The Ultimate Software Guide
Every challenge & motivation in business boils down to how we can make the most profit or progress with the time we invest. This month’s article is the first in a series looking into what software options can help us build & scale a profitable HVAC business.
In September, we asked The Boiler Business Community what software they used to run their Heating Businesses. The software we feature in this new series is primarily the most popular software from this poll, but it will also include other software options that have yet to become mainstream in the industry.
CRM's - Customer Relationship Management
Without a doubt, the first software you need to consider is the software that will manage your customer database, your day-to-day jobs & sales.
With hundreds of features packed into most CRMs, you should focus on how well the software performs these five essential functions.
Customer Contact Management
Quoting Jobs & Sales Communications
Job Scheduling and Management
Invoicing and Payment Integrations
Safety Certificates, Compliance & Data
Top 3 CRM & Job Management Software
With so many CRM software options available to the trade industries, it’s difficult to know which software is best suited to your business needs. The Boiler Business poll featured more than 10 popular CRMs, but we will focus on the three most popular options. Gas Engineer Software, Service M8 & Payaca.
Gas Engineer Software
For UK-based heating engineers, Gas Engineer Software offers a tailored solution designed specifically for the industry. Gas Engineer Software, being the lowest costing of the three, is a popular option for Sole Traders who frequently issue Gas Safety Certs and want to minimise overheads.
Pros include specialised features for gas safety compliance, efficient job management, invoicing and attractive pricing. However, it lacks the broader functionality & flexibility found in other premium CRMs, such as ServiceM8 & Payaca.
Service M8
Service M8 is an excellent option for established businesses with existing customer databases. With a focus on job management & scheduling team members, ServiceM8 offers a user-friendly interface for both the office staff and onsite engineers. On the downside, the Australian all-trades option lacks built-in UK heating industry requirements like in GES & Payaca. You can customise the software yourself, but many people choose to use a ServiceM8 partner to build the gas certificates, forms and automation for you.
Payaca
Payaca CRM is quickly growing in popularity and possibly becoming the premium software of choice for UK HVAC businesses who want to grow their business through sales of Boilers, Heat Pumps, AC installations & reoccurring revenue via service plans.
Based in Bristol, Payaca historically was a quoting solution for UK heating engineers. However, in the last 3 years, the software has developed an all-in-one CRM & Job management software, focusing on Sales for the UK heating industry.
Take your time
Ultimately, your choice of software depends on the level of specialisation needed and where you want to take your business in the future. All three software options above have their merits for sole traders and can be used by larger companies with teams. However, larger firms tend to choose the more costly software for added features and time savings.
Any feature-rich top-end software will likely require time invested upfront to get the most value back in time saved and the extra profits that come with owning a more efficient business.
Our advice is to sign up for the free trials available and hang out in the various Facebook communities for some time, speaking to other users and seeing how best to implement the software into your business model. Take your time to research the options available.
Remember, you can always change your mind like you can move house again next year, but let’s face it, nobody wants to move house again unless the new house is better for your long-term future. And if that is the case, how much time will you invest into getting your new house up to the standard so you can enjoy life?
Heating Business Software
You can read more about CRM’s and other software essential to building your HVAC, plumbing & heating business on the following resource page
The Ultimate Software Guide
“Every challenge & motivation in business boils down to how we can make the most profit or progress with the time we invest.”
In the upcoming series of articles, The Boiler Business will develop the ultimate guide to software for the heating industry. We will research & explain the different types of software available and how they will help you build & scale a profitable Heating business!
To start this series, we asked the 1800 members of The boiler business community to list which software they use to run their businesses. Our research starts with the September 2023 Community Poll, which shows that most heating companies are using CRM software to help run their business. So, this seems to be the sensible place to start our research for the upcoming series.
Ok, hands up, I confess..
We have not yet completed the ultimate guide to software for the heating industry, but here is the first part in the series, as featured in the October issue of HVP magazine.
Keep your eyes peeled for the follow-up articles that dive deeper into what software options can help us build & scale a profitable HVAC business!
Tommy Lee-Zmuda
@TheBoilerBusiness
Tom Lee-Zmuda
Hey buddy. My name is Tom, a former heating engineer turned marketing Jedi. My team and I specialise in helping local HVAC and Solar business owners dominate Google and sell their most profitable services. We are committed to building the best ROI through local SEO, kick-ass websites & sales communications that attract, sell and keep your best five-star customers.
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