Industries · Trades

Automation in the trades means: the master craftsman is back on the site, not at the desk.

Automation in the trades means that quotes, invoices and timesheets are created automatically while your team is working on site. NordFlux builds this automation around your existing trade software instead of replacing it. You stay in control of every step.

The problem

The office eats up the evenings that should belong to the family.

On site during the day, at the desk in the evening: that is what the week looks like in many trade businesses. With the skills shortage, no business can afford this any longer.

  • 01Quotes take days because the measurements are only calculated in the quiet of the evening. The faster competitor wins the job.
  • 02Invoices go out weeks after handover because the paperwork is still in the vehicle or on the desk. The money is missing from the account.
  • 03Timesheets come in on paper from the site and are retyped on Fridays. Illegible, incomplete, error-prone.
  • 04Customers call while everyone is out on site. Whoever does not call back loses the job to the business that answers.
Use cases
01

This is how we ease the office load in your trade business.

Five workflows that eat up time in almost every trade. We automate them using your existing programs.

01

Capture enquiries in a structured way

Phone calls, WhatsApp messages and emails automatically land as an enquiry in your trade software or job list: with name, address, request and callback number. Nothing gets lost on notes or in the mailbox anymore.

Impact No lost enquiries
02

Quotes from measurements and price lists

The plumbing and heating master takes the measurements for the bathroom digitally, the automation pulls line items and prices from your stored lists and builds the draft quote. You review it, adjust it and send, instead of calculating from scratch in the evening.

Saving 2–4 h per quote
03

Invoice on the day of handover

The electrician wraps up the site, the handover protocol is signed, and the invoice goes out the same day. The draft invoice is created automatically from the job, materials and recorded hours.

Impact Money in the account faster
04

Digital timesheets instead of paper chaos

The joinery's fitters log their hours to the site on their phone, done. The data flows straight into post-costing and payroll preparation, and no one retypes paper slips on Fridays anymore.

Saving 2–3 h per week in the office
05

Appointment reminders and maintenance

Customers automatically receive a reminder before the appointment, which reduces wasted trips. Maintenance customers in the plumbing and heating sector are contacted in good time before the heating season begins: schedulable jobs instead of emergency-service chaos.

Impact Fewer empty trips, full order books
Tools

Software for automation in the trades: your programs stay.

Your trade software, your accounting, your calendar stay in use. We build the connections in between so that data is no longer transferred by hand.

Connect
n8n as the hub

n8n connects trade software, email, calendar and accounting with each other. On request it runs on a server in Germany, every workflow is traceable and belongs to you.

Phone
AI telephony for time on site

A phone agent takes calls when everyone is out on site: it captures the request and callback number and files the enquiry in a structured way. Emergencies are put through immediately.

Foundation
Process automation made to measure

Not every business needs the same thing. We look at your workflows and automate the points where time is really being lost: from the draft quote to filing.

How we work

The 30-day model.

From the first analysis to running automation in 30 days, at a fixed price instead of open timesheets.

1

Free initial analysis

60 minutes, no obligation, and gladly in the evening after work too. Together we look at where the most office time is being lost in your business.

2

Concept and fixed price

You receive a concrete proposal: which workflows will be automated, how your trade software will be connected and what it costs. One price, no surprises.

3

Implementation

We build the automation and test it with real cases from your everyday work: real enquiries, real quotes, real timesheets.

4

Handover and training

In a short briefing your team learns how everything works and how you can step in yourself. You stay in control, we remain reachable.

Related topic

Is the phone your biggest gap?

If missed calls out on site are the main reason you lose jobs, AI telephony is the better entry point: a phone agent answers every call and captures the request. The office automation can be added later.

View AI telephony
Free initial analysis

How many evenings a week does your office cost you?

In the free initial analysis we work it out together: 60 minutes, no obligation, no jargon. Afterwards you know what can be automated in your business and what it will deliver.

  • Fixed price instead of open timesheets
  • Your trade software stays in use
  • Data stays in Germany on request
Frequently asked questions
05

What trade businesses often ask us.

Do I have to switch my trade software?

No, your trade software stays. We build the automation around it and connect it with email, phone, calendar and accounting. Switching software would be the most expensive and riskiest path for most businesses, so we generally advise against it.

What does automation cost for a trade business?

After the free initial analysis you get a fixed price for your specific project, not open-ended hourly billing. What it costs depends on which processes are automated and which systems are connected. For consulting services, a BAFA grant for small and medium-sized enterprises may also be available.

Do my people need IT skills for this?

No, no IT skills are needed for this. Anyone who can operate a smartphone can also log hours or capture measurements digitally. We set everything up to fit into everyday work on the job site, and we personally train your team.

Is this even worthwhile for a business with five people?

Yes, small trade businesses in particular often benefit the most. There, the owner does the office work themselves, usually in the evenings and on weekends. When quotes, invoices and timesheets are prepared automatically, you get exactly those hours back without having to hire office staff.

Can inquiries via WhatsApp and phone be captured automatically?

Yes, inquiries via WhatsApp, email and phone can be captured automatically. Messages via WhatsApp and email are filed as a structured inquiry in your order list or trade software. For calls during job site hours, a phone agent can take down the request and put emergencies straight through.