What Software Should You Use for Your Landscaping Business?

When you work as a landscaper, you get to breathe fresh air, bask in bright sunshine, and take pride in a hard day's work. Unfortunately, along with the sunshine comes a little rain – in the form of paperwork, invoicing, ordering supplies, administrative tasks, and, well, you get my drift. 

As the owner of a landscaping business, you need to be organized and efficient to make sure everything runs smoothly. And that's where the right software comes in. By incorporating the right tools into your everyday routine, you'll save yourself time by automating tasks and data entry, managing customer relationships better, and so much more.

In other words, the days of doing everything manually - from pencils and paper to adding numbers to spreadsheet cells - are over.

And, of course, we can’t forget the bottom line; when you’re more efficient, you’ll become more profitable. With the landscaping industry hitting nearly $130 billion in the US in 2022, you’ll be able to grab a bigger slice of that pie by using tools to help you streamline your operation.

In this blog, we'll talk about the software you should use for your landscaping business and how each can help make your life easier.

Jump to:

• Technology Needs Unique to Landscaper Owner-operators

• How Can Landscaping Businesses Use Software?

• Software That Can Help Landscaping Business Owners

• What Software Solutions Means for the Landscaping Industry

   

   

Technology Needs Unique to Landscaper Owner-operators

The landscaping industry has evolved by leaps and bounds when it comes to the technology required to meet customer demands and complete jobs. As a landscaper, you may need slightly different technology than, let's say, your plumber counterparts, including:

• Fleet tracking. If you're running a landscaping business, chances are you have multiple vehicles that need to be tracked in real-time. A fleet tracking system will allow you to monitor your vehicles and ensure they remain on task.
• Lawn care management systems. An integrated management system is essential to provide optimal care for lawns, trees, and shrubs. This allows for the scheduling of mowing services, fertilizer applications, weed control measures, and more.
• 3D printing. In today's age of custom landscape design solutions, it's no wonder many landscape architects are turning to 3D printing technology to create detailed, complex models of their designs.
• Virtual reality. Whether designing a backyard paradise or envisioning a large-scale commercial project, virtual reality can help bring your dreams to life with special goggles and controllers.
• Drones. Landscapers use drones to capture aerial imagery for detailed topographic maps and 3D models that enable better project planning. They can also be used to inspect hard-to-reach areas and monitor progress on larger jobs over time.
• Landscaping design software. Specialized software allows you to create detailed landscape plans with a few clicks of the mouse or taps on your tablet. These programs can also help you estimate costs and materials for each project. 

Of course, the technologies listed above only scratch the service of the types of software landscapers can use to grow and manage their businesses. But many of the more popular (and affordable) tech tools are improving the way skilled trades businesses get and retain their best customers.

Let’s look at some software solutions that may not be entirely unique to landscapers but are necessary to increase customer satisfaction and your bottom line!

How Can Landscaping Businesses Use Software?

There are as many ways that landscaper owner-operators can use software to improve their operations as there are blades of grass in a well-manicured lawn. Let’s examine them in more detail:

Source: GoSite App

Between digging, trimming, planting, and mowing, who's got time to keep track of their online listings? Not landscapers, that's for sure! But listing software makes it effortless. Listing software helps you maintain accurate online listings quickly and easily. 

With a single login, you can quickly connect and control your business on multiple online directories like Google My Business, Yelp, and many more. You'll never have to worry about entering wrong or outdated information ever again – listing software updates all your info automatically so customers always see the right stuff when they search for you. 

Plus, listing software helps improve your local search results in no time. That means potential customers searching for landscapers in your area will find you first before they ever even think of looking elsewhere.

That's the power of listing software: it ensures you're always found when people look for you online. 

Increase Responsiveness With Customers

Customer expectations are rising. In the past, customers might have been comfortable waiting a day or two for a response – but today, when someone looks for a landscaping business, they usually want their inquiry taken care of within a few hours at most. 

Fast customer service is at the heart of every successful landscaping business, so it’s important to make them feel valued by being prompt and courteous – especially if there’s an emergency, or they need your help on short turnaround times. 

9 out of 10 potential clients rate the speed of response to questions as a dealbreaker. Fortunately, there’s a cure for that; chat and messenger software.

Source: GoSite App

Messenger tools help you to quickly respond to inquiries, automatically engage with website visitors and streamline business communications. When customers send a message through any messaging channel - webchat, Facebook, Google, SMS -  you’ll get notified on your mobile device and be able to respond immediately.

These tools also give you web chat widgets to put on your website with automated questions and responses that guide customers to get their questions answered, book a service, and more.
From there, it’s easy for you to answer any questions they may have about services and pricing in real time. Plus, the built-in automation features help ensure that no one falls through the cracks by providing personalized responses based on customer queries. 

Automate Business Processes Like Scheduling

Source: GoSite App

Customers need to have the flexibility to book appointments at their convenience, and scheduling software helps make it easy to do so. It can keep all of your appointments in one place and allow customers to book appointments with just one click from Google, Facebook, Thumbtack, maps, and more. 

Scheduling software also makes it easier for you to manage your schedule in an organized way. You’ll be able to quickly view upcoming appointments at a glance, get automatic email reminders when new appointments are booked, and quickly reschedule any existing ones as needed. 

Plus, if you have multiple employees working different shifts or locations – scheduling software will help you create schedules that accommodate everyone's needs.

