Back office features

1. Purpose and users

The back office is the internal system staff use to run every job that comes from the website, phone or WhatsApp: from the first booking to payment, warranty and review. It replaces spreadsheets and WhatsApp groups with one place where everyone sees the same job, the same price and the same promise made to the customer. It also controls what the website shows (services, "from AED" prices, areas, time slots), so the website never promises something the team cannot deliver.

One person may hold several roles (for example the owner is also operations manager in a small team).

Permissions (Full = see, add, change · View = see only · Own = only their own records · None = hidden)

Owner only: delete records, export the full customer list, change roles, publish price changes.

2. Job lifecycle

A job always has exactly one status. Every change is recorded with who made it and when.

Side routes:

3. Modules

Priority tags: MVP needed on day one · Phase 2 Phase 2, once the basics run smoothly · Later only if the business needs it.

3.1 Dashboard

For: seeing the state of today in ten seconds.

• MVP Today's jobs counted by status: unassigned, on the way, in progress, completed, late
• MVP "Needs attention" list: jobs unassigned close to their slot, technicians running late, quotes waiting for the customer, new bookings not yet confirmed, open complaints
• MVP Today's money in AED: invoiced, collected, still owed (hidden from roles without money access)
• MVP Emergency jobs shown as a banner at the top until a technician is on the way
• Phase 2 Arrival promise score: share of visits on time this week
• Phase 2 Plan renewals and plan visits falling due in the next 30 days
• Phase 2 Average star rating for the last 30 days
• Later Each user arranges their own dashboard

Key data: none of its own; it reads from Jobs, Invoices, Complaints, Plans.

3.2 Jobs (bookings and work orders)

For: the single record of each piece of work, from request to closed.

• MVP Website bookings arrive by themselves as New, with a reference number
• MVP Create a job by hand for phone, WhatsApp and walk-in customers, with the same fields as the website
• MVP Job list with filters (status, date, trade, area, technician, source) and search by reference, name or mobile
• MVP Job page: customer, address with map pin, service, slot, price, notes, photos, status history, messages sent
• MVP Change status, reschedule, cancel with a reason
• MVP Emergency flag: jumps the queue, uses the emergency arrival promise and out-of-hours rates
• MVP Access notes: building or community work permit needed, gate pass, parking, pets, who will be home
• MVP Extra items added on site (services, parts), before and after photos, customer sign-off
• MVP Warranty end date set on completion; "Create warranty call-back" button on closed jobs
• Phase 2 Jobs with several visits (painting over three days, return visit after parts arrive)
• Phase 2 Checklist per service (for example the steps of an AC service) that the technician ticks off
• Phase 2 Duplicate warning: same mobile and service booked twice within a day
• Later Jobs given to subcontractors, with their cost recorded

Key data: reference, source (website, phone, WhatsApp, plan visit, call-back), customer, property, service(s), problem description, customer photos, date and arrival window, priority, technician(s), status, booked price, final price, VAT, payment status, warranty end date, linked jobs, access notes, message language.

3.3 Dispatch board (schedule and assignment)

For: deciding who goes where and when, and spotting trouble early.

• MVP Day view: one row per technician, hours across, jobs as blocks coloured by status
• MVP Queue of unassigned jobs beside the board; drag a job onto a technician
• MVP Warnings before saving: overlapping job, wrong trade, outside the technician's area, on leave
• MVP Reassign or swap jobs; the technician's app updates at once
• MVP Running-late flag when a technician has not set off in time to meet the arrival window
• Phase 2 Map view with job pins and each technician's last known position
• Phase 2 Travel time between communities added automatically between jobs
• Phase 2 Suggested technician: right trade, free, nearest
• Phase 2 Week view, and planning plan visits in bulk
• Later Automatic route planning for the whole day

Key data: technician, date, start and end time, job, travel buffer, clash warnings.

3.4 Customers

For: knowing who the customer is and everything done for them.

• MVP Customer record: name, mobile, WhatsApp number, email, preferred language, type (household, business, property manager)
• MVP Several properties per customer: emirate, community, building or villa, unit, map pin, access notes
• MVP History in one place: jobs, quotes, invoices, plans, messages, reviews, complaints
• MVP Incoming bookings matched to an existing customer by mobile number
• MVP Business details: company name, tax registration number (TRN), billing contact, payment terms
• MVP Consent flag for marketing messages (service messages are always allowed)
• Phase 2 Equipment at the property (number and type of AC units, water heater, last service date)
• Phase 2 Property manager accounts: many units under one account, tenant contact per unit
• Phase 2 Tags (VIP, landlord, do not serve), amount owed shown on the record, merge duplicates
• Later Customer login to see their own jobs, invoices and plan

Key data: name, mobiles, email, language, type, properties, TRN, payment terms, consent, tags, balance owed.

