Which is better....SM or House Call Pro?

[Kellie Hiler]

So I started using the free version of QB online today just to feel it out. So far I really like it. I'm not taking payments on it yet as I need to make sure I really like it before I go through all of that setup etc.
I am still waiting for SM to come out with their mobile as that is what I use the most. And I will try that when it does. I will not use HC Pro that's a given....
I am extremely sensitive about who I will trust with my customer info, my banking info and CC processing. I've been using Newtek for years and they are awesome, so it's kind of scary to even consider changing it up. Like they say if it ain't broke don't fix it!

 

[jkowalski]

I suggest calling and talking to Intuit to see what their plan is with the Desktop and online.. I called and talked to them about 2 years ago or so and the rep told me that they are going to be phasing out and pushing people towards the cloud base version. Which makes sense because EVERYTHING is going cloud based now.. movies, games, netflix and other software. Is it better.. I don't know, but that is the future.. the important thing is to always keep things backed up on location. Intuit online actually has a TON of resources for businesses.. pretty much gives you everything you need in that department.. if you are still using the disc and not accessing Intuit's small business platform, you are missing out. To bad it sucks in the CRM/FSM/database department.

I can agree with everything you said here but Intuit has a special case. Not to mention the VAST majority of QB users in the US are still desktop based. Globally they have withdrawn support slowly for desktop as the space is being challenged by Zero.

http://www.sleeter.com/blog/2014/10/future-for-quickbooks-desktop/

 

[renegade_cowboy]

I can agree with everything you said here but Intuit has a special case. Not to mention the VAST majority of QB users in the US are still desktop based. Globally they have withdrawn support slowly for desktop as the space is being challenged by Zero.

http://www.sleeter.com/blog/2014/10/future-for-quickbooks-desktop/

The number of quickbook desktop is declining every year.. sold 32% less units in the last 2 years. I read a number that the desktop they make $500 a year annually per person.. with the cloud base its $800 per year. The writing is on the wall with QB desktop. I doubt it will be here in 5 years.

 

[jkowalski]

It will last as long as the Boomers do. :-)

Bet you a lunch on it. Unfortunately, we'll both be old by then. Lol

 

[Kellie Hiler]

It will last as long as the Boomers do. :-)

Bet you a lunch on it. Unfortunately, we'll both be old by then. Lol

Well, hurry the hell up and get your mobile product going!

 

[hogjowl]

I don't trust that fancy cloud thing.

 

[jkowalski]

I don't trust that fancy cloud thing.

SM is cloud Mr. Marty.

 

[D Luke]

It will last as long as the Boomers do. :-)

Bet you a lunch on it. Unfortunately, we'll both be old by then. Lol

I don't have THAT much confidence. I think I will still be, at most, middle aged when it goes away. That being said, it's not going anywhere anytime soon.

 

[hogjowl]

SM is cloud Mr. Marty.

Yeah, I know. But when Iran blows the internet up, I'll still have my database on laptop.

 

[renegade_cowboy]

That all depends if intuit can hold on to that #1 spot.. competition is really gaining.

 

[Beeks]

We use HCP, never used SM. They are constantly adding new features, while taking recommendations and actually implementing them. So far so good with HCP.

 

[rolandal]

Very clever for hcp to offer a free option.. it ties in good with getting more users for the sister app.. which is where the real money will come in. The free feature is REALLY basic.. to the point you will have to upgrade. It's like the fremeium apps.. get the limited game for free but pay in the long run if you choose to.

The software is exactly the same for the free version & the paid version. The only difference is the free is for owner/operators, whereas the paid one is for businesses with multiple technicians. We designed it that way so as you grow you business, we grow with you.

If you really want the reality.. yes hcp will save you over a thousand a year, but it won't make you the money a good quality crm can do. In fact.. free hcp will cost you money by not having the features needed to run a business.. unless you upgrade. For a good crm/fsm you should expect to pay around the $100 a month price range.
I'm not defending SM.. they have A LOT to prove with their new overhaul to remain competitive.