Enable Online Invoicing & Payments

Tracking jobs, creating and sending invoices, and collecting payments are all necessary if you run a business, but doing them the manual waywastes valuable time and energy. Fortunately, there are software solutions that can help you manage all of these tasks more efficiently. 

You can save time and effort by automating invoicing and payment processing with the right software for your landscaping business. 

By using online invoicing, you'll be able to send out payment requests, invoices, and reminders at the tap of a button. You won't have to waste time dealing with paper bills or tracking down customer payments – simply set it up once and let the system do its job.

Source: GoSite App

Online invoice systems also make it easier for customers to pay you digitally via credit card or other digital methods like Apple Pay or Google Wallet. This means you can get paid faster without waiting for checks in the mail or taking time out of your day to meet with customers in person.

Leverage Reviews for Inbound Business

Source: GoSite App

It's important that your landscaping company stands out from the pack, and online review software is one way to make sure you get noticed. You're more likely to attract new customers with a strong online presence. 

Automated reviews make it easier for potential customers to find and read what other people think about your services. When you receive positive reviews from past clients, it signals to others that they can trust your company. It's like getting free word-of-mouth advertising. 

Plus, responding quickly and positively to negative reviews shows potential customers that they can count on good customer service if something goes wrong.  You can also engage positive reviews with gratitude. In short, the more review and review response activity that takes place on your Google profile, the higher you’ll rise in the ranks.

Improve Overall Business Operations

Time is money. By using the right software to improve your day-to-day processes, you won’t have to spend as much time on paperwork or manually tracking things like sales figures or client inquiries; instead, all that info will be stored securely online and ready for you to access whenever you need it.

Landscaping software can also make it easier to manage your finances, keep track of employee hours, and even better organize marketing efforts. Plus, you’ll be able to quickly access important data like customer information or inventory levels with just a few clicks. 

It’s a great way to ensure your business runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

Software That Can Help Landscaping Business Owners

Many different software programs can help you manage your landscaping business. Here are some of the most popular:

Invoicing and Billing Software

This type of software can help you keep track of payments from clients, streamline your invoicing process and make sure you get paid on time, but there are some things you should consider.

First, look for a program that’s user-friendly and easy to use. If you don’t have much experience with computers or software programs, it’s essential to find something that won’t take too long to learn. 

Second, look for software that offers features like online payment processing and automated reminders. This way, you’ll be able to quickly and efficiently process payments from clients and remind them when their bills are due. 

Finally, make sure the software is reliable and secure so your invoicing data will stay safe from hackers or other bad actors. You should also check customer reviews to see what others have said about the product before making a purchase. 

Appointment Scheduling Software

There’s nothing worse than trying to book an appointment and not getting through. Fortunately, scheduling software ensures that your customers get the services they need when they need them. 
This type of software can help you keep track of customer appointments, send reminders for upcoming visits, and even schedule automatic follow-up calls or emails. While the features may vary from program to program, some common ones include:

• Online appointment booking or scheduling via an app (so customers don’t have to call in)
• A section to add notes for each job
• Automated payment systems so customers can pay for services online
• The ability to send notifications about upcoming appointments or changes in availability 
  

Appointment scheduling software can also help you manage your resources more efficiently. You’ll be able to see when and where each job is taking place so you can plan ahead for any extra supplies that might be needed and ensure that your employees are all properly scheduled and have the right tools for the job. 

Time Tracking Software

Time tracking software is an excellent tool for landscapers because it helps keep track of how much time you spend on each job and can help you stay organized. With this software, you can easily record the amount of time spent on each project and what type of work was done. 

This makes it easier to provide accurate customer estimates and bill them appropriately. Plus, with the ability to generate reports, you can quickly see which jobs are taking up the most time and make sure that your team stays focused and productive. 

Time-tracking software will also give you insights into how long specific tasks take so that you can be more efficient in the future. Clearly, the benefits of this software are worth the investment.

Bookkeeping Software

If the thought of organizing wayward piles of paper and countless online receipts into one easy-to-read spreadsheet excites you, then bookkeeping software is not for you. For the other 99.9% of the population, however, it's a lifesaver. 

Bookkeeping software, like Quickbooks, is a type of computer program that helps you keep track of your business finances. It can help you store and organize transactions, create reports, send invoices to customers, and even take some of the stress out of tax season – sweet. 

With this software, you’ll be able to stay on top of your accounts without having to do all the tedious paperwork by hand.

On-Demand Job (ODJ) Apps for Home Services

ODJ apps are an excellent way for busy landscapers to get jobs without searching for them. This type of app connects you directly with potential customers in your area who need help with their lawns and gardens. 

With just a few clicks, you can post your services online, find clients quickly, and earn money immediately! ODJ apps make it easy to find the right job opportunities that best fit your skillset and schedule. Plus, they provide helpful features like real-time communication tools so you can easily stay connected with customers throughout the process.

What Software Solutions Means for the Landscaping Industry

This article outlined the different software solutions available to you if you're a landscaper. We looked at each solution's different features and how they can help grow your business. 

Ultimately, software solutions give landscapers the tools to manage their businesses more effectively and efficiently. With options that cover everything from customer management to invoicing and project tracking, it's easy to find a tool that will suit your individual needs. 

By taking advantage of the right software solutions, you can save time and resources while helping ensure success in your landscaping business.