Technician Tracker
Overview
The Technician Tracker gives customers a live map view of their technician en route — the same experience as tracking a rideshare or delivery. When the technician sets their mobile status to "On the Way," the tracker activates and the customer receives a push notification or SMS with a link to the live map.
The tracker is a trust-building feature. Customers who know exactly when the tech is arriving don't call the office. Contractors who use it report fewer "where is he?" calls and higher customer satisfaction scores.
Features
- Live GPS Map — Technician's real-time location shown as a moving pin on an embedded Google Map
- 30-Second Updates — Location refreshes every 30 seconds automatically; no page reload required
- ETA Calculation — Estimated arrival time calculated from current location to job address using real-time traffic data
- Distance Indicator — "About X minutes away" shown prominently at the top of the tracker view
- Activation Trigger — Tracker goes live when technician sets status to "On the Way" in the mobile app
- Deactivation Trigger — Tracker deactivates automatically when technician GPS checks in at the job address (status → "Arrived")
- Notification on Activation — Customer receives SMS and/or push notification when the tracker goes live, with a direct link
Tracker State Machine
| State | Map Visible | ETA Shown | Notification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled | ❌ | ❌ | — |
| Preparing | ❌ | ❌ | — |
| On the Way | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ Sent to customer |
| Arrived | ❌ | ❌ | — |
| Work in Progress | ❌ | ❌ | — |
| Job Complete | ❌ | ❌ | — |
CRUD Reference
| Object | Create | Read | Update | Delete |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tracker Session | — | ✅ | — | — |
| GPS Location Update | — | ✅ | — | — |
| ETA Calculation | — | ✅ | — | — |
| Tracker Notification | — | ✅ | — | — |
Notes
GPS tracking uses the mobile app's location services — tracking is active only while the technician has the app open or running in the background during the "On the Way" status. If the app is force-closed, the tracker shows the last known location and a "Location unavailable" indicator. Location data is not stored after the tracker session ends — it is not retained in the CRM. Customers can only view the tracker for their own current-day appointment.