The holidays are for hamming it up with family and friends. It’s a time to eat a little too much and laugh at way too many bad jokes. For home service professionals, it can also be a time when work demands pull them away from getting in on memories made.
You don’t want to miss out on projects, but you also don’t want to miss out on the fun. And balancing it all can be stressful. According to a new poll from the American Psychiatric Association, 31% of adults say they expect to feel more stressed this upcoming holiday season compared to last. You’ve got enough on your plate! Taking breaks during the holidays is also good for your mental health.
So, how do you juggle the hours? How can you serve customers and book more jobs without having to sacrifice time with your loved ones?
With a little bit of organization and some clever planning, you can enjoy the holidays and keep your business running smoothly. It may seem impossible, but we’ll prove that it’s not.
How home service pros can enjoy the holiday season
To make sure your business keeps running when you’re off the clock, you need software that will help you get the job done. Here are some resources to help you enjoy time at home while growing your business.
- Put the phone down and never miss a job opportunity
Picture this. It’s the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature is stirring… but you. You’re still taking calls because you don’t want to miss out on business. Don’t choose between work and family. Get a solution that answers the calls and fills up the calendar for you right in your Housecall Pro account so you can get back to reading about sugar plums to your kids.
HCP Assist is a dedicated answering service specializing in HVAC and plumbing industries. You won’t have to train our people, and they’ll book appointments on the spot. We provide 24/7 support, so every call gets answered and every job gets completed.
Every busy business owner knows how important it is to stay on top of things, even during the holidays. HCP Assist is the software that handles the heavy lifting for you. Access all your call data without keeping your phone on you.
Emergencies especially seem to happen over the holidays. If it’s a true emergency, your virtual assistants will know and alert you. Your customers can receive 5-star support, even during the chaotic holidays. Whether it’s an emergency heater replacement or the need to replace some sketchy wiring, you can grow your business this holiday season and still make time with your family your top priority.
Your field service management software is always working for you. So go ahead and start that holiday movie marathon while going to town on some leftover sweet potato casserole.
And when you’re well into the new year and away from the office, you’ll know you’re still in good hands. HCP Assist helps you make missed calls a thing of the past. Answer the calls your competitors don’t.
- Schedule jobs in your sleep with online booking
Nobody can answer every call. If you’re swamped and miss one, chances are that customer goes right to your competitor. If you’re on the job site or with your family, online booking with automated responses will keep you and your customers in the loop at every step.
With Online Booking, customers can see your available appointment times and choose one that works best for them. They simply find you online and set up the appointment! Your website literally pulls in the leads for you.
If an appointment needs to be rescheduled, don’t waste time manually updating appointments or playing phone tag. Our software sends automated schedule change messages to you. And during the holidays, avoid the hassle and start with clear communication that’s up to date with your schedule.
- Streamline with Pipeline
Housecall Pro’s Pipeline software can help you free up time and automate scheduling. Block off certain times and group together schedules that work for you and your techs.
Pipeline is an intake process and workflow management board that streamlines and automates your work from estimate to invoice. Here’s how it works. A customer books your services online. They input accurate and detailed info on their needs and receive an automated message. You then have access to a drag-and-drop workflow board that tracks them through completion.
Convert more leads with greater consistency, and never let potential jobs slip through the cracks.
- Dispatch vehicles in real-time
Dispatch and track the easy way with Housecall Pro Vehicle GPS. Keep an eye on where your team and vehicles are with our GPS systems, get real-time tracking updates, and automatically turn your data into reports that are generated to help you improve your workforce hours.
You won’t have to rush back and forth to the office to monitor your team’s every move. Know who’s where 24/7. You’ll save money by booking more jobs and increasing your productivity and revenue. Bill your customers accurately and optimize your schedule so you’re not overbooking yourself or your techs. Automatically log all your work hours and stop wasting time entering data yourself.
Plan your schedule around your life and make it work for you!
- Accurate estimating and immediate invoices
Any time of the year is a good time of the year to improve the efficiency of your business. The right tools can help you make the transitions between estimates and invoices seamless.
Our invoicing software saves a ton of time on billing and payments, so you can work on beating your family in whatever board game they’ve pulled out this time.
You can send invoices whenever from wherever. And no need to waste time sending reminders. You can automate that! Stay up on your finances and see at a glance which invoices have been paid.
Match your estimates with invoices without memorizing past estimates or crunching numbers. You can use estimates from previous jobs or generate new ones with the click of a button. Save them both on your Housecall Pro dashboard.
You can even present multiple estimate options or add descriptions so your customer knows exactly what to expect.
Spend more time with family during the holidays
Home service pros are always running, juggling appointments and projects, and making sure customers are satisfied. Finding a good work-life balance can be tough when work pulls on you day and night.
We’ve got your back! Housecall Pro can help you streamline the work, win new business, and please customers while letting you kick back and enjoy your time with family and friends. Start your free trial today!
