How a Boiler Installation Company Cut Service Time by 40% with Digital Manual Management
Paper manuals were costing ThermoService two hours per service call. Technicians flipped through binders, called the office for specs, and still made errors. After implementing digital manual management, their average service time dropped by 40%.
This is a story we see often with SMBs in Italy: skilled teams held back by outdated processes. ThermoService (name changed for privacy) is a boiler installation and maintenance company in Northern Italy with 12 field technicians. They came to us not looking for software—they were looking for a way to stop losing money on inefficiency.
The Paper Problem
ThermoService maintained over 200 boiler models across residential and commercial clients. Each model had its own manual, troubleshooting guide, and service checklist.
The reality on the ground:
- Technicians carried physical binders that were often outdated
- Finding the right page for a specific model took 10-15 minutes per call
- When manuals were missing, techs called the office—interrupting admin staff
- Service errors from wrong procedures averaged 3-4 per month, requiring costly return visits
The owner estimated this chaos cost them €2,000-3,000 monthly in wasted time and rework. But the bigger issue was customer satisfaction. Clients noticed when technicians seemed unprepared.
The Solution: Manualy Implementation
We implemented Manualy, a digital manual management system, customized for their workflow. At Etere Studio, we don't just hand over software—we act as transformation partners. That meant understanding their specific pain points before touching any technology.
The implementation took 6 weeks and included:
Digital Manual Library — All 200+ manuals digitized and searchable. Technicians find the exact page in under 30 seconds using model number or keyword search.
Standardized SOPs — We worked with their senior technicians to create step-by-step service checklists for each boiler type. No more guessing or relying on memory.
Offline Access — Field work means spotty internet. Manuals sync to devices and work without connection.
Update Management — When manufacturers release new specs, the office updates once. Every technician has the current version immediately.
The Results
Three months post-implementation, the numbers told the story:
Time Savings
- Average service call reduced from 2.5 hours to 1.5 hours (40% improvement)
- Manual lookup time dropped from 10-15 minutes to under 1 minute
- Office interruption calls decreased by 85%
Error Reduction
- Service errors requiring return visits dropped from 3-4 per month to fewer than 1
- First-time fix rate improved to 94%
Business Impact
- Technicians complete 2-3 additional calls per week each
- Estimated monthly savings: €4,500 in recovered productivity
- Customer satisfaction scores increased 22%
The owner told us something that stuck: "My technicians feel more professional now. They show up, pull up the exact specs on their tablet, and handle the job. Clients notice."
What Made It Work
Digital transformation for SMBs fails when it's treated as a technology project. We've seen companies buy software, dump it on employees, and wonder why nothing changes.
With ThermoService, three things made the difference:
Technician involvement from day one. The people using the system helped design the workflows. They flagged which manuals were most critical, which procedures caused confusion, and what they actually needed in the field.
Gradual rollout. We started with their 5 most common boiler models, proved the system worked, then expanded. No big-bang switchover that overwhelms the team.
Ongoing support. For the first month, Etere Studio provided weekly check-ins. Small issues got fixed before they became frustrations.
ThermoService isn't a tech company. They're tradespeople who needed their processes to match their expertise. That's the real opportunity in digital transformation for SMBs—not flashy technology, but removing the friction that costs you time and money every single day.
Facing similar paper-based inefficiencies in your operations? Let's talk about what's possible.