Mobile apps are empowering landscape companies to better manage their employees and day-to-day business.
What’s an area of your day-today business that is a constant struggle? Is it the never-ending stack of receipts, contracts or training sign-in sheets lying on your desk that you’ve been meaning to file away? Perhaps it’s getting job quotes prepared and sent to prospective customers faster. Maybe it’s even theft of company time or equipment. No matter how big or small, these issues can begin to grate on you over time and could be costing your company big bucks.
Tackling a problem area within your company can seem daunting. But have you ever considered you may hold the solution in the palm of your hand? So much software offers mobile applications that can solve a multitude of issues. We’re not talking apps that can only perform a few functions of the full-blown software. The apps in this article have been developed to work seamlessly between computers and mobile devices.
In an industry that requires managing many employees in many locations, mobile apps are allowing management and employees to increase their efficiency and stay connected in a way they’ve never been before.
Jobber
www.getjobber.com
Edmonton, Alberta
Jobber is a field service scheduling software and mobile app based out of Edmonton, Alberta, that’s gaining ground in the green industry. Greg Brooks, owner of Brooks Landscaping in Atlanta, says that his business has changed tremendously since he began using Jobber five years ago.
“One of the biggest things that’s made a difference for me has been the way Jobber has developed its entire software to be mobile friendly,” says Brooks.
“With Jobber, you can get work done in the field on a mobile device and be just as effective as if you were sitting in front of your home computer screen.”
The software allows management to schedule and dispatch crew members, provide quotes, manage clients and jobs, GPS locate employees, send invoices and receive payments.
The scheduling feature allows you to view every crew member’s schedule and availability. When a new job comes in, you can see what each team member has on their plate for the day so you can assign or reassign jobs to the right people. You can also check how many jobs crew members have completed out of the total assigned to them that day.
And the app isn’t just for management. Crew members use the app as their total source of information for scheduling and property details. They use the app to clock in and out of jobs, and the app alerts them to any changes made to their workday schedules with a push notification.
The job details feature allows client and property information to be stored for each job so your team has a clear picture of what needs to be done. Crew members can add notes and attach files and photos within the app to specific client accounts and jobs. It also allows you to create custom checklists for each job to ensure crews cover all the bases.
One of Brooks’ favorite features of Jobber is the work requests form. A prospective client can request a quote immediately by clicking a link to the form that’s inserted on your website, social media platforms or marketing emails. Brooks says, “The work requests gave us a huge avenue on social media, which has become our biggest platform for acquiring new clients.”
Another feature he loves is the client hub. “When a new client submits a work request and you submit a quote to them, they become part of your database,” he explains. “The client hub allows you to track the quote from the time they open the initial email to any changes that are made back and forth about what services you’re going to provide.”
He says doing this on the app is a lot faster than driving to a property and returning to the office to prepare a quote. “Now, we can give an initial quote at the job site or sitting in our trucks, because we have the client’s information through the client hub.”
Brooks recognizes that not everyone in the green industry grew up in the digital age, but that doesn’t stop his guys from being able to use Jobber. He says his guys in the field rely on the app even more than he does. “I’m really impressed with the way the app has helped our employees, some of whom are older, utilize the app in the same capacity that I do.”
Brooks knows his business would not be where it is today without this tool. “It’s made it easier for us to be more efficient in the field, saving us more time and money. It’s also so user-friendly that everyone within our company is able to understand it. For us, that has been very, very helpful.”
Read the full article here: https://npaper-wehaa.com/igin#2019/09/?article=3331520