The verdict in three sentences
For a service company running 35 field technicians across a metro area such as Miami-Dade and Broward, manual scheduling on spreadsheets typically costs one job per technician per day and 15 to 20% of avoidable mileage. A custom route planning app, priced between EUR 25,000 and 60,000 (about USD 27,000 to 65,000), usually pays back in 4 to 8 months when it relies on real route optimization. Off-the-shelf SaaS still makes sense under 15 technicians, but beyond that, its EUR 30 to 60 (USD 32 to 65) per technician per month and its business limits weigh more than a custom build.
What manual scheduling really costs
The service manager who dispatches jobs every morning by phone, with an Excel file and Google Maps, absorbs hidden costs: technicians crossing paths, emergencies inserted without recalculation, missing parts discovered on site, pointless trips back to the depot. On congested corridors like I-95 or the Palmetto Expressway, every sequencing error gets amplified.
| Loss item (35 technicians) | 2026 order of magnitude | Estimated annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Excess mileage (18% of 28,000 km/yr/technician) | 176,000 km | EUR 88,000 (EUR 0.50/km) |
| Avoidable drive time (35 min/day/technician) | 4,500 hours | EUR 157,000 (EUR 35/h loaded) |
| Jobs not completed (1/day/technician) | 7,700 jobs | EUR 616,000 potential margin (EUR 80 each) |
| Dispatcher planning time | 2.5 h/day | EUR 18,000 |
| Repeat visits (missing part, 6%) | 1,900 visits | EUR 95,000 |
| Contract SLA penalties | 1 to 2% of maintenance revenue | EUR 20,000 to 40,000 |
You will not recover all of these losses, but even a third of them far exceeds the cost of an app.
Field service SaaS or custom app
Market solutions handle the basics well: calendar, job sheet, customer signature. They struggle as soon as the company has its own rules (skills per equipment brand, on-call rotations, maintenance contracts with regulatory frequencies, sync with an ERP such as NetSuite or Sage).
| Criterion | Field service SaaS | Custom app |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | EUR 0 to 5,000 setup | EUR 25,000 to 60,000 |
| Recurring cost (35 technicians) | EUR 12,600 to 25,200/yr | EUR 4,000 to 9,000/yr (hosting, maintenance) |
| Cumulative 5-year cost | EUR 63,000 to 131,000 | EUR 45,000 to 105,000 |
| Route optimization | Basic or paid add-on | Dedicated engine (constraints, time windows, skills) |
| Specific business rules | Limited to configuration | Unlimited |
| ERP and inventory integration | Standard connectors | Custom, two-way |
| Data and code ownership | Vendor | Your company |
| Time to go live | 2 to 6 weeks | 10 to 16 weeks |
What an effective app includes
The heart of the project is the scheduling engine: it accounts for time windows promised to customers, each technician's skills, van inventory and real travel time. Around it you get an offline mobile app (PWA) for technicians, with photos, report, signature and parts ordering, a dashboard for the service manager (first-time fix rate, mileage, delays) and one-click rescheduling when an emergency comes in.
| Module | Indicative budget | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping, field workshops, mockups | EUR 3,000 to 6,000 | 2 weeks |
| Route optimization engine | EUR 8,000 to 18,000 | 4 to 5 weeks |
| Offline technician app (PWA) | EUR 6,000 to 14,000 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Dispatch back office and dashboards | EUR 5,000 to 12,000 | 3 weeks |
| ERP, inventory and billing integration | EUR 3,000 to 10,000 | 2 weeks |
| Testing, training, phased rollout | EUR 2,000 to 4,000 | 2 weeks |
Mini case study
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Thomas, service director of a heat pump and HVAC installer, manages 35 technicians. He invests EUR 48,000 in a custom app, plus EUR 7,000 per year in maintenance. After 3 months, mileage drops by 16%, saving EUR 78,000 per year (fuel, wear, tolls). Technicians gain an average of 0.7 jobs per day: with 220 working days and EUR 80 margin per job, that is EUR 431,000 in potential extra margin, of which Thomas conservatively counts 25%, or EUR 108,000. Retained annual gain: EUR 186,000, against a first-year cost of EUR 55,000. Payback comes in under 4 months.
FAQ
How much does a route planning app for 35 technicians cost?
Between EUR 25,000 and 60,000 (about USD 27,000 to 65,000) depending on optimization depth and integrations. Annual maintenance runs 12 to 15% of the initial cost, or EUR 4,000 to 9,000.
How much mileage can we save?
Well-scoped projects see 15 to 20% fewer kilometers. For 35 technicians driving 28,000 km a year, that is 150,000 to 200,000 km avoided.
Does the app work without signal in basements and plant rooms?
Yes, an offline PWA stores the day's jobs and syncs as soon as the network returns. Reports and photos upload automatically with no re-entry.
Can we keep our current ERP?
Yes, the app connects by API or scheduled export to NetSuite, Sage or similar. This module typically costs EUR 3,000 to 10,000 depending on how open the ERP is.
How long does deployment take?
Allow 10 to 16 weeks, including a 2-week pilot with 5 technicians before rolling out to all 35.
Let's scope your project. Send us your technician headcount, service area and ERP: we will price a scope between EUR 25,000 and 60,000 with a 10 to 16 week plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
