Trades Automation Playbook

The full automation playbook for Australian trades businesses

Pulled from a bank of 50 real automations — not written for this page.

50
automations, every one real
20
quick wins — live in days
every one names a real tool
Get your 3 picked for you — 90 seconds →or browse all 50 below ↓

Runs on the tools you already use — ServiceM8, Tradify, Xero, SafetyCulture.

The full 50, sorted by the pain they kill. Quick wins lead every group.

Never lose another lead

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Missed-call-to-text + web-enquiry auto-replyQuick win

After-hours leads get an instant SMS/email reply instead of going to a competitor.

ServiceM8 / a missed-call-text-back tool~20–30% more leads captured
Auto review requestsQuick win

Job-done triggers an SMS asking for a Google review.

NiceJob / PodiumMore 5-star reviews = cheaper leads over time
Quote follow-up sequenceQuick win

Unaccepted quotes get automatic nudges at day 2, 5 and 10 until the client says yes or no.

Tradify / ServiceM8Recovers roughly one in seven quotes that would’ve gone cold
AI review reply assistantQuick win

Drafts a personalised reply to every Google review, so you’re not staring at a blank box at 9pm.

NiceJob / Podium~1 hr/wk saved; every review answered within a day
Quote expiry remindersQuick win

An unaccepted quote nearing its expiry date sends the client an automatic still-want-this nudge.

Tradify / ServiceM8Wins back roughly one in ten quotes that would’ve lapsed
Referral request automationQuick win

Happy clients get asked for a referral a week after the job, while the good experience is still fresh.

NiceJob / CloutlyGenerates warm leads without you remembering to ask
Subcontractor certificate chasingBuild

Emails subbies automatically before their insurance or licence expires, so nothing lapses on your job.

SafetyCultureAvoids the insurance gap that voids a claim
Smoke alarm & test-and-tag recall remindersBuild

Clients due for their annual smoke-alarm or test-and-tag check get a reminder and a booking link.

ServiceM8 recurring jobsRefills the calendar with repeat work you’d otherwise forget to chase
Google Business Profile auto-postingBuild

Recent jobs and reviews auto-post to your Google listing, so it looks active without you remembering.

Google Business Profile + ZapierKeeps your listing fresh, which lifts local search ranking
New-lead SMS and email double-tapBuild

Every web enquiry gets an instant text and a follow-up email within a minute of landing.

Zapier + ServiceM8~20% more enquiries turn into a booked quote
AI-summarised call notesBuild

Phone enquiries get transcribed and summarised into your CRM automatically, so nothing said gets lost.

Otter / Fathom~1.5 hrs/wk saved on manual call notes
Which of these fits how you follow up today? Get your 3 picked for you — free →

Quote faster, get paid faster

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Instant quote builderQuick win

Templated quotes auto-sent and auto-followed-up, so you reply first and win more jobs.

ServiceM8 / Tradify~4–6 hrs/wk on quoting; wins more jobs by replying first
Auto-invoice + payment chasingBuild

Invoice fires on job completion and unpaid invoices auto-remind themselves.

ServiceM8 + Xero~3 hrs/wk saved; paid ~9 days faster
Tap-to-pay on invoiceQuick win

Client pays on the spot by tapping a card on your phone; the invoice closes itself the moment they pay.

Square / Pinch PaymentsCollects payment on completion instead of chasing it for weeks
Repeating invoice for maintenance plansQuick win

Ongoing maintenance clients get invoiced automatically on the same date every month.

Xero repeating invoices~1 hr/wk saved; nothing forgotten at month-end
AI-drafted quote emailsQuick win

Turns your rough job notes into a client-ready quote email in your voice, not a generic template.

Claude / ChatGPT~2 hrs/wk saved writing up quotes
Variation sign-off via SMSBuild

Client approves a priced variation by tapping a link — no chasing a signature on-site.

Buildxact / ServiceM8Variations approved same-day instead of sitting a week
Progress claims automationBuild

Progress claims generate off the build schedule and go straight to the client for approval.

Buildxact + Xero~3 hrs/wk saved; claims go out on time every stage
Debtor chasing on autopilotBuild

Overdue invoices escalate from a friendly reminder to a firm follow-up without you sending an email.

Chaser + XeroPaid ~7 days faster on average
Tender response draftingBuild

Turns a tender document and your standard rates into a first draft you edit, not write from scratch.

Claude / a templated AI drafting workflowCuts tender drafting time roughly in half
Direct-debit maintenance plansPlatform

Recurring service clients get billed automatically each month instead of one-off invoicing.

GoCardless + XeroTurns one-off jobs into billed recurring revenue
Missed-payment escalationPlatform

Invoices unpaid past 60 days escalate automatically to a formal notice, so you’re not the one chasing.

ChaserRecovers debts you’d otherwise write off
End-to-end job lifecycle automationPlatform

Quote, schedule, invoice and payroll all run off one system instead of five disconnected tools.

SimPRO or AroFlo + Xero + Deputy~6–8 hrs/wk saved across the whole admin workload
Quoting eating your evenings? Get your 3 picked for you — 90 seconds →

A calendar that runs itself

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Job/appointment SMS remindersQuick win

Cut no-shows and "where’s the tradie?" calls with automatic reminders.

ServiceM8 / TradifySaves lost-job revenue + ~2 hrs/wk of phone tag
On-my-way textQuick win

Client gets an automatic SMS with your ETA the moment you’re dispatched to the job.

