Have you ever gone out to a restaurant where the servers have the electronic order takers (I am sure there is a more accurate name for these but that is what I call them)? Your server simply stops by the table, asks what you would like, taps the screen a few times, and your food or drink are delivered exactly how you wanted them. Restaurants eliminate their scribbled on food tickets with these devices. They also help to eliminate incorrect orders due to a waiter or waitress walking away from the table and forgetting the customer’s special request when entering in the order.
These devices are an up and coming trend for businesses and will probably be the norm in a few years. By gathering the information at the point of contact, restaurants are eliminating their mistakes and providing excellent customer service. This, in turn, leads to repeat customers or customers ordering another round of drinks because they like the service they are receiving.
Not so surprisingly, lawn care software can do the same thing for your lawn care business as the electronic order takers do for restaurants.
Field service software is a great tool to implement once you have reached a plateau and are looking for ways to boost sales. First, your business eliminates double entry. Double entry is where a lot of the information is lost causing you to not be as accountable or efficient as your business needs to be. You need all of the data you collect on site, so you can turn around and use that information to better market to customers, thus increasing sales.
With the elimination of double entry, both your field techs and the office staff are then able to provide efficient service. You would be surprised how long customers will stay with a company as long as the service stays above average.
While the techs are out in the field, they are able to see firsthand what customers will need replaced, fixed, or added in the future. They can order a part in seconds or schedule an additional appointment right then and there, ensuring you have a job with that customer in the future and you are not waiting around for them to call.
Helpful Hint: When I was running my irrigation business, I found a good tactic to use and have my field techs use. When attempting up upsell or boost sales, try making the sale personal. Something along the lines of “I use so and so product in my house and it works great.”
Customer history is one of the greatest features that lawn care software delivers. By seeing what was done in the past, your techs and office staff are able to recommend things for the future. You are also able to see what customers had done in the past so you can market directly to their needs.
Another bonus is that the office has information to relay back to customers. When a customer calls in with questions about a completed service or when the last time your guys came to their property was, the office person can get to the information with a few clicks. This quick service will help to keep customers happy and satisfied.
So to recap, lawn care software allows you to boost sales by:
- Eliminating double entry
- Providing efficient service
- Utilizing customer history
It can be difficult to get out of the slump once sales hit a wall, but by installing software to better manage all of the data, and to keep everyone in the company informed, you are able to produce those extra sales.
Looking for other ways to help your business sell? Check out the 6 Requirements for a Website that Sells.