In business today, technology is unavoidable. Gone are the days where we had paper files and called our clients on a landline. The landscaping industry is no different. While landscaping a property is a physical job, the behind-the-scenes scheduling, estimates, design, sales process, and administrative work have all gone the way of landscaping software solutions.
Businesses that haven’t been quick to jump on the technology train are quickly being overrun by those that were willing to make the jump with an open mind. Customers are looking for not only exceptional customer service but also the latest and greatest technology. In order to keep customers happy and streamline processes, landscaping businesses have been making changes and jumping out of the rut. To propel your business to the next level, consider avoiding the following.
1) Siloed Platforms
Landscaping businesses have started seeing the benefit of using landscape business software to grow and enhance their businesses. Landscaping design software has become extremely popular in the past few years. It empowers landscapers to be able to work with clients all over the country. Accounting and other office software have made billing easier, and supply chain management software allows for supplies to be shipped with the click of a button.
Beware, however, of having too many software programs, which can become tedious and cumbersome. Look for a landscaping management platform that is all-encompassing. Many software programs let you create quotes and invoices, track work orders, book jobs, and order supplies all from one platform. Look for platforms that can seamlessly integrate with Quickbooks or other accounting software, and Landscape Hub in order to keep your workforce on the same page.
Don’t get stuck with several different people knowing just one slice of information. These landscaping business software platforms allow you to see the entire picture in one place.
2) Wasted Travel Time
Your landscaping crews spend precious time traveling to and from their work locations. Use software packages to avoid excess travel time and minimize wasted fuel. By optimizing their routes, you can ensure they get to the next project quickly and spend their time doing landscaping instead of driving. These software programs can also locate crews on a map so you know where your employees are at all times.
3) Negative Attitudes
Employees with negative attitudes have no place in the workforce. Bad attitudes may include continued tardiness, laziness, rudeness, or rumor spreading. Some employees have issues with certain work policies, or are against workplace changes, like the upgrade or implementation of new software.
These activities bring down morale in the workplace, not just for the person with the attitude but also for those that work around him as well. These attitudes spread quickly and have been shown to decrease performance and productivity. Mistakes are made more frequently, and money and time are spent on tasks that normally are done correctly the first time.
This attitude not only affects your employees but also your customers. They do not want to deal with snippy or rude employees, and if they receive poor treatment, they often will not come back. Avoid losing customers by keeping attitudes at work in check and finding the underlying issues if a problem persists.
4) Getting Stuck on Paper
It’s hard to let go of the past, but in the fast-paced, tech-savvy world in which we live, paper slows us down. By getting rid of paper, your landscaping business can save time and money while saving the environment at the same time. Simple tasks like filing, organizing, and searching for that document (again) that have kept office workers busy for hours are outdated.
By digitizing your paper files, you grant employees quick and easy access to all the information that was previously stuck in a file cabinet. It’s all stored in one place, and anyone you give access to can see it with just a few keystrokes. Your files are no longer lost or misplaced, and your employees are much more efficient and productive.
5) Outdated Technology
If your landscaping business is using outdated technology, you may be in need of an upgrade. Outdated programs often have no support, and many companies spend far more money trying to support these legacy systems than if they were to update to a new cloud-based system.
Outdated hardware can make it difficult for your employees to do their jobs. This hardware often stops working, and you end up paying your employee for downtime while it is being repaired. Your company may not need top-of-the-line, elite software and hardware, but the money you spend to keep it current will be money well-spent when your employees are happy and productive, creating an increase in your bottom line.
The Future of Your Landscaping Business
Many successful landscaping businesses have moved into the 21st Century and are finding huge successes by following the tech start-ups that have deployed new technologies within their workforce. By using landscaping business software, landscaping companies have found ways to streamline processes, making their employees more productive. They have found ways to save time and money.
Customers are happy with the electronic designs and invoices they receive. These customers no longer have to wait for face-to-face meetings to see ideas the designers have for their land.
The transitions are not always seamless — and there is often an adjustment period for employees and customers alike— but when the transition is made, most companies find it well worth the effort.