There’s a common misconception that providing maid services is not a high-tech business. After all, you’re providing labor services. A lot of these businesses have been doing things the same way for decades. Sure, it worked in the past, but now, they’re encountering a lot of issues and competition from other providers who have implemented efficiencies using technology. A professional maid service software, similar to the one offered by Thoughtful Systems, can help take your small business to the next level.
But don’t take our word for it. Oxford Martin School’s recent study – a collaboration between Dr. Carl Bendikt Frey and Dr. Michael A. Osborne – found nearly 50% of small businesses are at “high risk” if the right software is not adopted quickly quickly. They’re not alone. The nation’s largest network of small business accounting software consultants, The Sleeter Group, says it’s especially the accountants at small businesses who are at risk. The Sleeter Group recommends Chunkification (compartmentalizing business needs); Zero Entry (elimination of data entry); Collaborative Accounting (Internet connectivity with clients); and Mobile (making it available everywhere). Their book, Adding A Xero To Your Practice, offers “Practical advice for accountants looking to be successful in The Cloud.”
What is Maid Service Software?
Basically, this software makes your business more efficient. Because efficiency is key to productivity, you need to be efficient in order to make sure that your employees are scheduled well. You need efficiency in order to make sure that you’re able to provide services for multiple locations. You need a cloud service and you need to minimize data entry for all parties involved.
Maid service software provides a small business with a single interface where you can automate the tasks involved with managing your maid servicing business:
- Multiple Job Scheduling Calendars
- Customer Relationship Management Features
- Integrated Email Modules
- Mapping Features
- Integrated Caller ID
- Marketing Features
- Integrated Text Messaging
- QuickBooks Integration
By automating day-to-day tasks you can focus on the things that really matter – like getting more clients.
How Can Maid Service Software Features Benefit You?
You already know the general benefit is increased efficiency that leads to improved productivity. But let’s look at these efficiency plays in detail:
- Easily set up a client database
Import an existing database or create customer profiles on the fly. Afterward, there’s no need to spend time looking for a client’s information. Professional Maid Service Software allows you to easily add, edit and delete a customer. - Fast access to client information
You can easily see their information with just a couple of clicks and you can even see all of the jobs that you’ve done for them. This software also has a powerful search function. You can easily find what you’re looking for in just a few seconds.
Print invoices, labels and flyers for snail mail
You can continue to send snail mails to prospective customers and bill them manually if you desire. This is where good label functionality can help. Print hundreds of labels and invoices in just a few minutes. Or market to new customers by handing out flyers. Professional maid service software has built-in templates for printing in no time, ready to be handed out to prospective customers.
- See all jobs at a glance
What happens when a client calls asking for a job that you’ve done for them? Don’t lose time by searching for paper files; instead, using a professional maid service software solution can easily launch a jobs tab so you can see all their past jobs at a glance. You can even see the future jobs scheduled.
Set reminders
There’s no need to stick post-it notes everywhere. You can simply set up reminders that will remind you with a pop-up alarm so that you don’t have to miss an appointment or an important task.
- Improve quality control
Unfortunately, quality control hasn’t historically been tracked very well in this industry. However, with a professional maid service software package includes custom notes and checkboxes for both employees to audit their own work as well as having customers feedback if they wish. - Custom Features
Feature requests in response to customer demand are an integral part of any professional solution. A tried and true solution has years of customer input.
Unfortunately, says Columbia Business School professor Rita Gunther McGrath, those days for small business owners to maintain a “sustainable competitive advantage” are gone forever. She advocates for a “transient competitive advantage” by updating our procedures, business strategy and office practices so that we can maintain our existing customer base by learning to master the new rules. The new rules in business is good technology – good software is what runs it.
