Contents
- Introduction
- Problems Faced By Handyman Business Due To Non-Adoption Of Technology
- The customer can't find you.
- Little Communication to Ground Level.
- Lack of Technical Skilled Workforce
- What exactly is handyman software?
- 3 Types Of Handyman Software
- Why should you use handyman software?
- What are the important features of the handyman industry?
Introduction
The handyman industry is a booming business in the US. It's estimated that more than 9.6 million people in the United States are self-employed, and over 91,000 are in the handyman industry.
That's not surprising, considering Americans' homes have become increasingly complex and expensive. The Angi report states, "the average American home costs $3,018 to keep up." That's almost double what it cost just a decade ago!
STATISTICS:
North America is projected to have the largest market share at 36.5% in 2022.
Market growth in North America is expected to have a CAGR of 19.67% from 2022-2032, with the United States having the largest market share.
Problems Faced By Handyman Business Due To Non-Adoption Of Technology
Although the industry seems lucrative, some issues are still faced by handyman business owners.
Some of the problems that small handyman business owners face due to low technology adoption and use in this industry are given below.
The customer can't find you.
The problem is that many potential customers don't know how to find you online or call you directly, which means they end up paying more than they should—and then being disappointed with the work they receive.
Little Communication to Ground Level.
Another problem is that it's hard to keep up with changing regulations and laws related to safety standards, construction materials, equipment, etc. This can be frustrating for people who have invested heavily in their business, only to have it all wiped out by unforeseen changes in the law or industry standards.
It could be mended by having a central in-app communication platform that connects various stakeholders inside the business.
Lack of Technical Skilled Workforce
The problem is that there aren't enough skilled workers in this industry who have been trained on how best to use new technology tools like mobile apps, so they're ready when they need them (i.e., when a customer needs help).
To help them, there is a need for intuitive no-code application platforms which can be easily assimilated into the current knowledge levels of the workforce.
The availability of physical handyman resources is crucial in carrying out the jobs. If businesses can plan their supply chain accordingly, it will help them plan efficiently and optimise resources. Inventory management tools are beneficial in this case.
Technology adoption is important in the handyman industry as it helps speed up and streamline tasks. Whenever you can reduce the time to accomplish something in half, the money you make doubles accordingly! It is why so many businesses are going tech-savvy these days.
Yet another use of technology in the industry is inventory management. Handyman businesses must stock a fair amount of material and equipment; inventory management can be handy here. It would help you know when you have to reorder an item. Inventory management can also help you automate your billing with digital payments.
What exactly is handyman software?
Handyman software is a type of software that helps handymen keep track of their appointments, customers, and work orders. It also helps them to create invoices and estimate the cost of materials and labor for each job. This software can benefit busy handymen who must stay organized and efficient to run their businesses smoothly.
Many problems can be solved by handyman software. Perhaps the most obvious problem it can solve is the need for a handyman to keep track of their appointments and schedule. This can be a huge problem for many people, as it can be very difficult to keep track of everything to do.
Handyman software can help keep track of all appointments and tasks that need to be completed, as well as when they need to be completed. This can be an invaluable tool for any handyman, as it can help to keep them organized and on track.
Another problem that can be solved by handyman software is the need for a handyman to estimate the cost of a job. This can be difficult, as many factors need to be considered. Handyman software can help to consider all of the necessary factors and can provide an accurate estimate of the cost of a job. This can be a huge help to any handyman, allowing them to give their customers an accurate quote.
Handyman software can also help to keep track of the supplies that a handyman has on hand. This can be difficult, as it can be easy to lose track of what supplies are needed for a job. Handyman software can help to keep track of all of the supplies that are needed, as well as where they are located. This can greatly help any handyman, allowing them to be more efficient and organized.
Overall, handyman software can be a huge help to any handyman. It can help solve many problems and make a handyman's life much easier. If you are a handyman, or if you know someone who is, then you should definitely consider getting some handyman software.
3 Types Of Handyman Software
Handyman software can be categorized based on its manufacturing type, which can be pre-made, no-code made, or hiring developmental agencies. All come with their pros and cons, which we have discussed below.
Traditional Software:
These are the common types of software pre-made for any particular work. Jobber, Salesforce, and Housecall Pro are some of the top solution providers providing this kind of feature-rich software.
This software usually comes in a subscription model, with little to no customizability, and hence may not be suitable for small business owners.
No-code Solutions:
Solutions like Stacker, Utilize provide you with no-code handyman software, where you can choose your desired features, and the whole software can be customized based on your current requirements.
Due to high customizability, this software is suitable for small handyman businesses which might not need every feature of the off-the-shelf FSM software.
Developer Agencies:
You can also use developer agencies to get yourself customized handyman software created and given for use. This is usually done through a contract, and when the contract is over, there might not be support from the agencies.
Hence it is best to have a solution provider who can continuously support your software needs and modify it as per your business scalability requirements.
