From Scheduling to Service Calls: Electricians Go Digital
Electrician Accounting Software Goes Beyond the Books
If you've been in the business long enough, you might have used some basic accounting software like Quicken to keep track of your business's financials. Maybe you've been working in Excel sheets for years. In any case, switching to a more modern platform has a ton of benefits for your business. Electrician accounting software isn't just about accounting anymore. You can handle everything from inventory management to dispatching electricians and more.Today's best electrician software packages operate in the cloud, so you don't even need to install anything on your computer! With cloud-based programs, you carry your business with you everywhere you go. You can collaborate more easily with the rest of your team too, since any changes are immediately reflected for everyone to see. So, what exactly can you do with the latest electrician software?
Manage Your Inventory Virtually
Inventory is often overlooked. Many contractors simply get what they need for each job as they need it. However, it's much more efficient to log your inventory and keep track digitally. A job quote can instantly check your inventory system to see what you have in stock and what you need to purchase. If you have a reliable supplier, you can even automate purchasing by having your system send purchase orders over based on your upcoming jobs.Inventory management also saves you money in the long term. You can estimate how long certain parts take to arrive so that you can plan jobs accordingly. You'll avoid overspending on items you don't need and encourage more efficient use of what you do have. In addition, damaged goods and lost or stolen items can be deducted from your taxes, but only if you keep good records.
Have the Right Equipment for Every Job
While on the topic of your inventory, modern electrician software can help your team get the job done faster by allocating resources in advance. Instead of having to relay job requirements over the phone or typing out a list for your contractor to fill, you can automatically take the job requirements and push them to whoever's in charge. Start planning your loadout for the first day on the job from the moment the customer makes their first payment.You can even include safety checklists based on the job requirements and the equipment you'll use to make sure the right PPE is assigned to the job. It's hard to appreciate just how much time you'll save with this feature until you start using it. You'll never need to make another last-minute run to the store to close out a job.
Schedule and Dispatch Your Team Instantly
Hardware and tools aren't the only things you have to allocate to get the job done. Your human resources are even more important, which is why the latest electrician software comes with scheduling and dispatch features. You can add each of your workers into the system and specify their working hours. When you put a job into the system, you mark the potential working hours, and the cloud does the rest.If some of your team members have skills that others don't, you can factor that in too. If you run a more general contracting business and have to juggle plumbers, electricians, and HVAC, you can automate who should show up and when. Workers get notifications straight to their phones, so they know where they need to be and what they'll be doing. By cutting down on the back and forth, you reduce misunderstandings and speed up dispatch.
Collect Payments and Automate Bookkeeping
Of course, no electrician accounting software system would be complete without some financial tools. At the end of the day, your business is about making money. The software you use should support that too. The best platforms can help you collect payment by giving your customers the option to pay by credit card online, rather than using a check or having someone out to collect. Payments are tracked and registered, and overdue clients can automatically be reminded to pay up.Bookkeeping is where all the systems come together. Since your system tracks time on the job, you'll know exactly how much to pay your workers. Your inventory system reports expenses so that you can track spending on equipment. You can even project your profits into the future by looking at the data from upcoming jobs. Best of all, the cloud constantly updates this data for everyone who needs to see it.
Customer Management
The best kind of customer is a repeat customer. You get more business without the hassle of chasing new leads. With software for electricians, you can keep better track of your leads and existing customers. You can program reminders to tell you when it's time to give that lead another call, or when to call the client whose job you finished to check on the quality.With customer management tools, you'll boost customer satisfaction and get those important recommendations that boost your bottom line.
Access Your Business From Any Device
With a cloud-based system, your data is secure and available from any device with an internet connection. Your phone now becomes your office. Whether you're on the job or on vacation, you can keep your business with you. If any problems pop up, you can take care of the issue quickly without needing to rush down to the office or look around for that quote on paper.Put yourself ahead of the competition by digitalizing your business using the best software for electricians. Contact ServiceBox for a free demo of our software for contractors.
