Starting and managing a new business is challenging, and the last thing you need is to get confused about digital tools and tech setup.
Well, we’ve got you covered. We have analyzed all the software tools that you may just need—no more, no less—to help you grow your home service business.
As we start off, most of us tend to look at tools that we are already comfortable with. We look for ones that require a small upfront investment, are easy to use, and get things done without complications. And this makes perfect sense.
So, to make things easier, we’ve compiled a list of free and low-cost tools that are effective in streamlining your essential operations. So, without any further ado, let’s jump right into it.
Top 5 Free and low-cost digital tools for a small home service business
Accounting and invoicing
When it comes to accounting and invoicing, solutions like QuickBooks help can you with bookkeeping, invoicing, and even expense tracking all via easy mobile and desktop apps. Make sure the solution can integrate into your payments with your existing solution so that your work order process
is seamless.Email, chat, and collaboration
Players like Google GSuite provide a bundled solution for your business email, collaboration between your team members, and much more. Here, too, look at how such solutions can link to your core work order management or field service tool, essentially helping you in things like sending automatic update mails, linking information on spreadsheets to field apps, and more.
Customer relationship Management (CRM)
While CRM tools often overlap with field service apps, they offer valuable advantages if your budget allows. If you need advanced capabilities like in-depth lead management and customer engagement, a dedicated CRM can be beneficial. In such a case, Hubspot CRM can be a great choice. It is free for small teams and has features like contact management, email tracking, and sales analytics. This could help your business handle larger deals or those requiring extended lead-to-customer nurturing and follow-up.
Marketing and branding
Field service businesses, especially the smaller business owners, can immensely benefit from utilizing marketing tools including email marketing solutions like MailChimp, as well as social media planners like HootSuite. There are also apps that can help you design images and videos for your social media channels, like Canva.
Field Service Management Software
Field Service Management software is a digital tool designed to help businesses manage field operations, especially those involving service appointments, technician dispatch, and on-site tasks. For small home and field service businesses, an FSM tool becomes invaluable as it allows you to oversee all your essential functions in one place, eliminating the need for scattered spreadsheets or multiple applications.
If you’re considering an FSM solution, Swivl is an excellent choice. This free, easy-to-use platform is designed specifically for small businesses and offers all the essential tools to help your business succeed. With features like work order management, a built-in CRM, an online job scheduler, and a website builder, Swivl equips your business with everything you need to drive success.
So there you have it. Success is often just finding the right tool that does the best job for you. Try a few of these tools with the idea of determining which will work best for you; you’ll be well on your way to streamlining your operations, boosting efficiency, and growing your small FSM business.
Why a modular field service management software is essential?
So, let’s tackle the biggest question out there. Why do you need field service management software? It’s not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when.’
As your business grows and scales, your priorities also shift. You would probably want to consolidate all your major apps into one so that it is simple for your team to update their work and also helps you analyze your business better. As you look at building a team, an all-in-one solution would make it much easier to sync everyone.
So what’s the flip side? Field Service Management solutions can get quite complex, even those meant for small trade businesses. The key is to choose a modular solution, one that will help you start small but can easily add on other features as and when you need them.
Many business owners tend to get spell-bounded by glitzy features and bells and whistles, which you would hardly use as a small business. Look beyond features—the main things you need to focus on at this stage should be :
- Ease of use
- Getting things done without complications
- Small upfront investment And most important out of all,
- Easily integrate with your existing slack
This is an important point most founders tend to overlook when looking for a tool to manage their home service business. At this stage, you should be looking at building a strong online presence, and your main channels are your website and your social media handles.
Look for a tool that focuses on the ease with which inquiries from the website can be pushed and tracked in your field service tool. Or take it a notch further, like the Swivl app, where we even provide a ready-made website with content customized for your business.
Here is what Swivl can do for you,
- Build a professional website for online bookings and customer inquiries in under 2 minutes.
- Manage leads, create and schedule jobs.
- Quickly generate invoices and estimates and keep track of all financial records.
- Dispatch technicians more effectively.
- Collect payments directly from the customer site.
With Swivl FSM, you get a single platform to handle these essential functions, giving you a streamlined workflow that saves time, reduces errors, and supports the growth of your business.
Interested in learning more about Swivl? Create your free account now.