Why should you use handyman software?
You need to be organized to be successful at business. This is why using good handyman software is so important because it keeps you organized. Most software will allow you to create jobs, estimate costs, track expenses, and more. Good software will help increase the efficiency of your business. You will be wasting time looking for things if things are not organized.
Some of these include an integrated calculator to make estimates, a calendar to schedule jobs, a contact manager to store customer information, a work order manager to track work performed, and a document editor to create custom forms.
A good handyman software will help you get organized, reduce stress, and see the job through to completion. Some features like job costing and job management are particularly useful in a handyman business. Organizing the information on the job and communicating between your office and the work site is one of the biggest challenges on a project. This is why handyman software is a must for a successful business.
Most off-the-shelf FSM software in the market comes with an extensive list of features, but for small businesses, many of those features go unused and are irrelevant. To mitigate the complexities, you must have only the necessary personalized features for your business, which you can get using no-code tools Utilize, Stacker, and more.
Overall, handyman software and the equipment and supplies needed to ensure a job gets done right makes your business more efficient, profitable, and fun.
What are the important features of the handyman industry?
Some of the necessary features that should go with handyman software are given below. You can also read more about the features of field service software in our blog.
Inventory Management
The inventory management feature has become a standard in handyman software because it is really necessary. This feature lets you keep track of your tools and the ones you need to purchase.
They provide insights into the inventory of raw materials and finished goods, identify stock-outs and out-of-stock products, alert about products that need to be reordered, and so on.
For example, if you have only a few hammers, you will not need to buy a new one each time you want to do some hammering. The inventory management feature gives you access to all the tools when you need them. This saves you time, money, and energy and makes your work easier.
Scheduling
In today's world, where people are increasingly mobile, scheduling the work in the handyman software is very important. You need to be prompt and fast in delivering the job, be open to scheduling appointments, and maintain a log of them.
You can even create recurring tasks. For example, if you have a recurring appointment with one of your customers, like every two weeks, for house cleaning, you can add all the tasks, set the time and date, and schedule them all at once.
This is important as it acts as a reminder to you of the work you need to do, and it also acts as a reminder to the customer of your service. All these would lead to more work for your business, and the trustworthiness of your business would improve.
Invoicing
If a customer is not sure when paying for a service, this feature helps him estimate the cost without paying the entire amount at a time. It is a beneficial feature for both the customer and the contractor.
A customer can also see what is going on through this feature, as a contractor can send him progress reports regarding milestones. This helps both keep track of the project & ensure that each party knows what is supposed to happen.
Customer Management
The customer management feature in handyman software is important because it allows you to easily record the progress and history of each customer you interact with, ensuring that all of your customers are well looked after and are left with happy experiences of you and your handyman services.
The customer management feature in handyman software also allows you to:
record details of each work you carry out, such as the date, time, and cost of the work, ensuring that you keep accurate records of each job you carry out
can send invoices to customers when they are due, allowing you to take full advantage of the income available to you.
For example, during recurring handyman projects such as roof or window cleaning, it is important to keep the customer data handy, so you can contact the customer in due time for every cleaning schedule. With the customer management feature on handyman tools like UTILIZE, you can easily keep track of your customers and their data.
Online Booking
Online booking is a handy feature that lets customers book your service at their convenient time and date. All you need to do is display your availability and the methods to book.
It is also convenient for your customers as they can book their appointments according to availability. If you get a lot of calls and complaints that you are not reaching the customers in time, an online booking feature can help you manage your timings more effectively.
It is also an easy way to manage customer information, as you can store the customer's information in the booking form and then contact him through phone or email in case of any changes in the service request.
Time-sheet Management
A good employee timesheet management feature usually helps you manage payroll by automating the time off tracking process, calculating overtime, and approving the timesheets in just a few clicks.
Without an employee timesheet feature, you will be fighting on a losing side. This feature also helps manage labor costs and even helps you know an employee's revenue and expense.
Bottom Line
Many small business owners know they need a better way to handle their maintenance and repair operations. They have the knowledge and the desire to improve their work process, but they aren't sure how to do it. They know it takes more than a simple to-do list to get the job done well, but they aren't sure what else to do. Personalized handyman software can greatly impact how your business gets done daily.
Such software can help small business owners to improve productivity with tools like task priority, task delegation, and task history management, schedule tasks, and appointments automatically or manually to increase efficiency and quality of work, ensure that the work is done on time and within the budget for the project so you can keep your eye on the big picture.
Small handyman businesses that are just starting out or in the startup phase usually don't have much money to spend on software. But, what they lack in budget, they more than makeup for in creativity. That's why it's no surprise that many of them rely on what might be called "no-code" tools like UTILIZE to create tools to operate efficiently.
In fact, with the help of no-code tools, small handyman businesses can create their own customised software to meet their needs. The process of creating such handy tools is easy and documented here.
