How Lakeshore Windows automated project management for staff, clients, and field installers

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The Problem

As Lakeshore Windows' business grew, so did the complexity of its operations. The team managed quotes in their CRM, tracked project details in spreadsheets, and relied on email for installer and client communication. Every contract had to be created, formatted, and sent individually, leading to version mix-ups, inconsistent communication, and installers lacking real-time access to job details.

The manual workload began adding delays and errors to projects, and owner Colin Kirbyson needed a more reliable way to manage operations. He was looking for a system that could:

• Automatically generate and send contracts based on project type
• Give clients, installers, and staff the right level of access to updated project information
• Sync all data through one source of truth, in real time
• Eliminate manual coordination and repetitive admin work
  
  

The Solution

Colin teamed up with Softr partner Shenal Harakh to eliminate inefficiencies and create a better experience for everyone involved—from clients to installers to internal staff.

Using a combination of Softr, Airtable, Make, DocuSign, and Outlook, they built an end-to-end platform that automates critical business workflows. What began as a client portal evolved into a complete operational system for five different user types (master admin, admin staff, sales staff, clients, installers).  

Here are the main workflows the system covers:

• Contract creation: When a quote is approved in Airtable, Make generates a Google Docs contract using a dynamic template that adapts to the project type.
• Contract signing: Make sends the contract to DocuSign, using anchor tags for accurate signature placement. Once signed, the PDF is saved to Airtable and the client is invited to their portal.
• New job creation: Admin Staff create new job records in Airtable, including dates, pricing, and contacts — this powers all portals as the single source of truth.
• Client project management (Client Portal): Clients access a personalized portal to view project status, timelines, pricing, and signed documents, submit service requests, and upload photos.
• Notifications: Automated emails are triggered whenever key project details change, keeping clients and staff updated without manual follow‑up.
• Installer project assigning: Once a project is confirmed, installers are automatically invited to their portal, starting with their Installer Agreement (which they can sign directly from the portal).
• Installer job management: Installers view job details, upload site photos, add notes, and update progress—all synced instantly to Airtable and internal portals.

The Impact

What once required dozens of emails and manual steps—coordinating quotes, generating contracts, onboarding clients, sending job details to installers—is now fully automated and centralized in Softr. 

• 100% of contracts are generated and signed without human input. 
• Clients are onboarded instantly with real-time visibility into their projects.
• Installers receive clear job instructions and can upload photos and updates directly from the field.
• Staff work from a single, unified workspace throughout the project lifecycle instead of juggling emails or spreadsheets.

“The system feels built just for us—clients get a professional experience, and our team doesn’t have to chase paperwork anymore,” said Colin.

Beyond saving time, the platform has elevated the company’s entire operational experience. It looks polished, reduces errors, eliminates repetitive work, and gives Lakeshore Windows a scalable foundation to grow.