Alright so I've had the same customer management software since 01 when I bought out my parents. Idk when they actually bought it but they never used it. I really don't have any complaints about it. It keeps tracks of all my customers and invoices. I can assign different square footage values or just values to my different services that I offer and it calculates everything up for me. The reports I can generate work well for tax time or for paying sales tax and stuff like that. My problem is it's pre 2002 and is on the old 3.5 inch disks and isn't comparable with any new computers. Oh the software is called Buisness Partner Pro if any of you have ever heard of it. Anyway this year I want to make the switch over to a cloud based system. I'm just an owner operator so I don't know that I need anything super fancy. I see that service monster is a board favorite, those of you that have it would you recommend it for a business like mine? What do you like and what don't you like? Also what are the other options out there with pros and cons of those? What about my existing customer base? Do I start over this coming year or is there a fairly easy way of taking all of my data and transferring it to a cloud based program? Thanks in advance for all your help.
Customer management
- Thread starter jwfoulk12
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Mike Draper
Member
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- Jan 13, 2008
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- 4,402
I think you should call service monster and be done with it. If you have been in business since 01, your gonna love Service monster and the monthly charge is so minimal you shouldn't give it a second thought.
hogjowl
Idiot™
One thing I don't like about Service Monster is the way it calculates. It's not user friendly like Quick Books. As a result, I rarely use the s.f. tab.
Overall, it's a great program, but it makes no sense to me that it won't do common sense things that you simply expect computers to do.
Overall, it's a great program, but it makes no sense to me that it won't do common sense things that you simply expect computers to do.
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As I research on here it seems like some guys love service monster and some guys don't. I guess it's like anything but I'm just not sure if I want or need everything that they offer. Anybody with first hand experience with QBO and service monster?
Jim Morrison
Member
Having your information available on a cloud is really handy. I'm not on Servicemonster so can't comment there. We use 2 iPhone's and have MS Office on a PC synched up to icloud. The contacts and scheduling are updating live, so if my wife adds a job to the schedule I see it right away on my phone. Our customer base is kept in Quickbooks. Our next progression would be Servicemonster, just not ready for the extra work at this time.
mirf
Supportive Member
For customer management and scheduling I use service monster. I have begun to use fill my schedule and am pleased with it.
I do not use it for bookkeeping.
I do not use it for bookkeeping.
hogjowl
Idiot™
It doesn't do "book keeping".
Service monster has been getting messed up when importing into QB as of late.. I love SM, but if this continues they can KMA!!
I've been using Quicken/Quickbooks for all my invoicing/accounting for soooo long.
I also use their Customer Manager for scheduling work, etc;
I've found these to be very good for my 3 businesses that I've just installed them again onto my new HP Notebook which will be going on the van with me to print invoices with my Canon iP100 portable printer.
I was going to go Bluetooth with this, but was told that I'm better off to connect via USB.
In my area, "Cloud" based systems are useless, too many high hills and no cell connectivity.
I will still be taking along my iPad for when I'm in the properties & any work that comes in will go into the iPad, then later into the Notebook.
The Notebook, printer & other paraphernalia will mostly stay in the van until I need to print.
Hope this doesn't confuse you.
I also use their Customer Manager for scheduling work, etc;
I've found these to be very good for my 3 businesses that I've just installed them again onto my new HP Notebook which will be going on the van with me to print invoices with my Canon iP100 portable printer.
I was going to go Bluetooth with this, but was told that I'm better off to connect via USB.
In my area, "Cloud" based systems are useless, too many high hills and no cell connectivity.
I will still be taking along my iPad for when I'm in the properties & any work that comes in will go into the iPad, then later into the Notebook.
The Notebook, printer & other paraphernalia will mostly stay in the van until I need to print.
Hope this doesn't confuse you.
renegade_cowboy
Member
Everything comes back to quickbooks and there is nothing like quickbooks in all the time I have searched, which has been a lot.
So i was on the other forum and was told about Razor Sync.. and damn I am very impressed. Testing it out now.. haven't gone live with it yet.
Has its own app too.. very much worth a check in my opinion.
http://www.razorsync.com/?gclid=Cjw...3g5zZu6Im3RXAq9ZZX42UpFbrOyxcfxRCdRoCMcPw_wcB
So i was on the other forum and was told about Razor Sync.. and damn I am very impressed. Testing it out now.. haven't gone live with it yet.
Has its own app too.. very much worth a check in my opinion.
http://www.razorsync.com/?gclid=Cjw...3g5zZu6Im3RXAq9ZZX42UpFbrOyxcfxRCdRoCMcPw_wcB
TomKing
Supportive Member
We have been using service monster for the last 6 years. It import's to QB's on desk tops not QB's cloud based.
SM's power is in the marketing and management of knowing what is happening in your business.
If all you want is scheduling. Your can schedule your work as a one truck operator on Google calendar or outlook.
Sm will tell how your marketing is doing it will let you know what services you sell and what percentage of your business comes from what services.
It will help you makes decisions as to what marketing to continue to pay for and what to drop.
I believe the day will come when you will see a integrated accounting package with SM.
Most other industry specific software packages include that.
SM with QB is just fine for a O/O or a small multi truck company.
I can set you up with a free month if you PM me.
