Just as the tools in your toolbelt help you do your job on a site, the tools in your electronic devices can help you nail all of those background tasks that keep a business running. Saving time spent on administration means more time available for income-earning work.
Automation has been used for many years now in job management, and the features are developing with the continued rise of AI to become helpful beyond what we could have dreamed of a decade ago. It’s likely that the software you use has features you aren’t even aware of, and the ability to make running your business significantly easier. Unlocking all of this potential is the challenge.
The following are some of the areas in which automation can give you a major boost. Save time, money, and your reputation with tech tools!
Scheduling
Scheduling is an important aspect of any trades business! Automations and templates can make this much easier, helping to ensure that your scheduling is accurate. Missing appointments is bad for productivity and also your professional reputation; take full advantage of the scheduling tools your software offers.
Tradify, as an example, allows automatic rescheduling of recurring jobs, integrates timesheets with job schedules, and allows an accepted quote to be easily transformed into a scheduled job.
Invoices and cash flow
Chasing up invoices is nobody’s favourite task, but sometimes clients and customers need a reminder or two to pay their bills. When invoices go unpaid, cash flow can suffer—and this may have a flow-on effect of financial troubles.
Many job management software platforms offer automated reminders for this and other situations. ServiceM8, for example, has an automation add-on which you can use to send auto reminders following up on outstanding invoices. Set it at chosen intervals or set periods of time before and after an invoice due date, generate a polite message using Smart Assistant, and choose whether to send via SMS or email. Easy!
Customer comms
Communicating clearly and regularly with your customers before, during, and after a job can do wonders for your professional reputation. Keeping all parties well informed also makes projects run more smoothly, reducing costs. While in some cases there is no replacement for plain old human interaction, automation can certainly relieve some of the load.
Fergus, a popular choice with Kiwi tradies, has recently introduced SMS schedule reminders, which will automatically drop people a text reminding them of a scheduled visit or appointment. These are easily tailored to suit you and are a great courtesy for your busy customers.
Financial reporting and forecasting
Using automation to pull data out of job cards and other places, JMS can often make your reporting and financial forecasting simple and quick, giving you time back to spend elsewhere. As a business owner, it’s on you to make important financial decisions. Accurate reports are the foundation of good decision-making and can positively impact your profitability and success in the future.
Rave Build has robust reporting capabilities, offering business performance reports, sales & CRM reports, financial reporting, income projections, and more. If you’re using the software to its fullest extent, you’re capturing a treasure trove of information that can be recycled through automation for informative reporting.
Want to make sure you’re using your software tools to your utmost advantage? Not sure where to start when it comes to integrating tech and automation into your business systems? FreeUp exists to solve those problems! Book a 15-minute chat to get the ball rolling or check out our services page to see what’s on offer.