3.5 Quotes and invoices

For: agreeing the price before work and getting paid after it.

• MVP Quote built from price-list items, free-text lines, parts and discount; 5% VAT added automatically
• MVP Quote sent as a WhatsApp link; customer taps Approve or Decline; time of approval is stored
• MVP Tax invoice created from the completed job: company TRN, running invoice number, VAT shown separately, PDF
• MVP Record payment by cash, card, bank transfer or payment link; part payments; receipt sent
• MVP Standard lines: call-out fee, late-arrival credit, plan discount
• MVP List of unpaid invoices with age in days
• MVP Cash list: cash each technician collected today and whether it was handed in
• Phase 2 Pay-by-card link created inside the system and marked paid automatically
• Phase 2 Deposits for larger jobs (painting, renovation) and credit notes and refunds with approval
• Phase 2 Monthly statements and payment terms for business customers
• Phase 2 Quote expiry date and automatic reminders; invoices in English and Arabic on one page
• Later Quotes with options (basic, standard, premium) and staged billing for renovation work

Key data: quote or invoice number, job, customer, lines (item, quantity, unit price), discount, VAT, total, status (draft, sent, approved, declined, paid, part paid, overdue), payments (method, amount, date, taken by), credit notes.

3.6 Maintenance plans and contracts

For: selling annual plans and making sure every promised visit happens.

• MVP Plan types matching the website: name, price, length, visits included per trade, what is covered, discount on extra work, priority response
• MVP Sell a plan to a customer for a specific property: start date, end date, payment status
• MVP Visit counter: used and remaining; a job booked under a plan shows "covered by plan" and costs nothing
• MVP Renewal list: plans ending in 60, 30 and 7 days
• Phase 2 Preventive visits scheduled ahead (for example AC service every three months) with a "pick your slot" message
• Phase 2 Renewal reminders by WhatsApp; payment in instalments
• Phase 2 Business contracts: custom scope, several sites, agreed response time, signed contract uploaded
• Phase 2 Pause or cancel a plan with a clear refund rule
• Later Automatic renewal on a saved card

Key data: plan type, customer, property, start and end date, price, payment schedule, entitlements (visits per trade, emergency call-outs), visits used, linked jobs, status (active, due for renewal, expired, cancelled).

3.7 Technicians

For: knowing who can do what, where and when.

• MVP Profile: name, photo, mobile, trades, languages spoken, areas covered, van
• MVP Working hours, days off and leave, which block the dispatch board
• MVP App login switched on or off
• Phase 2 Documents with expiry alerts: Emirates ID, visa, driving licence, trade certificates
• Phase 2 Performance per technician: jobs done, on-time share, rating, call-back rate, revenue
• Phase 2 Technician and helper working as a pair; attendance (start and end of day)
• Phase 2 Choose which technicians appear on the website (name, photo, trade)
• Later Commission and incentive calculation; training records

Key data: name, photo, mobile, employee number, trades, languages, areas, van, shift pattern, leave, documents and expiry dates, status.

3.8 Price list and services (what the website shows)

For: one price list that the website, the office and the technician all use.

• MVP Service catalogue: category, name and description in English and Arabic, what is included and not, typical duration, warranty in days, show on website yes or no
• MVP Price type per service: fixed, "from AED", hourly, or "quote after inspection"
• MVP Call-out (inspection) fee and emergency or out-of-hours surcharge
• MVP Publish to the website: changes go live only when the owner publishes them
• MVP One setting for whether shown prices include or exclude 5% VAT
• Phase 2 Add-ons per service (extra AC unit, extra room) and half-day or full-day handyman blocks
• Phase 2 Different prices by area (for example a surcharge outside Dubai)
• Phase 2 Promotions and discount codes with start and end dates; price history; price changes scheduled for a future date
• Later Separate price lists per business customer

Key data: category, service name (EN, AR), description, inclusions, exclusions, price type, price, unit, duration, warranty days, trade needed, website visibility, order on the page.

3.9 Parts and van stock

For: knowing what parts were used, what they cost and what each van carries.

• MVP Add a part to a job as a line with a price, so the invoice is correct (no stock counting yet)
• Phase 2 Parts list: name, code, unit, cost price, selling price, supplier
• Phase 2 Stock held in the store and in each van; transfers between them; stock reduces when a part is used on a job
• Phase 2 Low-stock alerts; technician requests a part from the app; list of jobs waiting for parts
• Later Purchase orders, supplier records, stock counts, barcode scanning

Key data: part name, code, unit, cost, selling price, supplier, quantity per location, minimum quantity, usage per job.

