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The ServicePilot blog

Practical guides on quoting, getting paid, and running a trade business - from the team building AI quoting for Australian trades.

Tap to Pay for Tradies: Your Phone Is Now a Card Machine (2026)Getting paidTap to Pay for Tradies: Your Phone Is Now a Card Machine (2026)

iPhone and Android can now take contactless card payments with no dongle, no terminal rental and no monthly fee. What Tap to Pay costs, how it works on site, and why getting paid before you leave changes your cash flow.

Email Marketing for Trade Businesses: Your Client List Beats Your Ad BudgetMarketingEmail Marketing for Trade Businesses: Your Client List Beats Your Ad Budget

Most tradies sit on hundreds of past customers and never contact them. What to send, how often, what the Spam Act requires, and how a win-back email fills a quiet week - without becoming a spammer.

Job Costing for Tradies: Did You Actually Make Money on That Job?MoneyJob Costing for Tradies: Did You Actually Make Money on That Job?

You quoted 50% margin. Materials ran over, the job took a day longer, and nobody wrote any of it down. How to know your real margin per job - and the three places trade businesses quietly leak profit.

Service Reminders: The Cheapest Job You'll Ever Win Is One You Already DidRepeat workService Reminders: The Cheapest Job You'll Ever Win Is One You Already Did

Aircon services, carpet cleans, gutter clears, smoke alarm checks - repeat work on a cycle is the most profitable revenue a trade business has. How an asset register and automatic reminders turn one-off customers into an annuity.

Best Free Invoice App for Tradies in Australia? What to CheckToolsBest Free Invoice App for Tradies in Australia? What to Check

Looking for a free invoice app for tradies? Compare GST and ABN handling, payment links, mobile invoicing, quotes and full-product free trials before you choose.

ServiceM8 vs ServicePilot: An Honest ComparisonToolsServiceM8 vs ServicePilot: An Honest Comparison

Where each shines, what they cost, and which fits your trade business.

Best Job Management App for Electricians in AustraliaToolsBest Job Management App for Electricians in Australia

What sparkies should look for in job software: certificates, test results, AI quoting and getting paid on site.

GST Invoicing for Tradies: What Has to Be on the InvoiceGetting paidGST Invoicing for Tradies: What Has to Be on the Invoice

Tax invoice requirements, when to register for GST, and how to stop GST admin eating your evenings.

How to Quote a Plumbing Job (Without Guessing)QuotingHow to Quote a Plumbing Job (Without Guessing)

Call-out fees, hourly vs fixed pricing, and how to quote plumbing work fast enough to win it.

How to Quote an Electrical Job in AustraliaQuotingHow to Quote an Electrical Job in Australia

A practical structure for pricing electrical work: materials, labour, compliance and margin.

What Should Your Hourly Rate Be? (Tradie Rate Calculator)MoneyWhat Should Your Hourly Rate Be? (Tradie Rate Calculator)

Work out a rate that covers unbillable time, the ute, insurance and actual profit - not just wages.

Tradie Quote Template (Australia): What a Winning Quote IncludesQuotingTradie Quote Template (Australia): What a Winning Quote Includes

The sections every professional quote needs, and a faster way than filling in a Word doc.

How to Quote a Painting Job in Australia (2026 Guide + Checklist)QuotingHow to Quote a Painting Job in Australia (2026 Guide + Checklist)

A step-by-step way to quote painting jobs accurately: how to measure, what to charge per square metre, what to include, and how to win more of the quotes you send.

How to Get Paid Faster as a Tradie: 7 Habits That WorkGetting paidHow to Get Paid Faster as a Tradie: 7 Habits That Work

Slow-paying customers kill cash flow. Seven practical habits that get tradies paid faster: invoice on site, take card payments, automate reminders, ask for deposits and more.