Dispatch software that keeps up with a fire-drill day.

The dispatch board you actually need

Most HVAC dispatchers run their day from a whiteboard or a spreadsheet. When the 2 PM to Mrs. Jenkins turns into a 90-minute warranty compressor swap, everything shifts — and that ripple goes to every tech via phone, text, and shouted hallway updates. By 4 PM the whiteboard is a smear and one tech is on a job they thought was cancelled.

TradeVan puts every job, every tech, and every open slot on one screen. Drag a job from one tech's row to another and push notifications fire to both — the old tech's phone updates so they don't drive to the wrong address, the new tech's phone updates so they see the job before finishing their coffee.

Multi-tech, emergencies, on-call — the HVAC specifics

A new-unit install with a helper needs both techs on the same job for the same window. TradeVan handles primary + helper assignments on one WO; the board shows it on every assignee's row and push notifications fire to the whole crew. It's 12°F outside and Mrs. Jenkins has no heat — emergency priority is a first-class WO type, it drops onto any tech's slot with a one-click override on the conflict warning.

After-hours coverage rotates across techs weekly. TradeVan tracks the rotation on the calendar and routes emergency callouts to whoever's on. After-hours pricing (multiplier + callout fee) snapshots onto the job so billing is right without a manual adjust.

Frequently asked questions

How fast does the tech see a reassignment?

Seconds. When the dispatcher moves a job onto a different tech's row, a push notification fires to both techs — the one who lost the job and the one who picked it up. Their phones update before the dispatcher can pick up the next call.

Can I see who's free this afternoon at a glance?

Yes. The day and week views show every tech's calendar side-by-side with their open slots and their time-off blocks. Drop a new job into an open slot and it's assigned. Conflicts (overlapping appointments, tech's day off, closed shop day) flag as warnings before you commit; you can override, we just make sure you saw it.

How does multi-tech crew assignment work?

A work order can have a primary tech plus helpers. The board shows the assignment under every assignee's row. Push notifications fire to the whole crew on assignment changes. Two- and three-person installs, warranty ride-alongs, or a senior tech mentoring a first-year all handle cleanly.

Does the board handle after-hours + emergency + on-call?

Yes. Emergency priority is a first-class WO type — it flags on the board and can drop onto any tech's slot regardless of what they were doing (with a conflict warning if they were already booked). On-call rotation is tracked on the calendar. After-hours pricing (multiplier + callout fee) snapshots onto the job automatically so billing is right without a manual adjust.

Do dispatchers need a laptop, or does it work on a tablet?

The drag-and-drop board is designed for desktop and iPad. On a phone, the dispatcher gets a simplified list view suitable for after-hours coverage. Every screen installs as a Progressive Web App with no App Store.