Oh, the places we’ve been when it comes to generating proposals, estimates, and quotes for our clients. From pen and paper to fax machines and cover letters, we are so much better equipped to delight our customers from the moment we meet them on-site than we have ever been before. But, in many cases, even the most modern, cutting-edge contractors are missing one huge piece of the puzzle — the piece that most mobile apps and cloud-based estimating systems fail to tell you.
The evolution of digital quoting
The Internet revolutionized the way in which we communicate with our clients, and how much research can go into getting to know the customer beforehand, but we still relied heavily on travel, spreadsheets, and print outs in order to provide an accurate quote. Time consuming, but standard.
That is, until cloud computing became all the rage. And with it, the evolution of software that lives in the cloud. We speak about this in present tense — because the cloud is still where it’s at. In fact, many estimating software companies continue to build their systems on the cloud, devising software that stores, performs, and produces with just a wifi connection. Log into the portal, create your estimates from your computer, and you can officially upgrade your title to “Tech Savvy Sales Specialist.”
Ah — but this still requires a desk, and a computer. So there was only way to go: mobile applications! Now, your sales force is empowered with access from mobile devices to their cloud estimating software. Contractors jumped into the mobile app game headfirst, and rightly so.
There is just one small — but critical — issue with mobile apps and cloud-based software.
What most apps aren’t telling you
Accessing your files from anywhere is a dream come true. Until you figure out that the apps themselves can’t produce an estimate without an Internet connection. And that there simply isn’t enough bandwidth in the United States to handle the “mass connectivity” demand we put on our wireless networks.
Um… yikes.
So this is what it looks like when you’re on site with a customer: “Mind sharing your wifi password, (insert potential client name here)? I can’t deliver the quote without a connection, unfortunately.”
Best case scenario: they share it with you. Worst case: you’re in the field and data/wifi is simply not an option. Even your pricey air card can’t connect. Suddenly you’re wondering where the nearest coffee shop is.
Because the truth these days is this: if you can’t create a quote on site, in a flash, an estimating app is virtually worthless when it comes to streamlining the sales process and closing more sales, faster. You are out to impress your customers, aren’t you?
Ask the right questions; avoid the embarrassment
While you might be able to find some pretty entertaining (and addicting) offline-capable games to keep your kids quiet on the next “are we there yet” road trip, you hardly want to rely on faith in getting your next wifi connection when you’re making a sale in the field.
To prevent getting burned by mobile apps and cloud-based solutions that truly just aren’t mobile, start by asking these questions about functionality:
1. Can it creates quotes offline? Get right to the heart of the matter from the start. If the answer is ‘no’, it’s time to walk.
2. While in offline mode, can the estimate creator pull my labor and material pricing? Okay, so you promise a good connection — in the off chance that I don’t have one, can I still get access to the materials I need to provide an accurate estimate?
3. If so, how does it pull them? Is it storing my pricing data on the device? Or will I still be relying on some sort of connection to grab what I need?
4. What CAN’T the app do when it’s not connected to the Internet? Enough beating around the bush. Just tell me what I’ll be missing when I could be clinching the sale.
The truly-mobile app
When it comes down to it, the only way to be sure that your mobile app truly makes your sales force mobile is by confirming that your people have what they need, when they need it — whether they’re in the middle of a wifi-enabled city or a middle-of-nowhere cornfield.
At JobFLEX, we created our mobile app so that you can generate estimates in the field, in the office, or in the middle of a tornado in Kansas because we simply heard too many horror stories about software that doesn’t offer that flexibility. JobFLEX doesn’t rely on the cloud; with or without Internet, your sales force has what they need at the tap of a fingertip.
Want unmatched mobile flexibility to create estimates on the spot, delighting customers day-in and day-out, and ultimately driving greater revenue? Check out JobFLEX today. In fact, we’ll even let you take it for a spin, for free. In the middle of a desert or right from your office chair — we’ll let you choose how mobile you really want to be.
