Why Efficient Dispatching Is Crucial for a Plumbing Company
Plumbing companies often make most of their money from routine maintenance and emergency services. The more efficiently you dispatch workers, the better your customers' experience. When you offer a prompt and professional service, you're much more likely to get repeat business, and your customers might even refer you to their friends and family members.
Efficient dispatching also helps you to cut costs. When you have the right tools, it's easier to maximize your resources. You'll be able to schedule appointments efficiently, so your workers have to do the smallest amount of travel possible, and you'll have the necessary tools to adjust the schedule easily and quickly if there are any changes.
How Can Plumber Dispatch Software Help?
One of the biggest reasons why small businesses buy home service software is that it saves them a lot of time and money. With a good program, admin tasks can be automated, and employees' time can be spent serving customers instead of doing paperwork. When you install ServiceBox, you no longer have to call your employees and try to figure out how to adjust everyone's schedule whenever there is an emergency.
Instead, you'll simply look at your workers' tasks and rearrange assignments as you see fit. Employees receive a message, so they'll immediately know that there has been a change of plans. In the long term, home service software also helps you to monitor your business's stats, so you'll be able to react more quickly if there are any issues.
Sharing Information Anywhere, Anytime
A program like ServiceBox can be installed on various devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. When employees have the app installed on their phone, they receive alerts throughout the day. This makes it easy for you to communicate with them. If someone contacts you about a plumbing emergency, you simply allocate the job to one of your workers and let them know via the platform.
The employee then gets a notification that tells them where and when to complete the job. Because ServiceBox issues alerts, it's highly unlikely that your employee will miss a new work order. This means that your customers will experience speedy and professional service.
Managing Your Team More Easily
On the ServiceBox platform, you'll see everyone's schedule and what tasks they have been assigned. The simple drag-and-drop mechanism makes it easy for you to rearrange your employees' assignments. If you get a last-minute service request, you simply review everyone's schedule and assign the new work order to someone who has enough time to complete it.
This scheduling tool is particularly useful for businesses that operate in a large geographical area because it allows them to optimize routing. Because you'll see everyone's schedules at a glance, it's easy to assign tasks strategically. If you have several customers in the same area, you simply add them to the same person's schedule, so the employee doesn't have to drive back and forth.
Monitoring Your Employees' Working Hours
Paper timesheets are a thing of the past. With home service software, your employees "check in" when they arrive at their destination and "check out" once the job has been completed. There is a GPS tracking system that allows you to double-check that these check-ins and check-outs are accurate. This system is useful because it shows you how each employee is performing and how many hours they are putting in each day.
It also makes billing your customers much more accurate and prevents any misunderstandings. Because there is GPS tracking, you'll have evidence of when your workers arrived and how many hours they spent at the customer's home or business.
Keeping Track of Your Business's Stats and Financial Situation
Do you know how well your company is performing? Are you aware of all your expenses and your income? If the answer is "no," it's time to make some changes. Monitoring your stats is important because it allows you to make the necessary changes. Home service software makes all the necessary data related to your company instantly visible.
You'll be able to pull up customer information, past work orders and bills, and employee performance records within seconds. This helps you to serve your customers more efficiently and prevents financial issues. If someone hasn't paid you, ServiceBox will send you a reminder to get in touch with them. Contacting customers early about any issues preserves the relationship and allows you to offer them alternatives, like flexible payment methods.
What to Look for in Plumbing Software
Always try out plumbing software before making a commitment. That way, you'll be sure that the program is right for you. Good software companies often offer a free demo, which allows you to have a look at each aspect of their product before you buy.
Most plumbing companies need software that assists them with all the above-mentioned points, is compatible with mobile devices, and helps workers to create quotes, work orders, and invoices at the click of the button. The best programs can be integrated with accounting software, so plumbers don't have to spend time compiling the relevant documents at tax time.
How Much to Spend on Software
Plumbing software doesn't have to be expensive. In fact, a ServiceBox subscription might cost as little as $25 per user, per month. Speak to us about your business's needs, and we will let you know what deals are available.
Dispatching your employees efficiently is a great way of improving the service you provide and making sure your customers stay with you in the long term.
Plumber dispatch software allows you to share information with your workers at any point throughout the day, and it helps you to manage your team more effectively. Reach out to us at ServiceBox to find out more about our product. We offer a free demo, so you can see whether it is right for you.
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