The free version includes everything as the paid one minus the Marketing features (Postcard/Email Remarketing). From a CRM/Scheduling/Payment/Invoicing/FSM etc its exactly the same..... and FREE.

The winner is going to be the one that understands the work flow for a service business.. from the field tech, the person answering your phones to the owner being able to fully customize every aspect of the software. This is why it's SO important for these companies to take advantage of API with other companies that have perfected certain features.. example SM or hcp need an API to quickbooks because they perfected that part of the small business. We are all getting use to complete customization of our software interface.. like with our cell phones.. that it's expected now with business software.

I got to stand on stage with the found of Intuit, Scott Cook, for best existing app HCP to integrate with QBO. Beat out 158 other companies... Yes that's me with the flip flops on stage in front of 4,500 people

 

[Mikey P]

I just set up a follow up email campaign..


pretty cool..

 

[renegade_cowboy]

Its smart to offer the free service.. gets people to sign up.. they would have to upgrade pretty soon to the $70 package especially if they want to sync it with their quickbooks. What does the $175 version get you?

 

[renegade_cowboy]

I just set up a follow up email campaign..


pretty cool..

View attachment 9792 View attachment 9793

Is there an HTML email option?

 

[Mikey P]

You tell me..

 

[renegade_cowboy]

For their sister app that puts cleaners in the area they service.. what happens when that service area gets 2-4 cleaners.. they all can't get promoted on the sister app, so it puts them in a position to start charging to be promoted on that app.. which in the future might carry more weight than it does now. Their sister app gets hcp 10% of what is booked, that can add up to a ton of money.

 

[rolandal]

Its smart to offer the free service.. gets people to sign up.. they would have to upgrade pretty soon to the $70 package especially if they want to sync it with their quickbooks. What does the $175 version get you?

You can check out what each tier gets you here: http://www.tryhousecall.com/pro

The $175 version also gets you unlimited users/employees (great for companies over 10 people).

 

[rolandal]

Is there an HTML email option?

No, we don't allow that to ensure high deliverability (98.7% across the platform) of messages. We feel its more important for the end customer to receive/view the message, than the receive sparkling gifs + large colored font resulting in them going straight to spam.

 

[rolandal]

For their sister app that puts cleaners in the area they service.. what happens when that service area gets 2-4 cleaners.. they all can't get promoted on the sister app, so it puts them in a position to start charging to be promoted on that app.. which in the future might carry more weight than it does now. Their sister app gets hcp 10% of what is booked, that can add up to a ton of money.

You get exclusivity with your customers and there is no referral fee.

If we bring you more NEW business, then it's 10% referral fee. Ex. If we don't bring you new business, we charge nothing, if we do, then we deserve a standard referral fee.

10% is VERY low amount. If you would like to advertise on Yelp/Google/Angie's List/Amazon/Thumbtack, their fee ends up being abound ~22-37% of the job.

 

[renegade_cowboy]

No, we don't allow that to ensure high deliverability (98.7% across the platform) of messages. We feel its more important for the end customer to receive/view the message, than the receive sparkling gifs + large colored font resulting in them going straight to spam.

Yeah but you are already sending them emails.. even the invoice. So their a known contact and consider you a known sender. Mail Chimp has really good success sending html emails, I don't recall the last time if any were filtered because of that.. even if you did have a few that were, you are able to see those emails and send them a plain text email if needed. Simple solution.. Its easier to sell their product with visual marketing aids vs a plain text email. We only have a few seconds to get the customer attention and making them read a long marketing email is a good way for it to be passed over.

 

[renegade_cowboy]

You get exclusivity with your customers and there is no referral fee.

If we bring you more NEW business, then it's 10% referral fee. Ex. If we don't bring you new business, we charge nothing, if we do, then we deserve a standard referral fee.

10% is VERY low amount. If you would like to advertise on Yelp/Google/Angie's List/Amazon/Thumbtack, their fee ends up being abound ~22-37% of the job.