SM's power is in the marketing and management of knowing what is happening in your business.
If all you want is scheduling. Your can schedule your work as a one truck operator on Google calendar or outlook.
Sm will tell how your marketing is doing it will let you know what services you sell and what percentage of your business comes from what services.
It will help you makes decisions as to what marketing to continue to pay for and what to drop.
I believe the day will come when you will see a integrated accounting package with SM.
Most other industry specific software packages include that.
SM with QB is just fine for a O/O or a small multi truck company.
I can set you up with a free month if you PM me.
Scheduling I have no problem. I can currently schedule on my phone, laptop, or ipad and they all sync together. What I'm looking for is a cloud based management system that I can access from anywhere, that I can invoice from by email (I've heard the service monster horror stories here) and that I can pull up past jobs and work orders at any time. I can see where the marketing aspect of service monster can help but I'm not convinced it's a must have for me. I just glanced at razor sync but it has a 3 license minimum at $20 a pop. Not that I'm not willing to spend $60 a month or more it's just that I don't need or want 3 licenses. Thanks everybody so far for your feedback tho, that's what I like about this board.
Mike Draper
Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2008
- Messages
- 4,402
I must have missed the horror stories, as I invoice from the field daily with my ipad on service monster.
hogjowl
Idiot™
I agree, but is service monster over kill for what I currently need. Im trying to get feedback on what other products are out there that people are using and the pros and the cons of those. As well as the pros and cons of service monster from those of you that are currently using it. Is anybody making quickbooks online work for them? What about the other cloud based options? I just want to be able to make an informed decision as to what is best for me and my company.
renegade_cowboy
Member
Service monster is over priced for what it offers IMHO, it does has a good foothold in this industry.. it does have 3rd party companies for online scheduling and fill my schedule but at an additional price. I have looked at a ton of operating systems and it really does come down to one that you are comfortable using.
Dan
Supportive Member
Service Monster is what you make of it. It can be overkill or under kill it just really depends on how much effort your willing to put into it.
J
JS41035
Guest
I use chaching. It is great. It doesn't have mobile access though. We just ordered iPads for the switch to service monster. I'm nervous. But I've played with the sample database for a while. The idea of instantly emailing invoices as I sit in my truck is cool. A lot of other features. The interface on chaching is a lot simpler. But it has less features. And it you have to run everything through the desktop at the end of the day. 80 a month seems reasonable to me for all the features SM offers.
kingjoelking
Supportive Member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2011
- Messages
- 521
I used Service Monster for about 5 months. It was ok. for $200 down and $80 a month it was way overpriced for what I wanted it for. Alot of the people that love it in here are grandfathered at $35 and $40 a month. It does have the marketing feature that is ok.
I switched to www. thecustomerfactor. com for $34.95 a month and no down payment. I have been happy with it.
I switched to www. thecustomerfactor. com for $34.95 a month and no down payment. I have been happy with it.
Yeah this is kinda what I'm worried about happening with me. It's probably way more then I will use, at least for a while. How do u like the customer factor? Pluses? Minuses?
PrimaDonna
Megatron
Use SM and love it. Easy to do IFF file transfer to quick books and process payments. I know we aren't using if to its full potential but for the price it's amazing. I agree with what Tom said. The multiple reporting features gives us invaluable data. Reports alone justify the monthly fees for us.... Not to mention the time saving aspect of previously entering big QB and historical data we can access
renegade_cowboy
Member
I just noticed Full Circle promotes razor sync now instead of service monster.
In what type of circumstances would I need to email an invoice on site? Other than estimates/quotes, not sure how I'd use this.
They get their carpets cleaned, I give them an invoice and keep one. You guys bill residential clients at time of cleaning, right?
They get their carpets cleaned, I give them an invoice and keep one. You guys bill residential clients at time of cleaning, right?
I like the idea of emailing an invoice or receipt to a customer on the spot. I've been playing around with service monster on my phone a little but can't figure out how to conveniently add a client and then schedule the job in my calendar on my phone. They need an app that's much more convenient.
kingjoelking
Supportive Member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2011
- Messages
- 521
Still like it. Still works. I have a galaxy Note 3 and is not super simple to input from the phone but is doable. I usually write new appointments on paper and then input when I get home.
I have a phone call with service monster today so I'm really gonna look at it but there's a few concerns I have but I'm not sure if the customer factor will be any better. I schedule all my work on my iPhone. What I would like to see is an app or something that when a customer calls to schedule all there info goes into the database after we decide what time works for them. Then I would like to see an easy one click to create an invoice or an estimate or whatever else I need. Oh and I'd love for it to sync to iCal and google calendar.
kingjoelking
Supportive Member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2011
- Messages
- 521
I dont know that customer factor is better. It did the same things as SM that I used it for except it integrates with Google calendar and that makes my life easier.
In fact now that I remember that. It can do two way sync with Google. I just forgot to ever use that to schedule appointments. So you can schedule easier straight from your phone.
But Customer Factor is half the price as SM and has real good customer service also. (SM also has great customer service) And no down payment.
In fact now that I remember that. It can do two way sync with Google. I just forgot to ever use that to schedule appointments. So you can schedule easier straight from your phone.
But Customer Factor is half the price as SM and has real good customer service also. (SM also has great customer service) And no down payment.
