Business management software Jobber has been around since 2011 and it is continually adding new features that allow landscaping companies to run more efficiently.
“While there are software solutions available that provide some of the same features and functionality as Jobber, such as scheduling jobs, managing crews, invoicing customers and collecting payments, Jobber is the only business management software in the industry that offers free personalized training and support to customers over the phone, chats or email across all its membership plans,” says Shawn Cadeau, chief revenue officer, Jobber. “We do this because we’re committed to helping small business customers be successful at every stage of their business, whether you’re a sole operator or running a million-dollar lawn care company.”
The latest addition of features Jobber has rolled out focus on sales and marketing automation, which Cadeau says is in response to customer feedback.
“Our new growth-focused features and automation tools are designed to take our small business customers to the next level when they’re ready,” he says.
Below are some of the new features Jobber has added to its software.
Customer quote follow-ups
It is easy for sales to slip through the cracks, simply by failing to follow up, which is why Jobber has introduced automated quote follow-ups. These automated follow-ups send reminders to potential customers whose quotes have not been addressed. If a quote status hasn’t changed from sent to won within a set amount of time that you specify, it will add a reminder to your set of tasks.
According to Cadeau, Jobber customers have seen a 57 percent increase in quotes won when using quote follow-ups.
“The customer quote follow-up feature allows landscapers to win more work faster by setting up automatic email and/or text message follow ups to clients about quotes they haven’t heard back on,” he says. “With many responsibilities to juggle, it can be easy to forget something as simple as a follow up, which can be the difference of winning or losing a job. The follow up notes can be customized in terms of message and timing after the initial email. This is one less thing landscapers have to worry about in their day-to-day.”
Online booking
As more services move to online platforms, customer expectations are changing as well. While in the past online booking was more of luxury provided occasionally, it has become far more commonplace and expected now. Jobber’s addition of this feature allows landscapers to have control over their schedules and easily book jobs at times that work best for them.
“Consumer expectations are changing,” Cadeau says. “Jobber helps landscapers stay competitive by transforming the way service is delivered to impress customers.”
The online booking form can be embedded on the landscaping company’s website, Facebook page and Jobber client hub. Existing and potential customers can select date and time-of-day preferences.
When a booking request is submitted a push notification is sent to you, allowing you to accept the work and follow up with the customer. If you need to gather more information before accepting the job, you can schedule an on-site assessment with the client. They will receive a reminder and the crew member responsible for the assessment will have all the information they need in the Jobber app.
GPS tracking
Jobber has integrated with FleetSharp GPS to provide live GPS tracking for landscaping companies. Landscapers can improve field operations with more efficient dispatching, smart scheduling and quicker response times to emergency requests by knowing where crews are in real time.
“Being able to check on the progress of crews without disrupting their days or killing their phone batteries is a game changer for busy business owners,” says Sam Pillar, CEO & co-founder of Jobber. “This feature, which leverages FleetSharp’s cutting-edge technology, allows decisions to be made quicker and smarter, leading to better customer service, more jobs and more revenue. Live GPS tracking is yet another way that Jobber is providing the ultimate command center for small home service businesses looking to scale.”
GPS tracking also provides insights into driver behavior and vehicle conditions. FleetSharp vehicle trackers use vehicle SIM cards that don’t rely on smart devices. This allows managers to know where crews are without draining their employees’ batteries or invading their privacy. This feature requires a physical tracker and subscription to FleetSharp. For more information on this service, click here.
Task automation
Another third-party integration Jobber has added is task automation through Zapier. This allows users to move information between Jobber and 1,500+ web apps, such as Google Docs, WordPress, Facebook and more.
Users can set up automated tasks of their own and Jobber has 10 samples available of what sort of tasks can be automated.
Zapier helps eliminate duplicate information as well as day-to-day busywork, freeing owners up from focusing on administrative tasks. An example of this would be if you get a call from a prospective client and add them to your Google address book. Zapier would then be able to add that contact as a client in Jobber for you.
Users must have a Zapier account to use this feature. Zapier has various pricing plans, including a free option, depending on your needs.
