For business owners, running a small business is no easy feat. Not only do you have to focus on providing your services, but you also need to juggle customer management and marketing.
To make things simpler and more efficient for these businesses, specialized HVAC software exists for service companies that can help you take care of all the different tasks associated with running your business. With this, you can easily keep track of customers, invoices and payments, appointments and scheduling, inventory control, and much more.
This article will share how to choose the best HVAC software for your business.
Why you should invest in HVAC software
Here are some typical benefits you can expect from HVAC software:
Automate repetitive tasks
You can automate day-to-day repetitive tasks, such as creating and sending invoices, tracking customer requests, communicating with field techs and requesting reviews. Such automation will save you a lot of time and energy.
For example, if you use HVAC software with a built-in invoicing system and QuickBooks integration, you can quickly generate and send out invoices to customers. This way, you don’t have to manually create every invoice.
Improve customer experience
Your customers can easily book appointments and make mobile payments online, which makes the process much less time-consuming and more efficient. This also helps you provide a better experience to your customers, which can, in turn, increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Better marketing and online reputation
Using HVAC software, you can easily track and manage online reviews of your services. Automatic notifications alert you of new reviews so you can respond quickly to customer feedback and maintain a strong online reputation.
You can also use the software to monitor your online presence and track how successful your marketing campaigns are.
How to choose the best HVAC software for your small business
Choosing the best HVAC software can be overwhelming. You will be bombarded with management platforms comprising hundreds of feature sets, everything from job scheduling to inventory management. It’s essential to determine where you need help with business management and find the right suite of tools.
Here are the top things that HVAC businesses should look for in software.
Simple user interface
Ensure the interface is easy to use and simple enough for you and your staff to understand. You should be able to quickly find all the features and functionality you need without being overwhelmed by too many complicated menus or settings.
Try a free demo of the software options or a 30-day trial before you commit to one. This way, you’ll get a better feel for the management tools and functionality.
Ability to send and track invoices
The software should have a built-in invoicing system that allows you to quickly create and send out invoices. It should also be integrated with QuickBooks accounting software and a payment system to track payments and keep your accounting system squared away for tax season.
For instance, if you want to send an invoice to a customer, the software should allow for generating invoices along with automatic follow-ups and payment tracking.
Along with generating invoices, HVAC software should offer payment processing through various means, such as credit cards or PayPal.
Mobile capability
Make sure the software has a mobile app that you can use in real time on Android or iOS devices. This feature allows you to access important data on the go, no matter where you are. This is essential for service businesses, such as HVAC contractors.
It should also allow you to send notifications directly to customer’s mobile devices, such as appointment reminders or payment confirmations.
Easy customer communication
Having a single inbox for customer communications is essential for any HVAC company. The software should empower you to easily communicate with customers via email, text or other messaging platforms from a consolidated inbox. This way, you don’t have to jump from platform to platform to manage and organize client communication.
Once you have all the customer information relating to online booking, job scheduling, online payment and details of previous communications in one place, your team can optimize workflows and provide smart service. This helps streamline customer support and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
Team management
The HVAC industry runs with field technicians who spend time on-site, making it difficult to manage their schedules. Therefore, the HVAC service software should allow you to streamline team communication.
For example, the software should allow you to easily communicate with all your HVAC technicians so everyone is on the same page with work orders and job management.
Reputation management
Make sure the software has tools for easy online reputation management. This helps protect and promote your business’s reputation by responding quickly and appropriately to customer feedback.
Automated notifications can alert you when customers leave reviews or post about your business. The software solution should be able to track customer feedback from various platforms, such as Yelp, Google, and Facebook.
Broadly has what you’re looking for all in one platform
Running a residential or commercial HVAC business requires various tools to manage customers, employees and finances. Broadly brings these features into one platform, making it easy for you to:
- Create and send invoices
- Accept mobile payments
- Monitor customer feedback
- Generate marketing campaigns
- Communicate with customers via text or email
Broadly’s mobile-friendly HVAC business software offers a high-level one-stop business dashboard to see how you stack up against other providers in your service area.
Ready to learn more? Schedule a demo today to see how Broadly can help your home service company thrive.