ServiceM8 / FergusCuts are-you-still-coming calls by a few hours a week
Job-status client updatesQuick win

Client gets an automatic text at each milestone — booked, on the way, complete — no calls needed.

ServiceM8 / Fergus~2 hrs/wk saved on just-checking-in calls
Two-way SMS booking confirmationsQuick win

Clients confirm or reschedule a booking by replying to a text, no phone tag to lock in a time.

ServiceM8 / TradifyCuts no-shows and rebooking calls by a few hours a week
Two-way calendar booking syncQuick win

Clients book straight into your real availability online, no back-and-forth texting to find a time.

Calendly + ServiceM8~2 hrs/wk saved on booking back-and-forth
Warranty callback trackerBuild

Logs every warranty claim against the original job and auto-schedules the callback.

ServiceM8 / TradifyCallbacks booked within 48 hrs instead of falling through the cracks
Job pack auto-assemblyBuild

Site address, SWMS, materials list and client notes bundle into one pack sent to the crew overnight.

SimPRO / AroFlo~2 hrs/wk saved briefing crews each morning
Materials reorder alertsBuild

Flags what’s running low against upcoming jobs, so you order before you’re stuck mid-job.

a stock-tracking integrationAvoids the wasted trip and the delayed job
Van stocktake remindersBuild

Prompts each crew to log what’s left on the van at week’s end, so restocking happens before Monday.

a stock-tracking integrationCuts the Monday-morning scramble for missing parts
Multi-site progress dashboardPlatform

One screen shows every job’s stage, crew and budget status instead of five separate phone calls.

Buildxact / SimPRO~3 hrs/wk saved chasing status updates from site
Crew dispatch boardBuild

Jobs auto-assign to the nearest available tradie by skill and location — no phone-tag dispatching.

SimPRO / Fergus~4 hrs/wk saved on dispatch calls
If the calendar runs you, start here: get your 3 picked for you →
34 down, 16 to go.
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Kill the admin & data entry

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Supplier invoice captureQuick win

Photograph a supplier invoice and it lands in your accounts, coded and ready, no manual entry.

Hubdoc / Dext~3 hrs/wk of data entry saved
Before/after job photo logQuick win

Every job’s photos are timestamped, geotagged and organised automatically, not lost in a camera roll.

CompanyCam~2 hrs/wk saved hunting for photos when a dispute comes up
Fuel card & receipt captureQuick win

Snap a fuel or hardware receipt from the ute and it’s coded to the right job automatically.

Dext / Hubdoc~1.5 hrs/wk saved reconciling receipts
Site-visit meeting notesQuick win

Records the site-visit conversation and turns it into a scope summary you can quote straight from.

Otter / Fathom~2 hrs/wk saved writing up site-visit notes
Job-completion checklistQuick win

Crew ticks off a digital checklist before leaving site — proof if a client ever disputes the job.

SafetyCulture / ServiceM8 forms~1 hr/wk saved on paperwork; fewer callback disputes
Digital timesheets to payrollBuild

Crew clock on and off from their phone and hours flow straight into payroll, no paper timesheets.

Deputy / Tanda~2 hrs/wk saved chasing timesheets; fewer payroll errors
SWMS auto-generationBuild

Builds a compliant SWMS from a job template in minutes instead of a blank document each time.

SafetyCulture~1.5 hrs saved per job on paperwork
New-client welcome packBuild

New clients get what to expect, payment terms and how to reach you the moment the job’s booked.

Zapier / MakeFewer what-happens-now calls in the first week
Job system to Xero syncPlatform

Job data, invoices and payments sync both ways, so your books match your job system automatically.

AroFlo + Xero / SimPRO + Xero~3 hrs/wk saved on double-handling data between systems
Compliance certificate registerPlatform

Tracks every licence, insurance and test-and-tag certificate in one place and flags what’s expiring.

SafetyCultureAvoids the fine — and the lost tender — from an expired certificate
BAS-ready job costingPlatform

GST-coded job costs roll up automatically, so your BAS numbers are ready before the bookkeeper asks.

Xero + SimPRO / AroFlo job costing~2 hrs saved every BAS cycle
Buried in paperwork? See the 3 that pay you back first →

Stop answering the same questions

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FAQ auto-reply assistantBuild

Answers your most-asked questions — pricing range, service area, callout fee — before the phone rings.

TidioDeflects roughly a third of the quick-question calls
Customer complaint triagePlatform

Sorts incoming complaints by urgency and drafts a first response, so nothing sits unanswered overnight.

a shared inbox with an AI triage workflowCuts response time from days to hours on the ones that matter
Tired of the same ten questions? Get your 3 picked for you →

Know your numbers without the paperwork

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Job costing reportsBuild

Every job auto-tallies labour, materials and time against the quote, so you know what it made.

SimPRO / AroFloFlags loss-making jobs before you quote the next one the same way
End-of-month P&L snapshotPlatform

A plain-English profit summary lands in your inbox on the 1st — no bookkeeper wait, no spreadsheet.

Xero + FathomKnow last month’s number by the 1st instead of the 15th
Lead source tracking dashboardPlatform

Shows which ads, referrals or listings actually turn into booked jobs, not just phone calls.

CallRail + Google Business ProfileStops you paying for leads that never convert
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