Email and postcard marketing
Jobber has also integrated with Mailchimp to allow landscaping companies to easily create digital marketing campaigns.
“Mailchimp’s digital marketing capabilities are easy-to-use and provide a perfect complement to Jobber’s strength in organizing core business operations,” Cadeau says. “It’s also a platform that is popular among our client base. Through the integration, landscapers can automatically sync their entire list of clients in Jobber with their Mailchimp account. Business owners can use Mailchimp to email their client list, send postcards and reach new prospects through Facebook and Instagram ads.”
After conducting a targeted social media ad campaign, users receive reporting and analytical insights through the Jobber platform.
Cadeau says that email and postcard marketing are both great options for reaching potential new customers and engaging current ones. Jobber has pre-loaded a branded email campaign that’s designed to re-engage past clients.
“Postcard marketing also continues to be a very effective tool for home service companies to use when drumming up new business,” he says. “It can easily be used to target specific neighborhoods and according to USPS data, 86 percent of consumers take the time to go through their mail.”
By including marketing tools on the platform, Jobber helps its customers grow their businesses with minimal effort and maximum impact.
“Instead of toggling between two or three screens or importing clients lists into several platforms, they have the ability to access everything in one easy-to-use software,” Cadeau says. “Decreasing busy work means spending less time working in the business and more time on the business.”
For those in need of help with email campaigns, Cadeau advises users to check out Jobber Academy or visit their online Help Center. Mailchimp also provides tiered support based on their membership plans, but all customers receive free email support for the first 30 days.
Pricing
There are three pricing plans available through Jobber. The Core plan is $29 a month on the annual plan or $39 a month on the monthly plan and can be used by one user.
“The Core plan provides support for one user – the solopreneur that needs to keep themselves organized,” Cadeau says. “This allows a landscaper to graduate from pen-and-paper to get more time back in their day and provide a more professional customer experience.”
The customer quote follow-up feature is available on this pricing plan.
The Connect plan is $99 a month on the annual plan or $129 a month on the monthly plan. Up to seven users can be on the Connect plan. On this plan, landscapers can access the customer quote follow-up feature, online booking and GPS tracking. Cadeau says this plan is ideal for landscape entrepreneurs who are managing multiple crews.
On the Grow plan, landscapers pay $199 a month on the annual plan or $249 a month on the monthly plan. Up to 30 users can use the Jobber software with this plan.
“As suggested by its name, this plan is ideal for businesses who are growing and looking to scale their operations with powerful sales and marketing automation tools,” Cadeau says. “For companies with more than 30 employees, additional users can be added to this package.”
While most businesses using Jobber tend to be 10- to 15-employee companies, Cadeau says Jobber can support up to 50 users/employees.
This plan provides the customer quote follow-up feature, online booking, GPS tracking, task automation and email and postcard marketing.
When it comes to email and postcard marketing, users must set up a Mailchimp account to use the integration. Mailchimp offers various pricing plans, including a free option depending on your marketing needs.
“If you’re just getting started with email marketing, the free Mailchimp plan is a great place to get started,” Cadeau says. “With Mailchimp’s free plan, you get 2,000 free contacts, basic templates and free email support for the first 30 days of using your account. As you add more contacts to your database and would like more customization, you can upgrade to Mailchimp’s Essential Plan. The Mailchimp Essential plan gives you up to 50,000 contacts and additional functionality for $9.99 a month.”
Currently, Jobber does not offer a la carte pricing if customers want to use one or two features that are on the plan above their current one but Cadeau says if enough clients requested it, it is something Jobber would consider in the future.
“Getting set up on Jobber is quick, easy and creates long term gains,” Cadeau says. “We are constantly hearing from our customers about how you don’t have to be tech-savvy to be able to use Jobber.”
“Whether you are accessing the software from a desktop in the office or from a phone in the field, it’s simply intuitive,” he adds. “Ease-of-use is extremely important to us – we do everything we can to put more time back into the day of landscapers by having all the tools you could need in one place. Overall, Jobber checks more than one box in helping landscapers run their business – you can organize your operations, impress your customers and grow your business with our software.”