Calling all tradies: read this before you dive into the world of JMS!

 

We believe in the incredible efficiency power of job management software: that it can save you time, money, and stress when it’s set up properly and used to its full capacity.

It’s kind of our whole schtick.

However, we can also recognise that taking a leap into the world of digital business tools is daunting for those starting more or less from scratch. Manual processes like pen and paper or simple spreadsheets have served many trades business owners very well for a long time, and when systems are solidly in place it can be difficult to move away from them.

Our software experts are well-versed in helping businesses make the switch, guiding them through a process that will take them to the next level of efficiency with minimal disruption to their operations and disgruntlement from their team. 

Bronwyn offered some helpful advice for business owners looking to move from manual systems to digital ones:

Figure out what exactly your processes involve

Being aware of what it is that your administrative systems do—and what you’d need the software to do—is a good first step. Often, our clients find that there’s more to this than they thought. She recommends taking the time to consciously notice and even note down exactly what it is you’re handwriting into a diary, printing out, entering into spreadsheets, and even how you’re communicating with your team. 

All of these details make up a picture of how your business operates. That information will be crucial when it comes to choosing the best possible software and managing a smooth transition.

 

Identify common requests for information

What information are your team members or clients constantly asking for? Is it scheduling details? Double-handing information is one of the biggest inefficiencies for trades businesses.

Imagine: the client asks one team member, who doesn’t know the answer so has to call someone at the office to check the paper schedule, and that person doesn’t have the phone number for the client, so they have to relay the information back. Some critical detail about a job gets changed, and whoever hears about it has to let the office administrator know, who then has to get the message out to all relevant parties via their preferred method of communication.

It’s all time spent—and job management software is there to help, with job cards acting as a central source of truth that’s updated in real time for everyone to reference. Identifying which information is often needed or requested will help you to choose a software package that has the right features to close the gap that is causing your double handling and improve the workflow for your team. This is an easy win; embrace it!

Use the help at hand

Most softwares have help available: blogs, user guides, video tutorials, and more. There is also plenty of user-generated content on YouTube and other sites that can help you to troubleshoot the software during your transition.

FreeUp provides more targeted and tailored help that can take into account not only the tech itself but your individual systems, manual and digital alike. Our experience and knowledge of the softwares we work with enables us to get a little bit creative and think outside the square. We can also train your staff and help you to ensure that you are optimising your software to extract the most value. Expert advice and guidance like this can make the transition process much smoother.

 

 

Introduce different aspects gradually

We find that very few people want to have a completely new system dumped on them all at once! For most of our clients, we recommend a slow and steady change process.

• Keep around your paper registers, forms, schedules, and Excel spreadsheets for a while, and run them alongside the new software functions as they are introduced. 
• Look for gaps as both systems work in tandem for a while. Where are you falling back on the old system and why?
• Identify people struggling with aspects of the new system and work with them one-on-one (or delegate this to FreeUp!).
• Keep some things around as back-up. For example, technicians should always carry a few paper service check sheets in case technology fails them.

 

 

Above all, communicate

Make sure your team knows what’s going on, why, and when! Getting everyone onboard with the change is such a crucial part of a smooth experience. Ideally, you should involve anyone who will use the digital tools in the decision-making process somehow; this might mean sending out a survey or asking for their pain points and wishlists. If you’d prefer to make the decision unilaterally (or with the help of the professionals), that’s OK. However, we recommend that you let them know of the change as soon as possible, provide a timeline for the transition, and keep lines of communication open throughout.

Good change management is key to this and many other transitions. You can’t drop a new software on your people and expect them to run with it; a trouble-free transition requires careful oversight.

There are many different approaches that people and organisations take to change management; there’s the 7 Rs, the 7 Cs, the 4 phases, Kotter’s 8-step model, and more. Each one is helpful, and each situation calls for something different. The most important thing to remember for a business owner is that changing from manual processes to job management software is a process, and one that requires thought, effort, and a plan!

If you need help with selecting the right JMS, making the transition, setting up your software to work optimally in your unique business, and training your staff to use the new tools, you know who to call! The FreeUp team is happy to be of assistance. Start with a systems review to get the ball rolling.