Dispatchers can work from a job screen showing jobs accepted, running, pending, paused, completed, and declined. A dispatch dashboard supports manual or automatic rule-based job scheduling of one technician or a crew, taking into consideration technician skill sets, availability, current location, and other factors.
Technicians in the field equipped with the mobile app can access daily, weekly, and monthly schedules and pull up a work order screen that shows job title, location description, billing type, map location, and time sheet for clocking in/out start and stop times, including breaks.
They can also search service and parts lists, remotely request parts, access documents, receive notifications from the office, and accept or decline new jobs. They can call or email customers from within the app and send notification of the upcoming service appointment along with technician photo and profile.
Integrated customizable templates facilitate creating standard contract quotes with just a few keystrokes. Accepted quotes are automatically turned into contracts. The software uses information captured on each work order in the field to generate one-time and recurring invoices.
The solution can manage flexible service plans (e.g. service only, preventive maintenance only, comprehensive). Companies can opt to integrate VOIP technology that supports numerous calling features including voicemail, automated attendants, call forwarding, call park, and call transfer from within the software, and can offer a customer portal for self-scheduling of service times.
The software interfaces with QuickBooks and other accounting solutions. Pricing: monthly based on the number of users, adjustable monthly.
Spotlight (Customer Lobby, www.customerlobby.com, 510/230-0588) is a retention marketing solution that automates outreach to customers in a company’s database by identifying those with untapped revenue opportunities and automatically sending them communications in an effort to increase repeat business.
The software, which runs in the background and syncs with over 100 invoicing systems to analyze the company’s transaction history and trends, monitors customers’ transactions and identifies various subsets of customers and contacts them via personalized postcards and emails. The software then monitors customers who transact with your business within 90 days of the outreach.
Once transactions with return customers are completed, those customers can receive automatic requests to submit online reviews on Google, Facebook and other sites.
Tracking and reporting include metrics such as percentage of repeat customers, average transaction amount, percentage of revenue that comes from repeat business, and the customer lifetime value and how that ranks within range for your industry.
Companies can also utilize Spotlight by Customer Lobby, a mobile app, available for both Apple and Android devices. The app affords the ability to collect reviews on the spot. For example, upon finishing a job, the technician can ask the customer to write a review then and there on the technician’s mobile device, such as an iPad. The technician can also collect the customer’s email address or phone number and immediately send out a review request via email or text.
For an additional monthly fee, users can get Spotlight Text, which includes a dedicated, text-enabled phone number, to text with their customers and receive phone calls. Users can respond to text messages directly through the Spotlight by Customer Lobby mobile app.
Pricing for Spotlight is monthly (no contract), with a one-time activation fee, with Spotlight Text carrying an additional monthly fee. (The price for the custom phone number is included in the Spotlight Text monthly add-on fee, which also includes 1,000 SMS texts/month.)
Nexa HomeServices Virtual Receptionist Service (www.nexa.com 800/408-3408) provides home services companies with 24/7 live bilingual virtual receptionists who answer as your business. They gather basic information from the client, following a custom script and intake forms to match your in-house specifications and utilizing proper HVAC industry nomenclature.
Trained in each company’s emergency dispatch and in how to navigate up-to-date industry-relevant software solutions, the receptionists can handle appointment scheduling, call transfer, emergency call escalation, and dispatch of on-call technicians.
How it works: the receptionist determines if a caller’s issue is an emergency, using your internal standards. If the issue deemed an emergency, the receptionist collects information on it and escalates action according to your on-call procedures, utilizing SMS, phone calls, or email. If the issue is not considered an emergency, it is handed according to your custom workflow and routing procedures, with the ability to schedule service calls directly into your CRM. (The receptionist can also qualify leads.)
Appointments are scheduling directly to your preferred calendar application (e.g. Outlook and Google or your own CRM).
You receive a detailed call log of all activities waiting in your callbox and have real-time access through the website portal and the Nexa Receptionists Mobile App. Both provide companies with the ability to check messages (updated on screen in real time), update availability, make real-time changes to on-call techs, manage call flow in real time, and review usage data.
Calls can be forwarded from an existing business phone number or Nexa can provide a custom phone number for your account.
Pricing: per month based on receptionist work time minutes (21-day money back guarantee, no questions asked).
Patti Feldman writes articles and web content for trade magazines and manufacturers of building products. She can be reached at [email protected].