BigChange

Overview

BigChange is an operations platform for UK field-service businesses that brings office workflows, mobile jobs and customer updates together. It is best suited to teams coordinating technicians and vehicles across ongoing service work as well as callouts. Its breadth is the draw; custom pricing means buyers should weigh the whole workflow against the quoted cost.

Key features

Office staff can handle scheduling, CRM, sales pipeline, quotes, invoices, reporting and alerts, with a dispatch board, estimates and invoicing also supported. Equipment histories and service agreements make it relevant to maintenance operations, while job scheduling and live tracking connect planning with field activity. Consolidating those tasks can reduce handoffs between separate systems, though businesses should confirm which optional extras they need.

Field staff can use the mobile app to work on assigned jobs, complete digital worksheets and risk assessments, record timesheets and proof of service, and support driver-behaviour monitoring. That gives teams a fuller digital job record than scheduling alone, but may be more platform than a small operator needs if it only wants basic booking and billing.

The customer portal lets customers request jobs, track progress and download job cards; integrated payments and ETA alerts extend the service beyond internal coordination. BigChange Lightning adds AI tools for business questions, engineer training, job preparation, documentation, customer summaries, messaging and GPS time tracking. Those capabilities may help teams reduce administrative work, but their value depends on whether they fit existing processes.

Integrations with Sage and Xero are described, and the API and web services can support connections to ERP and other industry platforms. BigChange states that it is certified for ISO 27001, ISO 9001, Cyber Essentials and SOC 2 Type 1; it also says its AWS-hosted platform encrypts app-to-system communications, uses mobile device management on its tablets and undergoes independent penetration testing. Customers have access to a UK-based support team around the clock, a customer success manager and training resources.

Pricing

BigChange plans: custom pricing. Plans include support, CRM, job scheduling, mobile app, live tracking, quotes and invoices, business intelligence and a collaboration network, with extras available. There is no published per-user cost to compare against team size, so businesses should request a quote that clarifies any extras and the total cost for their operation.

Platforms

BigChange supports Android, iOS and web, and offers an API for software connections, task automation and real-time data syncing. The mobile app is available through the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.

Who it's for

BigChange targets field-service operators such as plumbing and heating, HVAC, drainage, utilities, fire and security, equipment hire, facilities management and electrical contracting. It is a stronger fit for businesses coordinating office staff, technicians, customers and fleet activity than for teams seeking only a lightweight job calendar. Its maker, headquartered in Leeds and founded in 2013, is part of the Simpro Group.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Office, field and customer workflows share one platform, including job scheduling, live tracking and a customer portal.
• Pro: Equipment histories and service agreements support maintenance work as well as individual jobs.
• Pro: Sage and Xero integrations, plus API and web-service options, provide routes to connect other business systems.
• Con: Custom pricing makes it harder to compare costs before requesting a quote.
• Con: The breadth of features and optional extras may be unnecessary for a small team with simpler scheduling and invoicing needs.

Alternatives

ServiceM8 is worth considering for a smaller operation that can work within its free plan's one-user and 30-jobs-per-month limits; it also offers a free trial.

WEX FSM may suit buyers focused on payment processing, mobile card readers, online payments and financing options, with a free plan available.

FieldAware is another paid field-service option, with a free trial and Android, iOS, web and API support.

ServiceWorks may suit buyers comparing a published monthly entry plan: Bronze costs $150 a month and includes 500,000 API credits.

Tradify is an option for buyers who want a published per-user price and a free trial: its Lite plan costs $47 a month and includes job management, scheduling with Google Calendar sync, quoting and invoicing.

Fieldpoint offers another field-service management option with pricing by request.

FieldPulse uses seat-based custom quotes tailored to team needs.

HVACBase uses quote-based pricing and asks buyers to request a demo.

For category comparisons, browse HVAC Software, Plumbing Software, Field Service Management Software and Dispatch Management Software.

Verdict

BigChange is a strong choice for field-service businesses that need office scheduling, mobile job records, fleet visibility and customer updates in one system. Its main reason to choose it is the breadth across the job lifecycle; look elsewhere if a straightforward published price or a simpler tool is more important than that consolidation.