Three for the road: software for field-service selling, pricing, estimating

Here are two entries for plumbing and HVAC contractors in the category of presentation software, the first developed for use at the kitchen table during in-home sales calls and the second structured to accommodate a sales-oriented approach to residential flat rate service.

ProComHVAC, http://procomhvac.com/procomhvac, is designed for use by comfort advisors and selling technicians in a customer’s home. The system, optimized for use with an iPad, also works with Windows laptops or tablets. It is intended to encourage interaction with the customer in presenting options in a Best-Better-Good-Base format that can include system enhancements to meet customer comfort goals.

Pricing is controlled by the sales managers to ensure jobs are sold with the proper gross margin dollars. Changes in pricing can be downloaded by the field units so that each advisor sells with current prices.  

The software does not require Internet connectivity in the customer’s home and can handle any brand of equipment. Each contractor’s specific costs are imported into the system via an Excel spreadsheet supplied by the contractor as part of the initial set-up process. The sales manager can pre-select specific equipment and enhancements to be sold as part of packages. 

ProComHVAC can accommodate unlimited taxing localities, multiple financing options, discounts, rebates and promotions. In-home sales personnel can also build a proposal by using an AHRI matched system, selecting relevant parameters.

From the Best-Better-Good-Base options, the contractor and customer can modify equipment and enhancements to determine the size system that meets customer budget with system qualities the customer ranks high in importance — e.g. IAQ, allergies, energy efficiency. Custom installation work can be priced in, including subcontracting costs, demolition and duct work.

The presentation and resulting proposals are customizable with the contractor’s logo, brands and pictures. Generated proposals can be emailed or printed using a mobile printer.

A Ductless module allowing contractors to price and sell ductless mini-split systems and accessories is available as an add-on, http://procomhvac.com/procomhvac-ductless. The module accommodates both single and multi-zone systems and guides contractors to make sure assembled systems adhere to manufacturer specifications. 

ProServHVAC, http://procomhvac.com/proservhvac, is a sales-oriented residential flat rate pricing program. It allows the service technician to provide standard service pricing for residential customers and, using pictures of the customer’s equipment and diagrams, show the customer why the parts are needed or recommended.

The system, which is customized with titles, labor rate, costs, discounts and markup from each user company, includes up to five columns of pricing. The software is pre-loaded with 50 tasking groups and 450+ tasks that can be selected and deselected with one click and accepts custom tasks as well. The software has capacity for unlimited sales taxing localities and credits.

The program highlights the benefits of a service maintenance agreement and allows for the incentive for signing up at the time of service.

Users can capture a customer’s signature on the iPad and email or print an invoice with a copy sent to the office.

Pricing is controlled in the administrative side by the service managers to ensure repairs are priced with the proper gross margin dollars. Costs and pricing can be updated any time and downloaded in the field so each technician has the current prices.

While Service Fusion offers free GPS tracking through its mobile apps, it also integrates with several hardware GPS tracking devices.

Third up this month: Service Fusion Field Service Management Software, www.servicefusion.com, is a web-based, mobile friendly solution for small- to mid-sized service contractors. Users create estimates by selecting pre-populated product and service line items and can add project photos and documents. The software includes pre-set templates for emailing the estimates to customers, who can view, accept and request changes via an online portal. Accepted estimates can be converted to jobs with a single click.

The program supports drag & drop scheduling on an online calendar, with dispatch info sent to technicians in the field by text message or via Service Fusion’s mobile app. It also has the ability to send automated notifications and reminders of upcoming service appointments to customers the night before or the morning of the visit.

Field personnel can receive job assignments and estimates on smartphones and tablets, view assigned jobs on a map, set job progress statuses, capture pre-work and post-work signatures, and add photos from the jobsite. The payment processing platform includes a free data vault for secure storage of credit cards.

Management can track labor and drive time and clock-in/clock-out from field personnel (including start and end of breaks). Payroll is calculated on hourly pay settings and can accommodate regular and overtime pay on a daily or weekly basis.

While Service Fusion offers free GPS tracking through its mobile apps, it also integrates with several hardware GPS tracking devices, enabling fleet monitoring without relying on field personnel’s mobile phones.

The built-inventory system allows users to create multi-item purchase orders, assign them to multiple warehouses, and optionally enter serial numbers for items that need to be tracked.

The software integrates with QuickBooks Online and Desktop, with automatic synchronization of job deposits, invoices and payments and with automatic updates pushed to QuickBooks when changes are made in Service Fusion.

Bill and Patti Feldman write articles and web content for trade magazines and manufacturers of building products. They can be reached at [email protected].