– by Colin Eaton –
When I started my landscape career, communication with clientele was mainly by phone which became quite cumbersome. I would return calls when I had the time, probably miss the client, leave a message, miss their return call, and try again. The introduction of email significantly improved communication, but only in the evenings when I was in front of my home computer. Finally the smart phone came along and wow, did that ever change the speed and quality of communication with our clients! It wasn’t just our contact with customers that improved however: our field abilities benefited significantly from the improved communication.
The wireless devices we now use, combined with custom software created by local company Applied Office Solutions Ltd., have provided us with an unmatched ability to communicate with our staff. Here are just some of the functions and benefits associated with the software we use on a daily basis:
- We can create jobs in-house to include the client name, address and job information. Immediately available to the field staff, this information provides them with the details they need to prepare and tackle a job.
- If staff finish one job early, they can be on the system, review work in the queue and move on to another job (no downtime!).
- We receive information on employee location, time on site, the equipment in use and materials being consumed. This essential data allows optimum tracking and scheduling for our clients.
- Every expense on every job is instantly updated as work progresses, providing everyone with crucial details at every stage.
- All vehicles, tools and equipment are tracked as to usage and we are reminded when repair or maintenance is required.
- Our field staff have the ability to immediately alert us to anything changing on a job, from a client-specific request for extra work to delays in construction requiring more time on site.
- Instead of us receiving emails, text messages, phone calls, courier pigeon notes, we have just one central system that collects and stores all information!
I am sure that all sounds dandy, but what does this mean to you, the consumer? Overhead is everything in the construction business, so efficiency and controlling of costs equals one thing: competitive pricing! For those considering the change to high-tech, the future is bright.
For more information visit www.victoriagardencity.ca.
