Save time scheduling landscape crews with landscape scheduling software.Moving the data from recurring work orders from one year to the next is an incredibly time-consuming job. Whether you’re manually entering data, or even if you’re working with multiple systems that don’t automatically transfer that data, it is a monumental task to make sure all of that information is properly moved to the new year. On top of that, it takes time to recreate all of the renewals and also figure out when the work is going to be performed at a time that works for each of your clients in the new season.

A lot of landscaping businesses try to tackle this project in the offseason, with the hopes of getting themselves set up for a new year in a timely manner. But with outdated methods like whiteboards and spreadsheets, keeping track of all that information is cumbersome. You’re afraid that you’re going to miss something. You might also be worried that if you don’t plan well enough, the new season won’t go off without a hitch.

For all of the work that you’re putting in, it’s frustrating not to feel confident that it will yield the desired results. You know there has to be a better way. You want a solution that will not only save you time but will also help you to do a better job, leaving you confident that the scheduling is done the way it should be.

That solution does exist and it’s in the form of landscape scheduling software. Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which landscape scheduling software can help save you time and reduce your frustration.

Data Automatically Transfers With Landscape Scheduling Software

With scheduling software, your data rolls over from one year to the next. What that means for you is that you don’t need to start from scratch in terms of recreating your maintenance contract routes and their stops every time a new season comes around. The software simply takes that existing schedule and copies it over to the next year.

Not only is that automatic data transfer a huge time saver, but it also prevents human error. When re-entering all of your routes manually each year, it’s easy to make a mistake. But by automating the process, you don’t have to worry about human error occurring because you’re tired or because the task has become so laborious that you’re feeling overwhelmed. You can also now put your time to better use now that this menial task is automated.

Mark-Ups Made Easy with Landscape Scheduling Software

With landscape scheduling software, it’s easy to add in data about extras that were performed throughout the last season that you might want to suggest as add-ons or upsells for the new season. With the manual way of doing things, that is information that could easily have been forgotten or excluded and that’s a huge missed opportunity.

With software, you can even set reminders to talk to a client about a particular service that they mentioned last year but didn’t follow through on. Oftentimes a client might mention that they’re thinking about doing a particular service in the near future. The contractor might jot down some notes on a paper file or stick a post-it note somewhere to remind themselves—but with these outdated methods that information can very easily get lost and without it, the opportunity to upsell the job can go by the wayside.

Scheduling Landscape Crews with Software

Save time scheduling landscape crews with landscape scheduling software.Landscape scheduling software can also ensure that you’re going to preserve efficiencies with your crews because you can confidentially ensure that the same people from year to year are on the same jobs (or at least the same foremen are). This improves efficiency because they know the route and they know the job.

It also creates consistency with the work, which clients appreciate. They like to see the same crews again and again and maybe even get to know the people working on their property. You can ensure that crews wind up on the same jobs when they’re automatically assigned that work through landscape scheduling software.

Planning for Materials with Landscape Scheduling Software

With data from job to job rolling over from one year to the next, it can give you a much clearer ability to forecast the material needed for next year’s jobs. For example, you’ll be able to know just how much mulch may be needed or what types of plant material you will require for the coming season based on last year’s work.

With the old system, which relied on someone manually entering all of next year’s work into the schedule, trying to figure out what materials would be needed is another laborious task. But landscape scheduling software will allow you to better forecast material and predict the future in other ways as well.

One of the big benefits of software is that it makes the process seamless. The proposal is automatically moved into next year and as soon as it’s sold can automatically move on to purchasing. Your purchasing person will be notified when it’s time to order materials without you having to get involved. It also means your purchasing person no longer has to regularly check the stockyard to see what supplies are already on hand. The system will automatically let them know when supplies are low. This keeps the client happy because they know they’re on your schedule and that materials are already being planned without delays.

In addition, by knowing this information in advance, it also creates a cost-saving opportunity for materials. That’s because it gives you the ability to purchase in bulk quantities or to at least work with vendors to get additional discounts based on ongoing purchasing.

Landscape Scheduling Software Creates a Sales Technique

Save time scheduling landscape crews with landscape scheduling software.There are clearly many ways that software can help operations to run more smoothly. But it can also give your sales team an edge. The sales team can now use the schedule to help give clients a soft (but effective) push to commit. Because they can see whether a proposal is still open on the schedule, they can let the client know that if they commit by a certain date, they’ll be more likely to be fit into the schedule.

Your sales team can stay informed about exactly where things stand and that information is invaluable when closing deals. The sales team will know, based on your schedule from last season, when you’d be able to fulfill the work to keep that customer on track with no lag in their service. And they can use that information as a tool. Your salesperson can tell the client that as long as they commit by a certain date, you know that every Monday the crew that serviced their property last year is available.

A More Efficient Operation with Landscape Scheduling Software

Whether you’ve been using spreadsheets, whiteboards, or even multiple software systems (that aren’t integrated and don’t communicate with one another), the fact is, there’s a better way. Paperwork can get shuffled around and even lost and whiteboards can get accidentally erased. On top of that, the data isn’t automatically rolled over into a new year so you’re basically starting from scratch every single season. It’s inefficient and it’s also prone to error. Your time can absolutely be better spent.

With landscape scheduling software, you’ll make the scheduling process seamless when it comes time to set up for a new year. Whether it’s scheduling landscape crews, getting materials set up for your work orders, or scheduling your route, this green industry-specific software can take care of it all.

Of course, not all software is created equal and it’s important that you find the right solution for your business. If you’ve done any research, you already know that there are a lot of landscape software options out there. You want a solution that is all-inclusive and that integrates with your business as a whole, with one facet communicating with the next.

Asset is that comprehensive solution that will help you to save time and reduce frustration when it comes to scheduling (and other tasks as well). It is a complex system that connects multiple departments throughout your company. Once all of your data is entered into Asset, you will find that the automation of many of your processes from sales, to operations, to billing will streamline your operation. Business will be much more efficient as a result.

If you’re looking for a better way to perform scheduling for a new season, Asset just may be what you’re seeking. To find out more about Asset, contact us for a free demo or give us a call at 800-475-0311.

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