magic Partner Program: The 4 Key Benefits for ServiceTrade 

In this section, ServiceTrade outlines the biggest benefits they’ve seen since partnering with Device Magic back in 2019.

‘Good technology is the foundation at Device Magic’

First and foremost, ServiceTrade says it chose Device Magic’s white-labeled software platform to drive efficiency. 

Device Magic’s open APIs allow data to be shared between it and the ServiceTrade application to create new, more efficient workflows for service companies to collect data. ServiceTrade has even been able to customize their mobile and web forms apps with their own company branding. 

‘Stronger integrated solution for our shared users’

Customers can capture data from technicians faster, more accurately, and more completely. The mobile forms helps their technicians in a few key ways:  

• First, it helps them use the right forms for the job. There’s a way to give technicians an “auto-fill” option – with basic information from ServiceTrade so they only enter the new data.
• Second, it helps them include all of the required data. Required fields will warn technicians when they miss something, which ensures complete and more accurate records. 
• Third, it helps to verify compliance. The data, which is automatically transferred to the job in ServiceTrade, creates custom, professional reports for their customers and the authorities (AHJ and EPA, for example) that prove compliance.

‘Simplifies data collection’

With this partnership with Device Magic, ServiceTrade’s customers are now collecting more data that they can share with their customers. 

ServiceTrade’s solutions help service contractors focus on giving the end customer a great experience. One way to do that is sharing post-inspection reports that point out potential issues and recommended resolutions. Techs are able to document everything that they do and discover in the easy-to-use scroll-and-go Device Magic mobile app. That data populates those critical post-inspection reports, including photos that the technician takes through the Device Magic form. 

And with the option to work either online or offline, it eliminates the hassles of a weak signal with an offline mode that saves the data and uploads it later. Not only is the data delivered digitally, it doesn’t require double data entry to make it accessible.

‘Device Magic offers ongoing support’ 

Fourth, and finally, ServiceTrade enjoys having a dedicated partnership success manager, a shared Slack channel, and weekly check-in conversations.

“With Device Magic, you get more than just a product, you get the whole team. It’s the people in this relationship that are truly valuable,” said Smithwick. “A lot of people have partner programs, but in the most traditional meaning of the word, we’re truly working together toward a shared goal. Everyone at Device Magic listens, all the way up to the top, we feel like we are heard. Our ideas and requests are taken seriously,” he said.  

Marshall also mentioned the benefit of having a dedicated team at Device Magic to help them keep up with customer demand. 

“The forms-building team at Device Magic builds a lot of forms for our customers. That’s almost like an add-on service and another benefit to our partnership. We have so much demand for these forms, and Device Magic offers an amazing support team that helps us grow,” he said. 

Looking Ahead: Gain the Competitive Edge With Device Magic’s Partner Program

Better front-end data collection is a prerequisite for modern companies looking to find a competitive edge.

This article has outlined how Device Magic’s partner program success made it easy for the ServiceTrade team to move from proof of concept to offering a popular new product. 

Although ServiceTrade was already a leader in the field services software space, choosing to work closely with Device Magic helped them to expand their platform, deliver even more customer value, and boost their bottom line.