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Keeping track of customers

Posted by Kevin Stempien on November 17, 2010 at 5:54pm in Business Growth, Expansion, and Current Opportunit
What do you use to keep track of your customers?  I'm currently using Microsoft Access to manage names addresses etc.  Although this works great for keeping track of information i'd have to design other aspects of the database if they are not already there.  For example I don't have it setup for invoicing which I could really use.  So what do you use to keep track of customers, do you do only paper invoicing?  Do you use more than one program?

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Tags: access, customers, invoicing
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Replies

  • Jeremy Hine November 19, 2010 at 5:28am
    like most purchases, this is an investment. Much like a good work truck, a good pair of channel locks, or a decent voltmeter a good tool is what you want. Breakeven point for me is the fact that I dont have to re-enter the same customer info every time I was having to reschedule, email, or invoice. Its paid for itself w/in the first day. Its incredibly affordable compared to other vendors I've checked out.

    Like all tools for your business, its worked inito the price and volume you need to charge for. To me its not an expense, its a tool that allows me to do more, more professionally, more effectively, more efficiently and allows me more time to spend w/ my family and time to surf the site too. If you've noticed I've been a bit more active here than months past.

    -Jeremy
    Florida Leisure Pool & Spa
    www.FLLeisure.com
    Florida Leisure Pool, Spa, Hot Tub Repair, Pumps, Filters, Heaters, Salt Chlorinators, Automation
    We repair pools, spas and hot tubs, pumps, motors, heaters, filters, automation equipment in Gainesville and North Central FL
  • Jeremy Hine November 18, 2010 at 8:17pm
    It comes in 2 parts, the back office side and the field tech side. the clients are installed on the workstations and pda (i have a netbook tablet w/ wireless connection in the field, though any windows phone will work too and i have the back office piece installed on my workstations in the office.)

    the pda does require a web connection to sync back to the office. but its not an all the time thing. just pull into a free wi-fi hot spot when you have the chance, sync to the back office and off you go again. I have a broadband hot spot in my van connected at all times to Sprints wireless network (mostly anyway).

    -Jeremy
    Florida Leisure Pool & Spa
    www.FLLeisure.com

    I time in/out at the jobsite, enter field notes, add parts, collect $ and capture the cust signature via my tablet netbook. I then sync up to the back office and now my quickbooks/scheduler person can edit or send the invoice or reschedule a return trip if needed. Slicker than owl-sh$t on a brass door knob.

    When I saw the live demo back in early October, the software was a windows system only. No ipad (yet). I think they were working on a an android OS.
    Florida Leisure Pool, Spa, Hot Tub Repair, Pumps, Filters, Heaters, Salt Chlorinators, Automation
    We repair pools, spas and hot tubs, pumps, motors, heaters, filters, automation equipment in Gainesville and North Central FL
  • Don Parish November 18, 2010 at 9:44am
    "like"
  • Jeremy Hine November 18, 2010 at 4:30am
    I just installed and am already seeing the benefits of www.Hindsitesoftware.com for keeping track of customers and workorders. I already use quickbooks for invoicing. I was already using spreadsheets, and mappoint. Now its all wrapped up in hindsite and quickbooks. I am now paperless, completely. Good times ahead my friend.

    I will suggest, that whatever you decide to do with software, you must dedicate the resources to learn it and use it. Change is hard to deal with on top of the daily grind of running your busy business. I have bought other softwares and did not dedicate the time, and or efforts to learn and wasted a lot of money on those softwares.

    -Jeremy
    Florida Leisure Pool & Spa
    www.FLLeisure.com
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