7 Ways Chimney Sweep Software Will Make Your Business Smoking Hot

  • February 10, 2020
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The tools of a sweep have changed a lot since Dick Van Dyke immortalized the proud profession with his singing and dancing. Here are seven reasons why chimney sweep software can make you as lucky as lucky can be.

We’re off to a hot start here with our headline pun and the same Mary Poppins joke you hear almost every time you visit a new customer. Let’s dig right into answering the burning question of how chimney sweep software can transform your business. That’s the last one, we promise.

1. More Job Bookings with Online Booking

Some customers value convenience over price. They prefer to book a service like a chimney cleaning online on their own terms, rather than speak to someone. In their ideal world, your pricing and services are transparent and easy to understand. They can simply choose a time that works for them and you’ll arrive to do the job.

Offering these convenience-first customers an easy way to book online will help you win their business. This kind of customer is inclined to be less cost-conscious as well. They are looking for the best service, not the lowest price. This has implications for your profitability in a number of ways.

Chimney sweep software with online booking can help you access a new market of higher-margin customers. For that reason alone, it’s worth making the switch.

2. More Profitability with Online Scheduling 

When your customers book online, or even if they speak to a member of your team, the job goes on your calendar. You can assign jobs by truck and by area. Your whole team will have access to their work orders. Your office team can access the dashboard from headquarters and your sweeps can see the jobs on their mobile device.

That kind of efficiency saves a lot of time. Maybe the customer requests a change. Perhaps your team wants to update a work order after they arrive at the location. Any edits that are made to a work order or schedule are immediately available to the whole team. No more calls or texts to record or decipher in order to adjust job details. You’ll save time on the “non-billable” stuff and be able to focus on the profitable stuff: cleaning chimneys.

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Want to learn more about chimney sweep software? Book a free, private demo of Vonigo

3. Work Order Configurations for Your Unique Needs

The needs of a chimney sweep company are different from that of a typical house cleaner. Whether it’s the unique nature of your service or the fact that you offer several different services — your business has unique needs for its work orders. Chimney sweep software can be configured to work with your service offerings, so the details you need are built right in.

With easy-to-use work orders and mobile access to your chimney sweep software, your teams will always be clear on what and where the job is. Your records will be neat and clean too, with a complete record of each visit to each customer. “It is so refreshing for all of us to be using a platform that actually functions when the buttons are clicked,” says Midtown Chimney Sweeps Owner Byron Schramm.

Midtown Chimney Sweeps uses Vonigo’s chimney sweep software with online booking

4. Fewer Missed Appointments and No-Shows With Customer Communications

Your team is about to arrive for an appointment. Your chimney sweep software automatically sends a message to your customer to confirm their arrival time. When the job is done, your team marks it complete in their app and you automatically send an invoice to your customer, with an invitation to book their next appointment.

Since your chimney sweep software can notify your customers about an upcoming job, they’ll be less likely to forget and become a “no-show.” When a customer misses an appointment, it’s costly. Sure, you can impose cancellation fees, but that’s punishing the customer and putting the service relationship on the wrong foot.

Instead of risking a no-show, use automated appointment reminders by email or text message to remind your customers of an upcoming job. They’ll be there, and your team can perform the service. That’s peace of mind that works both ways and offers a level of service that will set you apart from your competition.

5. More Repeat Business

Your comprehensive customer records will help you know the details of each job. You can offer your customers a consistent level of service by keeping a record of your previous visits. It becomes easier and easier for them to book with you.

This valuable intel can help you manage the customer relationship better. For example, offering a discount because they have booked with you multiple times. Better yet, offer an added service as a bonus. You might be able to “upsell” them this service in future appointments. Knowing what a customer needs and likes is powerful stuff when it comes to repeat business. And repeat jobs are the most profitable ones because you don’t have to pay to acquire them again.

6. Getting Paid Faster and Easier with Online Invoicing and Payments

The cash flow equation is tricky for any business. The sooner you get paid, the better, full stop. With chimney sweep software, you can send your customer an invoice the instant your sweeps clock out of the job.

Having a digital invoicing process does more than save paper. It saves time and helps you get paid faster, too. Your records will be up-to-date and you will shift the cash flow equation to your favor by getting paid sooner.

The holy grail of payments is to accept payment from your customer in the field when the job is complete. Having your chimney sweep software equipped to accept payments on-site and online will make things easier for everyone and ensure that you are paid in a timely manner on every job.

7. Business Intelligence that Will Help You Grow

Perhaps the single most powerful function of chimney sweep software is its ability to track every transaction with every customer. With the right software, you’ll have access to all of the metrics that matter to your business.

Things like how many customer inquiries convert to chimney sweeping jobs, how many customers book multiple times and how often, which teams are completing the most jobs, and even which neighborhoods are the most profitable for your business.

The kind of business intelligence that chimney sweep software can offer you in the form of data and metrics can be very powerful. You can identify your weak spots and opportunities for growth. You can identify when you may need to expand one area of your business or another. With accurate records of your business performance, your competition will be up in smoke.

Learn More About Chimney Sweep Software

Chimney sweep software has helped companies like Midtown Chimney Sweeps expand into multiple states while offering a consistent level of service and centralized booking.

Want to learn about how chimney sweep software can transform your business and help it grow? Book a free, private demo of Vonigo.