Streamlining Daily Operations

Project2Payment is invoicing and customer management software for home services businesses and the skilled trades, including field service contractors. It can be used to create projects and send branded estimates and invoices, create customer contacts, save preferred payment methods, create reports, track payments, and receive payments, including credit card payments in real time online or through the mobile app, e-Check, paper check, or cash. In addition, you can add optional down payment details customizable to each client. 

To expedite pricing for repeat, duplicate, or similar projects, you can duplicate past projects and add pre-priced line items from a customizable item library. The software also offers recurring project and payment capabilities, team scheduling features, and the ability to send tailored prospect and customer email blasts (these set to be released in June 2024).   

The solution can also be proactive: it offers the ability to add a “project request” form to your business website which enables prospective clients to enter contact information and their service needs, and you are alerted immediately of that interest.

It is possible to send customized alerts advising the customer of a scheduled appointment anywhere between 1–90 days in advance as well as set optional day-of reminders; that they have an outstanding invoice with a customizable reminder frequency; and that they can leave a review as soon as the project has been paid.

All business data stored in Project2Payment integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks for your book of business.

Pricing: fee per month for unlimited users plus processing fee for each card and eCheck payment. Free 30-day trial. A mobile app for Android (included in the fee) is available, with (according to the developer) an Apple app in the works.

Acumatica Cloud ERP

Acumatica Cloud ERP Construction Edition with mobile app is a single software system for small to mid-size companies that aims to streamline day-to-day operations and enable real-time insights on any device.

Featuring shared data and cross-team workflows, it addresses project, order, and service management including contracts and change orders, route optimization, equipment management, job cost accounting, and progress billing including retainage.

Material management capabilities include service expense entry with scanned receipt image recognition from the mobile app. Plus, users can streamline change orders for multiple construction projects with unit rate changes, custom retainage, and cost-only change requests. 

Flexible payroll options support multiple benefit packages, complex wages, and commission structures. The software can maintain photo logs and generate daily field reports, including actual costs and cost projections. You can help control cost overruns by automating project commitments and change order processes, enabling automatic calculation of budgeted quantity against projected cost. 

Compliance capabilities include waivers and releases, insurance certificates, and status updates, providing expirations and other alerts to staff and suppliers and automatically creating compliance documents. 

The solution, which supports progress billing by percentage of completion or by quantity, simplifies tax calculations for a project, with tax zones specified directly into the project and automatically retrieved and calculated for all invoices, purchase orders, subcontracts, and expenses.

CRM capabilities include instant access to role-based dashboards showing all customer activities (e.g., quotes, orders, invoices payments, service calls) and a customer self-service portal that enables access to the information they need.  

The mobile app supports access to critical reports 24/7 and the ability for field personnel to electronically enter employee time and equipment details. 

Pricing: licensing plan, based on application, transaction volumes, and deployment option. 

Freshworks

Freshworks AI-powered Customer Service Suite (www.freshworks.com) brings together self-service bots, agent-led conversational messaging, and automated ticketing management in an all-in-one solution. It unites Freshchat, Freshdesk, and the company’s generative artificial intelligence technology, Freddy AI, offering capabilities designed to deliver a modern customer support experience

The solution automates and personalizes self-service across channels. Freddy Self Service AI-powered bots work across channels to help customer find answers quickly, resulting in quicker ticket deflection. 

Freddy Copilot equips agents with next-best-action suggestions, streamlines workflows, and enables agents to deliver accurate, individualized service.

Freddy Insights continuously analyzes data to surface key issues, make recommendations to fix those issues and generate reports using conversational prompts.

Pricing: fee/agent/month, billed annually.

XAPP

XAPP AI Complete (https://xapp.ai) is a suite of pre-built industry script models, tailored to a variety of sales and service-based businesses, that acts like a digital virtual assistant. Designed to accommodate AI-assisted conversations with potential customers and with the ability to send leads to your preferred platform, it is pre-trained on many trades, including HVAC and plumbing.

The platform enables users to ask questions expressing their need for information on industry-related products or services, such as what is a SEER rating or estimate on a new air-conditioner. The software is configured to trigger automatic responses to many types of inquiries with the aim of capturing, qualifying and routing of leads and, possibly, converting leads into customers who then can self-schedule a service call.

The solution includes chat transcripts and the ability to trigger live chat takeover.  

Pricing: monthly fee, free trial available. (In addition to availability as a standalone solution, XAPP integrates with several CRM platforms including Jobber, Salesforce, Service Fusion, and Service Titan.)

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