What happens when you start getting companies in the same area on the same app? Lets say in LA there is 5 cleaners signed up with HCP and they all want to be exclusive on the app as hcp promotes.. what happens in that situation?

 

[rolandal]

Yeah but you are already sending them emails.. even the invoice. So their a known contact and consider you a known sender. Mail Chimp has really good success sending html emails, I don't recall the last time if any were filtered because of that.. even if you did have a few that were, you are able to see those emails and send them a plain text email if needed. Simple solution.. Its easier to sell their product with visual marketing aids vs a plain text email. We only have a few seconds to get the customer attention and making them read a long marketing email is a good way for it to be passed over.

Agree to disagree. Additionally, we are not Mail Chimp. If people want advanced newletter/fancy picture sending ability they can pay for a true email product.

We've built HouseCall Pro to add a personal touch/feel to emails, not ones littered with images and tracking pixels which get auto-hidden on most modern email clients.

 

[rolandal]

What happens when you start getting companies in the same area on the same app? Lets say in LA there is 5 cleaners signed up with HCP and they all want to be exclusive on the app as hcp promotes.. what happens in that situation?

No one gets exclusivity on new clients, it lists all cleaners limited by our algorithm.

Only exclusivity happens with your current clients.

 

[renegade_cowboy]

Agree to disagree. Additionally, we are not Mail Chimp. If people want advanced newletter/fancy picture sending ability they can pay for a true email product.

We've built HouseCall Pro to add a personal touch/feel to emails, not ones littered with images and tracking pixels which get auto-hidden on most modern email clients.

Why not give the user the options to do either one? Isn't HCP sending out HTML emails talking about updates and so on? There is pictures with the emails I get from hcp..

 

[renegade_cowboy]

No one gets exclusivity on new clients, it lists all cleaners limited by our algorithm.

Only exclusivity happens with your current clients.

How does the algorithm work?

 

[rolandal]

Why not give the user the options to do either one? Isn't HCP sending out HTML emails talking about updates and so on? There is pictures with the emails I get from hcp..

We use Mailchimp for our marketing newsletters. Since it's marketing, deliverability is important but not critical.

The email marketing automation is CRITICAL, called Transactional Email, therefore we don't allow messing around with fancy HTML which has a likelihood of ending up in spam.

 

[rolandal]

How does the algorithm work?

Secret sauce

 

[renegade_cowboy]

We use Mailchimp for our marketing newsletters. Since it's marketing, deliverability is important but not critical.

The email marketing automation is CRITICAL, called Transactional Email, therefore we don't allow messing around with fancy HTML which has a likelihood of ending up in spam.

If your system can't support it.. just say so.. because your dislike for html is hypocritical since your company uses html for your marketing.. good enough for you, but not your users? Mailchimp has a good success rate with html emails, so why not open an API to them and have it function with the crm system vs trying to make your own mail chimp, which doesn't even do html emails. I'm trying to help you out by giving you insight to what the user wants.. and your telling me I'm wrong, even though your company does the same html marketing. You have to admit that is a little funny.. not like funny haha, but the other funny.

 

[rolandal]

If your system can't support it.. just say so.. because your dislike for html is hypocritical since your company uses html for your marketing.. good enough for you, but not your users? Mailchimp has a good success rate with html emails, so why not open an API to them and have it function with the crm system vs trying to make your own mail chimp, which doesn't even do html emails. I'm trying to help you out by giving you insight to what the user wants.. and your telling me I'm wrong, even though your company does the same html marketing. You have to admit that is a little funny.. not like funny haha, but the other funny.

We DON'T support HTML email.

We enable Pros to send TRANSACTIONAL emails. They are things like booking confirmations, invoices, reminders, reviews etc. They are all sent out based upon a transaction. It's critical that these are not "HTML emails" because it will effect deliverability.

If you would like to do blast email marketing, use Mailchimp, just like we do when sending out a marketing or email newsletter.

It takes 2 clicks to export the CRM database and import it into Mailchimp. There are many that do!