3.10 Reviews and complaints (including warranty call-backs)

For: hearing from every customer and fixing what went wrong, fast.

• MVP Rating request sent automatically after a job closes: 1 to 5 stars and a comment
• MVP A rating of 1 to 3 opens a complaint by itself and alerts the operations manager
• MVP Complaint log: linked job, type, severity, person responsible, due date, status, how it was resolved
• MVP Warranty call-back: created from the original job, free, original technician by default, marked priority
• Phase 2 Customers who gave 4 or 5 stars are invited to post a public Google review
• Phase 2 Publish chosen reviews on the website (first name, community, job type) with the customer's consent
• Phase 2 Compensation with approval: credit, refund or free return visit
• Phase 2 Call-back causes by service and technician
• Later Customer satisfaction survey with more questions

Key data: rating, comment, job, technician, complaint type, severity, owner, due date, status, resolution, compensation, call-back job link, cause.

3.11 Reports

For: answering the owner's questions with numbers (full list in section 6).

• MVP Daily summary: jobs done, invoiced, collected, owed
• MVP VAT report for any period
• MVP Any list can be exported to a spreadsheet
• Phase 2 Remaining reports in section 6, with date range and filters by trade, area and technician
• Later Reports emailed on a schedule; build-your-own reports

3.12 Website and messages (leads, WhatsApp/SMS templates, areas, slots, FAQs)

For: controlling what the website offers and what the company says to customers.

• MVP Leads inbox: enquiries and call-back requests from the website; status (new, contacted, booked, lost); turn a lead into a job
• MVP Message templates in English and Arabic for every lifecycle step, with blanks filled in automatically (name, reference, time, technician, price)
• MVP Service areas: emirates and communities served, switched on or off
• MVP Time slots: arrival windows, how many jobs each window can take per trade, same-day cut-off time, closed days and public holidays
• MVP Message log per job: sent, delivered, failed
• Phase 2 Shared WhatsApp inbox: staff read and answer customer chats inside the system, linked to the customer record
• Phase 2 SMS sent automatically when a WhatsApp message fails
• Phase 2 FAQs edited here in English and Arabic; website notices (for example "high demand today, next slot tomorrow")
• Phase 2 Where each lead came from (search, social media, referral) and bookings started but not finished
• Later Bulk messages to customers who opted in (for example a pre-summer AC service reminder)

Key data: lead (name, mobile, service, area, message, source, status), template (event, language, text, channel), area (emirate, community, active), slot (day, window, trade, capacity), FAQ (question, answer, language, order).

3.13 Settings (users, roles, working hours, VAT, languages)

For: company details and the rule values everything else uses.

• MVP Users and roles: invite, change role, switch off
• MVP Company details used on invoices and messages: legal name, trade licence number, TRN, address, logo, phone, WhatsApp number
• MVP Working hours, emergency hours, public holidays
• MVP VAT rate (5%), prices including or excluding VAT, invoice number format
• MVP Rule values: arrival window length, late-arrival credit, call-out fee, cancellation cut-off, default warranty days, discount limit per role
• MVP Activity log: who changed what and when
• Phase 2 Second login step (a code on the phone) for owner and accountant
• Phase 2 Customer data export, and deletion on a customer's request
• Later Back-office screens in Arabic
• Later Several branches with separate teams and price lists

Key data: users, roles, company profile, hours, holidays, VAT settings, rule values, languages, activity log.

3.14 Technician mobile app

For: the technician's whole working day on one phone screen. At first this can be a web page opened on the phone; a store app is only needed for offline use and live location.

• MVP Login with mobile number and PIN
• MVP Today's jobs in order: arrival window, address with a "navigate" link, customer name, problem, customer photos, access notes
• MVP Large status buttons: On the way, Arrived, Start work, Complete
• MVP Call or WhatsApp the customer in one tap
• MVP Add extra services and parts from the price list; show the new total; customer approves on screen or by WhatsApp link
• MVP Before and after photos and notes
• MVP Customer sign-off on the phone
• MVP Take payment: record cash or card, or send a payment link
• MVP "Cannot complete" with a reason: no access, needs parts, needs second visit, needs office quote
• Phase 2 Works with weak or no signal and sends when the signal returns
• Phase 2 Live location while on the way, with a tracking link for the customer
• Phase 2 Van stock, parts request, service checklists
• Phase 2 App language choice for technicians (see open question 9)
• Later Own earnings and incentives; chat with the dispatcher inside the app

Key data: reads and writes Jobs, Quotes, Payments, Photos; stores arrival time, completion time and signature.

