There are a lot of landscape business software options out there. Some of the names that you might have heard, or even researched, include LMNPro, Aspire, Asset, and others. There are even a number of business software products available that are not green industry specific, but that many landscape businesses use. Some of the more common ones include software tools like QuickBooks and additional tools like Microsoft Excel, Word, etc.

With so many different options to choose from, you might be wondering what is the best landscape business software choice for your needs. Software is an investment and the last thing you want to do is make a bad choice and wish you’d gone with another platform.

Just as you probably read online reviews or even “ask around” when making a buying decision for any product that you’re considering, social proof is an excellent way to help choose the best landscape business software for your company. Hearing from real life users about why they like the software they’re using is helpful in determining whether it’s right for your business, too.

While we admit we may not be the right fit for every company, we have been able to help hundreds of landscaping companies over the years, many of whom have shared their experiences in the hopes of helping others make the best choice.

The Green Industry is a Helpful Bunch

One of the great things about our green industry is that it’s filled with a lot of folks who really want to help one another out. There is a lot of peer support out there and it’s really no different when it comes to sharing advice on investing wisely in software.

We sat down with three of the landscape businesses that have decided Asset is the best landscape business software for their company to find out what ultimately led them to that decision, as well as why the product has worked for them.

Here’s what they had to say.

Landscape Business Software Helps Groundscare Landscape Use One Unified Tool

Prior to using Asset, Craig Lillis, owner, and president of Groundscare Landscape, which has locations in both New Jersey and Maryland, was just using QuickBooks. The fact that it was not a comprehensive solution was his biggest concern. He didn’t have a single solution that could do it all.

Another issue, Lillis says, was the fact that spreadsheets didn’t allow any sort of ability to be proactive. Lillis adds: “We didn’t understand what was happening until it was too late.”

Because he wasn’t able to review data in real time, Lillis says he wasn’t able to make those proactive decisions that could change business in a positive way. Instead, they had to wait until jobs were done, to go back and review what they could have done differently.

Since integrating Asset, Lillis says that he now uses it in every aspect of the business. From proposals to scheduling landscaping work, to billing, to payroll and purchasing—it literally touches upon everything. And for that reason, Lillis is now able to keep track of jobs in real time rather than review data once they are complete.

“That has given us the ability to understand what’s happening in business on a day to day basis,” Lillis says. “When I chose Asset, we had researched a lot of software options. Asset was really the only one that provided all aspects of what we do from creating landscaping estimates to scheduling. Most software we found only provided certain parts of it and you still needed other programs to be complete.”

Lillis says he only wishes he had purchased Asset sooner.

“One of the first things I wish I did when I started Groundscare in 2008 is purchase Asset software, prior to purchasing equipment or hiring field personnel, so that I could have software to help run my business from day one,” Lillis says.

Bonick Landscaping Finds Additional Perks from Using Landscape Business Software

Similar to Craig Lillis, Glenn Bonick, owner of Bonick Landscaping in Dallas, says that he looked at a lot of software options and he was well-aware of just how many choices were out there. But in comparing products, it became abundantly clear that from one product to the next, it was nothing like comparing apples to apples.

Bonick found that one of the big differentiators was pricing. The price of various software products on the market really ran the gamut but didn’t necessarily tie back to how much they had to offer.

“There are a lot of software packages out there,” Bonick admits. “And Asset is not inexpensive. But it’s not as expensive of some of its big competitors—yet it’s still a big program. It can do a lot. It can manage a lot of information and it can help you guide your company.”

Bonick is one of the early users of Asset and says that he has grown “with” Asset. He’s watched the product evolve and says the company continues to add features and support that benefits their clients.

Over that time, Bonick also credits the software for helping to grow his business.

“Asset has helped us grow,” he says. “They have helped us grow our business and also improve how we operate.”

Since Bonick primarily works in the sales and design portion of his business, he says his favorite landscape business tool is the estimating system. But he says that there’s no question it’s a comprehensive solution that helps in many other areas of the business. This is another reason why it has been the best landscape business software for his company.

“For scheduling and production, having that information and being able to buy material and know what you’re supposed to get, as well as knowing what hours you’re producing—all of that is invaluable,” Bonick says. “And from an accounting side, it runs very well. We’re able to do large batches of billing at one time which really optimizes the labor needed to manage that aspect of the business.”

Landscape Business Software Streamlines Business for Dragonfly Pond Works

Prior to using Asset, Mick Ribault, owner of Dragonfly Pond Works, which is headquartered in North Carolina, but services multiple states, was using QuickBooks, Excel, and whiteboards to run the business. He says the biggest reason for the switch was the need to have everything integrated. Ribault says that having multiple systems was far from ideal.

“For example, we felt like things were lost as you shifted from Excel for scheduling over to billing,” Ribault says. “So we really started doing some research and we found a system that could take care of all of that.”

In his research, Ribault says he was looking for efficiency gains as well as a platform that could be scaled to his business. His situation is a bit unique in that he says he was a fairly small business when he adopted the software, at least compared to other users. Ribault says that most businesses wait until they are larger to integrate software in order to keep up with their growth. But Ribault says that they used the software in order to be able to grow.

“We bought into this at a smaller size than a lot of companies,” Ribault says. “Our service and our quality were high and we were ready to expand. We tripled our business in that time and we feel that investing in software has more than paid off for us.”

In addition to integrating multiple systems and ensuring that data is connected from one area to the next, Ribault says that adopting software has also meant physically doing away with paper. He says that prior to using landscape business software, they were “sending a lot of paper out on the road” and that’s simply not ideal when it can get misplaced or lost. Now everything is easily accessible in the system.

Ribault says it’s been a game changer.

“Asset has changed my business in its professionalism and in the structure and the efficiencies gained,” he says. “It has certainly paid for itself many times over. Also, it’s given us the platform to be able to replicate what we do in multiple different markets. We feel we’ve been able to offer the same quality of service while expanding to multiple markets as a result of Asset.”

Choosing the Best Landscape Business Software for Your Company

Choosing the best landscape business software for your company is undoubtedly a big decision and you want to be able to choose wisely. Ideally, you want to be able to make a confident choice that is going to support the success of your business, just as it has for the companies we’ve profiled. By doing exactly what you’re doing now—performing research and listening to what other folks have to say—you’re on your way to making an informed decision.

As we’ve said, we don’t claim to be the best choice or the right fit for everyone. But if you feel like we might be the right fit for you, then we’d love to discuss that possible relationship even further. Whether you’re in the market for a more comprehensive solution or the right tools to help support your business and help it grow, then we just may be what you’re looking for.

Exploring your options and understanding what’s out there is definitely the best way to come to that decision, just as these three businesses did. If we can be of assistance during that process for you in any way, then we are here to help.

As you research your options, check out more video testimonials from real Asset users, give us a call at 800-475-0311, or contact us for a free demo. We are here to answer your questions.