Feeling supported with stronger business reporting
Simpro® Connector Customer
Who are GridTec Limited? GridTec is one of the UK’s leading Independent Connection Providers (IPC) and Engineering Procurement and Construction Contractors (EPC).
As an IPC, GridTec has been certified by the National Electricity Registration Scheme (NERS) to connect electrical infrastructure to the grid. As such, they design, procure, install, test and commission new electrical infrastructure.
As a well-respected name within this highly technical industry, GridTec provides project delivery work across a range of sectors from Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) to Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
Head Quartered in Leeds, UK GridTec have gained a strong reputation within the industry since being founded in 2022. We caught up with GridTec’s Head of Tendering, Marc Hildreth, to discuss how he overcame data reporting blockers, and why he gives Tugger 10/10.
Before Tugger, reporting was a struggle. While Simpro handled project management and purchasing well, extracting data for reports was difficult. Tugger has transformed how we access and utilise our data, making reporting seamless and far more efficient.
The Problem: Getting meaningful data out of business systems
In any business, being able to see business data in a way that provides truthful and meaningful insights is important. In a complex, service-based and rapidly growing business like GridTec, this becomes absolutely paramount.
Marc describes how he was happy with his Simpro system for the daily running of his projects, but that things got a little more problematic when he wanted to understand his business data on a deeper level.
“[Before Tugger] our data reporting was not very good. Our Simpro system was good at what we needed it for, which was to build projects, buy equipment, raise purchase orders against these projects and to create tenders. So it was good for customer management and some job management, but beyond that, we were struggling to see our data in a bigger picture format. We found it was easy to put data into Simpro, but much harder to get it out in a way that was usable or meaningful to the wider business.”
The Solution: Extracting Simpro data with Tugger, and enjoying first class support
Why Tugger? Marc explains why he looked to Tugger.
“I was looking for a solution to help us get the data we really wanted out of Simpro, we knew it was in there, we just needed to figure out how to extract it. I’d heard about Tugger via word of mouth. From our first conversations, Tugger have been a friendly bunch and their customer support is strong. I’ve never had an issue that hasn’t been resolved via a quick Teams call, or a couple of emails”
“Tugger has been able to help us get the data out of Simpro and presented in the way we wanted. From there we’ve been able to manipulate the data further for deeper insights, and this keeps evolving.”
What about working with Tugger? Marc shares his experience of what the Tugger team are like to work with.
“Tugger are very reactive to emails and requests for calls. Tugger is a very professional brand so you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s a large corporate. I was concerned that I’d have to wait days or even weeks to get responses to my support questions. But in reality, Tugger is extremely customer-focused and reactive to customer needs. It feels more akin to a family operated business that values the personal touch, and exceptional customer service.”
Marc continues to share his experience of working with the Tugger Team, specifically when it comes to project pricing.
“As mentioned, what I appreciate most about working with Tugger is the exceptional customer service. Tugger is very flexible and communication is easy because they genuinely listen to what I need. When I contact the team for support, there’s not an immediate commercial discussion. If the team can help, they will. There are no hidden costs, everything is included in our subscription unless we have a special request. They’ve made the entire process Straight- forward and transparent.”
The Results: Simple, clear and automated reporting
Marc discusses some of the benefits he’s gained since GridTec started using Tugger alongside the existing Simpro system.
“The simple result is that we can now see our Simpro data and it makes sense to us. Since using Tugger, we've been able to easily analyse projects by comparing original estimates to actual costs, helping us stay on track throughout a project's life cycle, which is essential.
Tugger has streamlined our reporting process. The fact that Tugger connects Simpro to Power BI means that our reports can be automated, it’s just a matter of logging in, and downloading the data. This has automated what would have been a laborious, manual task saving us time and headspace.”
“I can also see our data analysis in multiple formats. When I purchased Tugger, before I started using it, I thought we would just get essentially a download of data or a ‘data-dump’ but there is a lot of options in terms of how I can view my data.”
“Another benefit we’re about to take advantage of is in some dashboards I’ve created which will be used across the wider company. These will be used monthly, at least, and we’ll be able to analyse multiple projects across our business. It’s going to be a very useful tool for the whole business.”
Would Marc recommend Tugger? “ If you're using Simpro and struggling with reporting issues, I would definitely recommend Tugger. It's an excellent solution for overcoming data reporting challenges. And Tugger doesn’t just connect with Simpro so I recommend Tugger for other system users such as Xero and HubSpot.”
Finally, how would Marc describe Tugger in one word? “Smart, it’s a smart service. Tugger allows users to get the data they need without having to pay through the roof.“
Learn more about our Simpro connector or start your free trial.
Unlike the slow, impersonal service you might expect from a large company, Tugger offers a personal touch with quick, customer-focused responses.
