Meet James and Ally Clements, the husband-and-wife duo behind Connect Residential Electrical, based in Newcastle, NSW. Specialising in residential electrical work, they handle everything from kitchen installations and renovations to switchboard upgrades, power points, lighting, data, and TV setups. With big plans to expand into real estate services and builder partnerships, they needed a system that would support their growth—not hold them back.
The Challenge
Drowning in Admin
Before teaming up with TradiePad, James and Ally were drowning in admin work. Quoting was the biggest headache—what should’ve been a quick task took forever. James was starting from scratch every time, struggling to structure quotes properly, and figuring out part payments was a nightmare. Invoicing was equally frustrating—since he couldn’t do it easily in the field, it kept getting pushed back, leading to cash flow problems. On top of that, scheduling jobs, managing leads, and keeping up with emails and phone calls made it nearly impossible to stay on top of everything.
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A big part of the problem was the software they were using. They jumped into ServiceM8 without any proper training, and while they had managed to figure out a lot on their own, there were still massive gaps in their knowledge. Instead of wrapping up work and spending time with his family, James was stuck battling the system, often so fed up that he’d walk away from it completely. The stress was piling up, and the business was suffering—until he found TradiePad.
It's funny because ServiceM8 was probably the most stressful thing in my life for 6 months. Honestly Clinton, I feel like I was the person that you created this company for. I was done, I was checked out and I honestly didn't know what to do.
The Solution
Fixing the Real Problem
After a deep dive into James and Ally’s challenges, the team at TradiePad recommended sticking with ServiceM8—but with a fresh approach. Rather than switching systems again, the focus was on filling the knowledge gaps and building a more structured, efficient workflow within the software.
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Because the real issue wasn’t the software itself—it was that James had never been trained on how to use it properly. By working through one on one training, James could finally get a clear, repeatable process for quoting and invoicing, taking advantage of features like job templates, quote versions, and automation tools to speed things up.
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With ongoing support from TradiePad, James and Ally finally gained confidence in their software and saw that ServiceM8 could actually do everything they needed. From capturing job photos and videos to automating follow-ups, integrating seamlessly with Xero, and even tap-and-pay for faster payments, the system had the power to transform their business. It just needed the right setup and training.
Because the size of this problem that you solved for me is like… it affects my family life, it affects my health, it affects my state of mind. There's so many different areas of my life that this affected and you go it's just a piece of software! That was like a very valuable learning experience for me.
The Result
A Business Running Like Clockwork
Since working with TradiePad, they have seen a massive difference in their business. In just one quarter, Connect Residential Electrical’s turnover nearly matched their entire previous financial year! With quoting and invoicing streamlined, they’re saving time, reducing mistakes, and keeping their cash flow healthy.
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It’s not just about the numbers either. The biggest change has been in efficiency and work-life balance. Having all customer communication—emails, texts, and calls—stored in one place means the whole team is on the same page. Job tracking is seamless, and nothing slips through the cracks. Gone are the days of forgetting to invoice a job weeks later—now, everything is logged before even leaving the driveway.
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For James, this experience has been life-changing. What was once a frustrating, time-consuming process is now smooth and systemised, giving him more time to focus on growing the business and spending time with his family. With the right tools and processes now in place, Connect Residential Electrical is set for major growth—without the growing pains.
Where I'm at with ServiceM8 now I'm using it more and better than I've ever used a job management system in the last four years. Before I would have just driven off, followed my nose, got to the job, did the job, come home and then a week later I'd be like [ __ ] I forgot to send an invoice for that job! Not now.
When I mention ServiceM8 I always mention TradiePad because I feel like, now with what I know, I would never do a job management system without TradiePad.
Want to Transform Your Business?
If you’re sick of wasting time on admin, fighting with software, and missing out on family time, it’s time to get TradiePad on your side. We’ll sort out the headaches, get your systems running properly, and help you take your business to the next level.
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Contact TradiePad today and let’s make your job easier!
