Cloud computing & service contractors – a perfect match
Service contractors need the cloud, but over and over again we see companies that are confused or unsure about how moving to the cloud will affect the operations of their business. Change is scary. As human beings, we are wired to avoid change, especially when it concerns a switch from what we are use to. Cloud […]
How good software "learns" to help service contractors over time.
Operating a business in a vacuum is a handicap. There’s a limit on information you can gather about smart business practices when you are swamped with managing the details of your enterprise. How helpful would it be to have “partners” in your business that are constantly on the lookout for solutions to your most challenging issues? […]
The only certainties in life – death, taxes…&Amp; software as a service (SaaS)
– Apologies to Ben Franklin – . The actual quote is “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” If Mr. Franklin were alive today, there’s little doubt that he would add a third item to this list – Software as a Service (SaaS) …aka Cloud Computing. Why is […]
Looking for software innovations? Look for loosely coupled integration
ServiceTrade integrates with any other application you might find necessary to run your business through what we call “loosely coupled integration.” What this basically means is that the two (or 3 or 4 or more) applications DO NOT SHARE the same database. Instead, data is synchronized across the applications in a manner that is based […]
The rich get richer: Why smart service contractors make smart software decisions
I have noticed an interesting trend with ServiceTrade customers: the large majority are already in the top 10% of the industry regarding both systems capability and typical service contractor metrics – growth, gross margin, net margin – when they first engage with us, yet they readily buy ServiceTrade (typically with only about 2 weeks of […]
Give yourself a raise – 5 ways service contracting software puts more money in your pocket
One of the consistent themes we hear from our service contractor customers is how expensive, slow, and cumbersome basic administrative tasks become when they attempt to scale their business with their on-premise PC server-based applications. Scheduling, inventory management, billing, payroll, customer service requests – all of these activities seem to get choked up with an […]
5 tips for spotting "good software"
As ServiceTrade grows, I am reflecting on the responses we get from customers on their purchasing criteria for service management software. As it turns out, buying software is not much different than buying anything else you might consider in your life – which is the way it should be. Here are some tips for spotting […]
If communism failed, why do software vendors continue to embrace it?
With the winter games taking place in the former Soviet Union this month, it got me thinking about “Software Communism” – the practice of central planning by a single vendor that prevents the users from ever leaving. At the AHR Expo in NYC, I met with more than one prospect that was irate because he […]
New year’s resolution – no more PC apps!
Software as a Service (SaaS) is the only architecture for business applications that small and medium-sized companies should consider purchasing in 2014. Period. In my mind this battle had already been fought and won by SaaS, but I continue to come across good companies with thoughtful management teams that are still considering buying new, core […]
Why cloud applications are perfect for small service companies
If the thought of new software for running your field service business brings on pain, remorse, indigestion, or any other unpleasant malady, this blog post is for you. Software that is well designed and delivered to you as an Internet application (or cloud based application) should not bring on any of these symptoms of distress. […]