Service Tracking and Accounting Software for owner of 4 routes

[coltrane5000]

Hi everyone,
I have 55 pools (starting Monday) and am incrementally expanding to around 200 pools via acquisitions. I'll have 4.5 techs, including myself as repair tech / backup weekly service tech. I will do all book-keeping, quotes, and invoicing...but want as much automated as possible, so I can focus on quotes, customer calls, doing repairs, hiring / firing / training, and filling in for team members when on PTO / sick. Eventually I will also block time for online marketing, but not so much out of the gate.

Q - Which service tracking and accounting software would you use?

Some of my IPSSA peers use Skimmer and others say they hate it. Some use Quickbooks...others use Wave w/paper chem logs.

Would you mind sharing what you prefer for track route activities and overall accounting?
Thanks,
Micky

 

[ajw22]

@1poolman1 @bradgray @Srqpoolguy @98Poolmaster may have ideas for you.

 

[Srqpoolguy]

At the company I am at we just switched from Routley (we were a beta tester for years) and just switched to Pool Brain. Pool brain is great because emails and service reports along with billing and pictures can be uploaded per account. Our pool service people can't skip certain things such as filter cleanings or chemical readings unless they upload prof of the job. Pool brain also works if no wifi and syncs everything back through when wifi is up again. Does it itself. It's a new app for me and others and a learning curve but is great. The developers also can customize anything you want. Routlwy was also great but more limited. Soon I will be able to bill clients for work and also use credit card readers straight on site and pool brain enters our info into quick books etc. it's pretty slick app. I am the repair manager and run that side of things as well as sales so pool brain for me is nice. If you have techs and want to make sure clients are given proof of work with photos and dates etc Pool Brain is way ahead of skimmer or any other. It also optimizes your daily route for fastest time and automatically shifts the accounts to that way and can be undone if something changes. The owner at Pool Brain was in the industry for years and built this from the ground up. Check it out. Also I believe they do a 30 day free trial. Very responsive folks over there. Pool Company Software - Pool Brain

 

[bradgray]

Quickbooks for bookkeeping.
It's among the most widely used, if you decide you want to hire it out someday.

We used Skimmer for a few years. For your potential size, it would work well. We no longer use it other than a vault for those years records. But we are not your average pool company, nor are our needs.

The space is changing dramatically so I'll confess, we have to be more guarded than we used to with advice in this arena.

 

[coltrane5000]

Thank you both!

@bradgray Guarded?

 

[bradgray]

Yes. There are precious few true "service" industries remaining that haven't been totally commoditized.

We're mindful these days to avoid that race to the bottom.

It's not a presumption about you. Just an artifact of the aforementioned.

As you grow into the industry, you'll find sowing good faith pays dividends. But you also need to be mindful that other professionals may not share your integrity.

 

[coltrane5000]

I agree!

 

[Srqpoolguy]

Yes. There are precious few true "service" industries remaining that haven't been totally commoditized.

We're mindful these days to avoid that race to the bottom.

It's not a presumption about you. Just an artifact of the aforementioned.

As you grow into the industry, you'll find sowing good faith pays dividends. But you also need to be mindful that other professionals may not share your integrity.

As pool service folk I feel we generally sit at the bottom as far as service people go. I will be on site and hear a local plumber tell the client their cost to fix whatever issue is thousands of dollars and they don't bat an eye. Then I tell them they need new valve o rings to fix the air leak and they automatically are online looking up prices on things they don't even understand or know how to do and always think "pool companies are just greedy and rob you " mentality. For some reason we seem to be the bottom of the "service food chain". I feel alot of untrained and uneducated other professionals unfortunately have caused some fear in home owners. We have an issue here of unlicensed workers and god have I seen some botched jobs. Ones botched work is my paycheck I suppose. Good faith is the only thing that is reliable now. Not sure about the area you're in but any hack can start a "pool company" here and off they go. Regulation is just starting to get serious lately.... sorry for the rant. Lol. And best of luck to the new venture.

 

[Newdude]

Your industry is also alot like being in IT. No matter how much work you put it behind the scenes, when things are running well everyone thinks 'what do I pay THEM for' and when things go south beyond your control they think 'what do I pay THEM for'.

Then many are always trying to side step you and going to a pool store and adding whatever they were sold in the hopes of saving money for your services. Or a friend's terrible advice or terrible online advice. Too many cooks spoil the broth everytime.

Whether they feel embarrassed or guilty, they won't tell you what they did or added, or you deal with the wife and she doesn't know the husband went rogue. You take the blame when the fix is miserable because you don't have any of the oh so important details.

I don't envy being in your shoes. For all I trash the bad ones, I legit feel for the good ones and their uphill battle that the customer only will pay for once a week service, then sabotages it on the sneak.

 

[coltrane5000]

lol, yeah. I can from IT world, so know what you mean.

It comes down to communication, communication, communication.

 

[coltrane5000]

FYI only - I ended up going with Skimmer, Quickbooks, and Gusto (payroll / team onboarding / time tracking)

 

[JoyfulNoise]

This forum is for pool nerds and enthusiasts … we want our pools and so we try our best to understand them and maintain them. We’re not your customer base.

The vast majority of homeowners I know, don’t really want the pool in the backyard. They bought the house with the pool for a lot of different reasons but almost none of those reasons are - “I really, really, REALLY wanted a giant bucket of water in the backyard that needs regular care and maintenance!!!” And so, to many homeowners, the pool is just a money pit and a chore that they hold their nose at and put up with. Then, when something goes south or they have to write that weekly check to the service guy (or gal), it only confirms what a waste of money it is … as long as you can care for the pool and keep it from being a problem, then most home/pool owners will be satisfied. Other than that, they’re going to be cranky and annoyed by it.

 

[Srqpoolguy]

lol, yeah. I can from IT world, so know what you mean.

It comes down to communication, communication, communication.

Indeed. I always try to be honest as well in expectations. Sometimes people want their pool to do things it simply can not and others will tell them they can do such things. Then it becomes a battle of "I don't know what I'm talking about. ". Communication and education. Big two. I try to educate my clients as much as possible.

 

[Newdude]

Communication and education. Big two. I try to educate my clients as much as possible.

When I had customers (not pool related) I laid out as many choices with +/-s as possible. I stressed that I felt XYZ was better for their needs, and why, but that they'd be the ones to live with the decision.

Not every interaction ended perfectly. Some were stubborn, or ignorant, or too cheap for their own good. But I was entirely upfront and fair from all angles. Most appreciated it.

 

[Srqpoolguy]

When I had customers (not pool related) I laid out as many choices with +/-s as possible. I stressed that I felt XYZ was better for their needs, and why, but that they'd be the ones to live with the decision.

Not every interaction ended perfectly. Some were stubborn, or ignorant, or too cheap for their own good. But I was entirely upfront and fair from all angles. Most appreciated it.

Much better explained. Exactly. Cheers. Happy weekend to everyone