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Company Overview: Sonlight Services
- Industry: Septic Pump Services
- Location: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
- Company Size: Expanded from 3 trucks to 5 trucks
- Services Offered:
- Septic cleanings (original)
- Portable restroom rentals
- Septic repair
- Septic installation
- Years in Business: Acquired in 2021 by Harold Case
- Previous System: Paper work orders on a bulletin board
The Challenge: A Paper-Heavy System with No Structure
When Harold Case bought Sonlight Services in 2021, it was already one of the most proven septic pump companies in the broader Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, region. The company had three trucks, a dedicated team of technicians, and annual profitability between $8K and $9K each year.
But there was one thing Sonlight Services lacked: A smooth and efficient way to keep up with work orders, to dispatch trucks effectively, and to follow up with customers after their initial service call.
Their challenges included:
- Work orders were written on slips of paper and pinned to a bulletin board
- Technicians chose their own jobs each morning—leading to dispatch chaos
- No system existed to log or track customer history
- Follow-ups with past customers were inconsistent or non-existent
- Response times to job requests varied significantly
With this old-fashioned system, Sonlight Services was inconsistent in how quickly they responded to job requests. Even more problematic was the fact that they had no way of recording customer histories, making it challenging to provide customized care or follow-up for recurring appointments effectively.
Key Objectives: Expanding Services and Increasing Retention
Harold knew that embracing a more cutting-edge system would help streamline scheduling, enhance customer service, and ensure more consistent follow-ups. He chose Housecall Pro on the basis of its competitive price point and overall value, plus the easy and intuitive interface.
While some of Harold’s technicians were initially skeptical about abandoning a familiar methodology in favor of more advanced tech, they acclimated quickly and ultimately found that Housecall Pro made their jobs easier by:
- Streamlining scheduling and dispatch
- Improving customer service and timely follow-ups
- Driving repeat business through smart automation
- Increasing market share and adding service lines
The Solution: Housecall Pro
Housecall Pro’s field service software has provided Harold and his team with a better handle on scheduling, managing customer relationships, tracking calls, and ensuring jobs are completed in a timelier manner.
Harold and his team have especially benefited from Housecall Pro’s automated follow-up capabilities, which make it seamless for Sonlight Services to send emails, text messages, and phone calls to potential leads and past customers. “Being able to follow up and say, ‘Did you know it’s been three years since your last septic service’ has been a game-changer for generating repeat business,” Harold said.
Housecall Pro offers a number of other features that have helped Harold and his team ensure higher standards of customer service, all while dispatching trucks more efficiently and keeping their sales pipeline full. Examples include:
- AI call answering, making certain that anyone who calls after-hours is given the information they need (and verifying that their information is captured for prompt follow-up).
- Automated dispatching, ensuring trucks are sent to jobsites in a timely manner and technicians are equipped with detailed information about the customers they are serving.
- Online appointment-setting, providing local home and business owners with an easy way to get the septic care they need, when they need it.
All these features have transformed the way Sonlight Services nurtures leads and builds out a robust database of recurring customers.
The Results? Exponential Growth and Operational Excellence
Since implementing Housecall Pro, Sonlight Services has seen transformational results:
- Annual Profitability: Grew from $8–9K to over $1.8 million
- Fleet Size: Expanded from 3 trucks to 5 trucks
- Service Area: Broadened into new markets
- Online Reviews: Increased Google reviews from 50 to 800+, boosting reputation
- Customer Retention: Strengthened through automated outreach and tracking
- Business Expansion: Added portable restrooms, septic repairs, and installations, becoming a full-service septic provider
Additionally, the team’s improved efficiency has opened new opportunities for them to diversify their service lines. Where once Sonlight Services offered septic cleanings only, now they offer portable restrooms, septic repair, and septic installation. They have grown into a truly full-service septic company, in no small part thanks to Housecall Pro’s all-in-one solutions.
To see how Sonlight Services grew, download the full PDF case study here.
