From 20 Reports to One: Bargreen Ellingson Unifies Complex Field Service with Praxedo

Can you describe Bargreen Ellingson and the chemical division’s specific needs?
Bargreen Ellingson is primarily a restaurant supply company. We opened a chemical division to fill a customer gap in servicing dish machines and laundry machines. We lease the machines and provide monthly maintenance. Our unique operational need is that we have multiple visits a day, and each visit often requires us to service multiple assets (machines) at one location.

What problem were you trying to solve with a new field service solution?
Our previous field service platform just wasn’t working for our unique niche. The biggest problem was that for one site visit, it would generate 20 or more separate reports—one for each asset—for our internal team and our customers. This was overwhelming. We needed a solution that was customizable enough to give us one report per visit, but also gave our field technicians the autonomy they need to make decisions on the fly.

What were the consequences of not having a streamlined process?
The main consequence was a negative impact on our customers and our internal team. Customers were confused by receiving 20+ reports, and internally, it was incredibly hard to manage the team and provide consistent metrics for coaching or recognizing excellence. Team morale was low because the old system was so complicated—our employees had to click 20 times just to complete one report.

Was there a moment you knew you had to make a change?
Yes. After doing a few field visits myself—even putting on a hard hat and working on a dish machine—I saw firsthand what our technicians were having to click through. Seeing the problems the techs were having in the field made it clear that something had to change, even if we weren’t sure what the new solution would be yet.

How did you go about finding Praxedo, and what made them stand out?
We realized the market had evolved since we last looked for a solution. We put out a thorough RFP (Request for Proposal). Praxedo not only responded but provided some of the most thorough responses and we immediately scheduled a demo. What really stood out was their honesty about their limitations, alongside their willingness to work with our unique operating model. They recognized that we operate differently than their typical clients – our techs have a lot more autonomy in the field to make scheduling decisions – and instead of seeing it as a barrier, they said, “We can figure out something that’ll work for you.”

How would you explain what Praxedo does for your company to a colleague?

Praxedo is the technological solution our field technicians use to report everything they’re doing—servicing customers, noting issues, etc. It helps bridge the gap of communication and organization between our technician team, our internal sales team, and our customers.

What do you like most about working with Praxedo?
I like that Praxedo is simple, but I especially like that they’re willing to grow with us. They constantly work with us, asking what issues we’re facing and how we would build the platform differently. The thing I like the most is simply the team we get to integrate with.

What is the main problem Praxedo solves for you?
The biggest problem Praxedo solves is allowing us to have one Route Service Order (RSO) per visit, which can include all of the assets at that location. This means customers and sales only receive one comprehensive report detailing all work done on all machines.

What are some of the most valuable features for Bargreen Ellingson?
The ability to set up recurring visits with that one “RSO to rule them all” is a key feature we weren’t able to do before. Another valuable feature is the visibility the tech has to the history of that location. Most importantly, the ability to get information quickly to our internal sales team—like an identified problem requiring a follow-up—makes us a stronger, more united team. The mobile app is also a hit because it gives our autonomous techs the ability to see their schedule ahead and make decisions on the fly.

How has this improved efficiency for your technicians?

It’s much quicker now. Our technicians used to spend up to 30 minutes at a job site just filling out the paperwork. Now, that’s a much more seamless five to ten minutes. I’d estimate the time savings for the technician is up to 20-30 minutes per visit, allowing them to focus on fixing and maintaining the machines instead of managing a checklist.

Has Praxedo helped with standardizing work across your company?
Absolutely. We operate in eight different states with different division managers, and Praxedo has been a way to streamline what matters, ensuring we’re delivering consistent service across all divisions. We also recently acquired a new territory, and Praxedo helped us immediately provide the new team with the necessary technology and tools. Their great scheduling tool helps us visually group visits that are next to each other, which was a huge step up from relying on Google Sheets.

What was the most surprising outcome of the implementation?
The most surprising thing was how happy our sales team was. They get the reports quickly, which helps them feel like they’re in contact with our tech team. When the salesperson visits the customer, they have all the context they need, making us look like a united front working together.

Would you recommend Praxedo?
I would definitely recommend Praxedo. It’s a really easy, streamlined solution, and their team is great. The main reason, though, is their “go get ’em” attitude. They didn’t let the fact that their solution wasn’t designed for a company like ours stop them; instead, they focused on how they could solve our problems, and that is invaluable for us.