4. Rules the system must enforce

1. No double-booking. A technician cannot hold two jobs that overlap, including travel time. The board refuses or warns.
2. Right person. Only a technician with the needed trade, in the job's area, and not on leave can be assigned.
3. The website cannot overbook. It offers only slots with capacity left for that trade and area; a slot is held the moment a booking arrives.
4. Price before work. A job cannot move to In progress until the customer has accepted the price. If the price rises on site, a new approval is needed, and it is recorded with the time.
5. Call-out fee. Charged when the customer declines the quote after inspection; not charged when the work goes ahead. (Policy to confirm.)
6. Arrival promise. Arrival time is stamped when the technician taps Arrived. If it is after the end of the window, the job is marked late and the late-arrival credit is added to the invoice automatically. Only a manager can remove it, with a reason.
7. Emergency jobs go to the top of the queue, alert the dispatcher at once and use the emergency arrival promise and rates.
8. Warranty. Each completed job gets a warranty end date from the warranty days of its service. A call-back inside that date is free and linked to the original job. After that date it is a new paid job.
9. Plan entitlements. A plan visit is counted when the job is completed. When visits run out, further visits are charged at the plan's discount. An expired or unpaid plan gives no entitlement.
10. VAT and invoice numbers. Every invoice carries 5% VAT and the company TRN. Numbers run in order with no gaps. An issued invoice is never edited or deleted; mistakes are fixed with a credit note.
11. Discounts and refunds. Discounts above the role's limit need the operations manager or owner. Refunds need the accountant or owner.
12. Cancellation. Free before the cut-off time; after it, or on a "no access" visit, the call-out fee may apply. (Policy to confirm.)
13. Closing a job requires completion photos, customer sign-off and full payment (or an account customer with payment terms).
14. Price changes apply to new bookings only. A booked job keeps the price the customer was shown.
15. Messages. Service messages go in the customer's language. Marketing messages go only to customers who agreed. Every message is logged.
16. Privacy. A technician sees only their own jobs and those customers. Only the owner can export the customer list.
17. Everything is traceable. Status changes, price changes, discounts and cancellations record who did it and when.

5. Notifications matrix

6. Reports

7. Integrations to consider

No specific vendor is required for any category; choice depends on cost and the client's existing accounts.

8. MVP summary

The smallest set that runs a booking from website to paid:

1. Website bookings and leads arrive as jobs; staff can also create jobs by hand.
2. Dispatch board by day with drag-to-assign and clash warnings; slot capacity feeds the website.
3. Technician phone view: job list, status buttons, photos, extra items, customer approval, sign-off, payment record.
4. Customer records with properties and full history.
5. Quotes approved by WhatsApp link; tax invoices with 5% VAT; payments recorded; unpaid and cash lists.
6. Plans sold and recorded, with visit counters and a renewal list.
7. Price list that publishes "from AED" prices, call-out fee and warranty days to the website.
8. Automatic WhatsApp messages in English and Arabic at each step; rating request; complaint log; warranty call-backs.
9. Dashboard, daily summary, VAT report, spreadsheet export.
10. Users, roles, company details, hours, rule values, activity log.

Deliberately left out of the MVP: stock counting, map view and live tracking, route planning, built-in card payment, two-way WhatsApp inbox, SMS fallback, automatic plan visit scheduling, property-manager accounts, technician documents and performance scores, most reports, customer login, Arabic back-office screens, offline app.

9. What we have assumed (to be corrected by the client)

• The team is in-house and one company operates from one base in Dubai.
• Back-office screens are in English; customer messages and the price list are in English and Arabic.
• Staff confirm each website booking by hand at first.
• Customers mostly pay on completion; business customers may pay on account.

10. Open questions for the client

1. How many technicians, vans and office staff are there today, and which people would hold which roles?
2. Should a website booking be confirmed automatically when the slot is free, or should a person confirm each one?
3. What arrival window and emergency arrival time can you honestly keep, who answers the emergency line at night, and do you want a late-arrival credit (how much)?
4. What is the call-out fee, when is it waived, and what is the cancellation policy?
5. What warranty period do you give for each trade?
6. Which maintenance plans do you sell (price, visits, what is covered), how are they paid, and are there existing contracts to bring in?
7. How do customers pay today (cash, card machine, transfer, link), are you VAT registered with a TRN, and which accounting software does your accountant use?
8. Which WhatsApp number do customers use today, who replies, and may the system send automatic messages from that number?
9. Is Arabic needed for customers at launch, and which languages do technicians need in the app (for example Urdu or Hindi)?
10. Do technicians have company phones (Android or iPhone), and do you ever use subcontractors?
11. Do you hold parts in vans or a store, or buy them per job?
12. What do you use now (spreadsheet, another system), is there customer or job history to import, and how much of the work is for businesses and property managers who need statements or purchase orders?