Owning your own plumbing business will quickly become a struggle if you don’t have the proper tools to get the job done. You would never show up to a job without a wrench, auger, or any of the other essential tools in your toolbox. The same should hold true when tracking finances, schedules, and work orders, especially when you spend a lot of time outside the office. These days, you simply must equip your plumbing business with the best mobile applications on the market to help streamline workflow and reduce overhead. The 7 apps listed below qualify as must-haves for running a successful plumbing business.
QuickBooks
The first workflow software essential? QuickBooks. For most businesses, including those in the plumbing industry, a central place to keep track of the inner workings of your company will prove absolutely vital. The QuickBooks mobile app allows you access to invoices, expenses, and reports at home or at an out-of-town conference. Both the mobile app and the desktop software offer a variety of integrations with other workflow applications to help bolster your efficiency. Which version of QuickBooks should you use? Check out our handy guide on the different versions of QuickBooks to find the one that best meets your business' needs.
Smart Service
The days of paper invoices have officially passed us by. Thanks to the mobile plumbing software Smart Service, plumbers no longer have to periodically call the office to receive their next assignment. Smart Service is essential mobile work order app that allows technicians to finish paperwork in the field, access a customer's complete work history, and track equipment for big jobs. Technicians can use the talk to text feature to take detailed notes in situations where typing becomes cumbersome. The app features GPS integration and helps your plumbers easily identify their next job. Smart Service also keeps customers up to speed with accurate arrival times, keeping the people you serve happy and informed. Smart Service integrates with QuickBooks, letting dispatchers in the office use GPS breadcrumbs to monitor technician and job progress. This app allows your plumbing business to significantly reduce wasted time on jobs and eliminates the possibility of lost forms and invoices by digitizing all of your paperwork.
DropBox for Business
Don't bog down your iPad, tablet, or phone with hundreds or even thousands of pictures, files, and invoices from your plumbing business. DropBox allows your team to sync and share folders of images and files from customer accounts, as well as general business information. Through DropBox, files can be accessed from any desktop or mobile device at any time. Because files no longer need to be stored on your device, you'll free up tons of storage space. DropBox boasts integration with other critical plumbing software, including Smart Service.
Google Calendar
One of the most important parts of running a successful plumbing business is making sure that your plumbers have an accurate schedule each and every day that can be accessed from any mobile device. Google Calendar is a must-have because it only takes a simple internet connection to utilize. Google Calendar also integrates with other mobile and desktop software, like QuickBooks and Smart Service. This allows you to schedule service calls and set up reminders for your plumbers from one convenient system.
Slack
Good communication often separates a good company from a great one, and Slack offers an amazing set of workforce communication tools. Dive into one on one chat rooms, group rooms, or company-wide text exchanges. Quickly share files and keep everyone on the same page. Best of all? You can start with Slack for free!
join.me Mobile Conferences
Make yourself available to your team of plumbers and office staff while away from the office with join.me’s mobile app. join.me allows you to tap into staff meetings from your iPhone, iPad, Android device, and even your Apple Watch, all with a touch of a button. An admin can share their screen or presentation, keeping the whole team on the same page when sharing critical information.
LinkedIn Pulse
Working in conjunction with other residential and commercial industries is an important part of running a successful plumbing company. LinkedIn Pulse provides a great means of accomplishing this. This mobile app allows you to stay current with industry-related news. You can also keep tabs on what your connections read and talk about on a daily basis. You can also set up notifications on your mobile device for time-sensitive news and information, as well as trending news about your competitors.
Cocnlusion
Running a residential or commercial plumbing company requires layers of efficiency throughout your entire staff. These mobile apps integrate with desktop plumbing business software and can help streamline workflow and keep you in the know as a small business owner.
