MobileTech Field Service mobile app (Key2Act, www.key2act.com/mobiletech, 866/539-2228) is a solution for iOS, Android, and Windows operating systems, designed to enable mobile technicians, including HVAC service providers, to perform the necessary tasks for completing customer appointments. It requires integration with Key2Act’s Signature Service Management and/or Signature Job Cost.
MobileTech enables field technicians to capture tasks responses (e.g. refrigeration information, meter readings, condition, etc.); capture images with markup and/or video evidence of repair; document issue resolutions; and enter billable labor and materials. It also facilitates creating invoices and capturing customer signatures in the field.
Using MobileTech, technicians can, in addition, initiate new service work orders, new appointments for existing work orders, and capture additional opportunities for a given service location.
The optional MobileTech Inspections module enables use of predefined digital forms to expedite data collection and reporting in the field. Using the Inspections Manager application, you can build your own forms from pre-defined and custom building blocks, modify an existing form, or digitize your existing forms. The Inspections Manager app also provides Inspection KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) by technician and by template, as well as export capabilities for ad hoc data analysis.
The Inspections module comes with three templates: a modifiable Job Safety Analysis template and report, a Covid 19 health check template that automatically evaluates answers to determine when additional screening is required, and an Artificial Intelligence (AI) face mask photo check template.
MobileTech integrates with Key2Act’s Schedule, a graphical toolset that provides a dispatcher with the ability to schedule field resources using drag and drop technology. A dispatcher can perform daily, weekly, or monthly planning of resources. Appointment status changes made in the field are readily reflected in the schedule. Likewise, technician location is continually updated in Schedule for routing activities using Google or Bing maps.
Additionally, MobileTech integrates with Key2Act’s Building Optimization Broker (BOB) to expedite building insights into a service request rich with root cause context featuring the system effect and recommended fix based on real-time ASHRAE based equipment rules. BOB then passes the service request to Signature to turn it into a service call and appointment via the integration with Schedule and Mobile Tech, enabling technicians to know in advance of the service call what is wrong, and when they find other issues on-site, to have access to the BOB health dashboard to diagnose them. If a second call is needed, the technician can, at the press of one button, create a service request right from the mobile computing device.
Pricing: monthly subscription
ZOHO CRM FREE (www.zoho.com/crm) is a relationship management platform, suitable for small home-based businesses and supporting up to three users, designed to help handle onboarding of leads for business from various sources by numerous ways of engaging with potential and existing customers through various channels—phone, email, live chat, and social media. The solution includes essentials such as lead management, documents, tasks, events, call log, filters, CRM views, standard reports, 10 email templates, follow-up rules for team members, and up to 50 emails/per user license, 150 emails/day (whichever is lower).
Four upgraded for-fee versions are available, which offer the (scaled) ability to increase the number of users and various added capabilities, including sales forecasting, email insights, and the ability to create custom fields.
Invoice2go mobile-first invoicing solution (a bill.com company, https://invoice.2go.com, downloadable from the Apple App Store or Google Play) is suitable for service contractors and features creation and customization tools that streamline the ability to generate and send customers professional-looking estimates and invoices.
Available for iPhone, iPad, or Android devices, it includes an invoice generator and editable templates, including one designed specifically for construction companies, on which you upload your company name and contact information, your business logo, and customize with customer details, description of what the invoice covers, and an optional message. The templates, which can be highlighted in your choice of two of four standard colors, are available in Word, PDF, and Excel format.
Customers can approve estimates online. Once approved, the estimate is converted into an invoice with one tap.
Invoices can be sent out by email, text, or other platforms such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or other messaging app available on the sender’s mobile device. Invoice2go offers business owners, before sending out each invoice, a choice of which payment methods are preferred: credit or debit card, PayPal, or bank transfer (using the integrated Invoice2go Money feature). The customer, during the checkout process, selects which payment method is preferred.
The Invoice2go home screen summarizes outstanding and unpaid invoices. Contractors can send out reminders to customers when payment is coming due, is due, or is late.
Customers can add all types of line items in their invoices, from any products they might have procured for their clients, to pre-defined service they included, or hours they would like to bill. The app also has a time tracker and the ability to track appointments. All this data can be turned into line items on an invoice.
All these features are available on three different pricing plans, scaled up Starter. The Professional and Premium plans have higher invoicing quotas and additional capabilities like QuickBooks/Zero integration, advanced reports, recurring invoices, and phone support.
Patti Feldman writes articles and web content for trade magazines and manufacturers of building products. She can be reached at [email protected].