When I visit engineering businesses struggling with simPRO implementation, I always ask the same question: "Who owns this?"
Usually, the answer is vague. "Well, I bought it..." says the owner. "The team's supposed to use it..."
But when I find a business where simPRO is actually working—where data is accurate, workflows are followed, and the system delivers real value—there's almost always one person at the centre of it.
The office manager.
SectionWhy the Office Manager Is Key
Your office manager occupies a unique position in the business. They understand both worlds:
The admin reality. They know what information is needed, when it's needed, and why. They deal with invoices, purchase orders, customer queries, and supplier accounts. They see the consequences of missing or inaccurate data.
The operational reality. They interact with the workshop daily. They know who's reliable, who needs chasing, and how things actually get done (versus how they're supposed to get done).
This dual perspective makes them the ideal simPRO champion. They can translate between what the system needs and what the team can realistically deliver.
SectionThe Office Manager as simPRO Champion
In successful implementations, the office manager typically takes on several critical roles:
1. System Administrator
They become the expert. They know how to set up jobs, configure workflows, generate reports, and troubleshoot issues. When someone has a question, they're the first port of call.
This doesn't mean they need to know everything on day one. It means they're committed to learning, and the business invests in their training.
2. Process Guardian
They're the one who notices when things slip. When a job isn't logged properly. When time isn't tracked. When a quote goes out without the right approvals.
And crucially, they have the authority to address it. Not in a heavy-handed way—just consistent follow-up. "I noticed the Henderson job doesn't have any time logged. Can you update that today?"
3. Bridge Between Office and Workshop
They translate requirements in both directions. When management wants a new report, they figure out what data the workshop needs to provide. When the workshop finds a process cumbersome, they bring that feedback to management.
This bridge role is essential. Without it, you get processes designed in isolation that don't survive contact with reality.
4. Training Resource
New starter? The office manager shows them how to use simPRO. Someone struggling with the mobile app? The office manager walks them through it. Refresher needed on a workflow? The office manager runs a quick session.
Formal training days are useful, but ongoing, contextual support is what makes systems stick.
SectionSetting Your Office Manager Up for Success
If you want your office manager to drive simPRO success, you need to give them what they need:
Authority
They need the power to enforce compliance. That means backing them up when they chase someone for incomplete data. It means making it clear to the team that following the process isn't optional.
Nothing undermines an office manager faster than an owner who overrides their decisions or lets things slide "just this once."
Time
Learning simPRO properly takes time. Maintaining it takes time. Supporting the team takes time. If your office manager is already stretched thin with other responsibilities, something has to give.
Consider what you can take off their plate, especially during the implementation phase. Or accept that implementation will take longer.
Training
Invest in proper simPRO training for your office manager. Not just the basics—the advanced stuff. Reporting. Customisation. Integration with Xero. The more they know, the more value they can extract from the system.
Recognition
This role is often thankless. The office manager chases people, fixes problems, and keeps things running—and rarely gets credit for it. Acknowledge their contribution. Make it clear that their work matters.
SectionThe Practical Workflow
Here's how the office manager typically fits into the simPRO workflow:
Lead comes in: Office manager logs it in simPRO, assigns it to the appropriate salesperson.
Quote created: Salesperson creates quote in simPRO. Office manager reviews for completeness and accuracy before it goes out.
Job won: Office manager converts quote to job, sets up job card, assigns to project manager.
Job in progress: Project managers and engineers log time and materials via mobile app. Office manager monitors for completeness.
Job complete: Office manager reviews job data, ensures all costs are captured, generates invoice.
Invoice sent: Office manager handles any queries, chases payment, reconciles with Xero.
At every stage, the office manager is the quality control checkpoint. They catch errors before they become problems.
SectionCommon Pitfalls
Pitfall 1: No Clear Ownership
"Everyone's responsible" means no one's responsible. Make it explicit: the office manager owns simPRO. They're accountable for data quality and process compliance.
Pitfall 2: Insufficient Authority
The office manager can see problems but can't fix them. They flag issues, but nothing happens. Eventually, they stop trying.
Give them teeth. When they say "this needs to be done," it needs to be done.
Pitfall 3: Owner Bypass
The owner creates jobs directly, skipping the proper process. Or approves things that shouldn't be approved. Or tells someone "don't worry about logging that."
Every bypass undermines the system. If the owner doesn't follow the process, why should anyone else?
Pitfall 4: Isolation
The office manager is left to figure it out alone. No training budget. No support network. No time allocated for system development.
Connect them with resources. simPRO has a user community. There are consultants who specialise in implementation. Other businesses have solved the same problems.
SectionThe Rachel Model
On a recent site visit, I met Rachel, an office manager who's become central to her company's simPRO implementation. She works alongside the owner and the workshop manager to keep everything running.
What makes Rachel effective:
- •She's involved in everything. Quotes, POs, job cards, invoicing—she touches all of it.
- •She has authority. When she says a PO needs approval, it needs approval. No exceptions.
- •She's the go-to person. Questions about simPRO go to Rachel first.
- •She's invested in the outcome. She understands that better systems mean a better business, and a better business means better job security and opportunities for everyone.
Not every office manager will be a Rachel. But with the right support and authority, most can get there.
SectionThe Bottom Line
simPRO is just software. It doesn't implement itself. It doesn't enforce compliance. It doesn't fix broken processes.
Your office manager can do all of those things—if you let them.
Invest in them. Empower them. Back them up. And watch your simPRO implementation actually succeed.
Need help building systems that work? Book a free discovery call and let's talk about creating operational control in your engineering business.