Maximize Retail Employee Productivity in Your Pool Business
Among the many trends emerging in our industry, pool and spa professionals are clearly embracing technology to thrive in this time of market growth for all things pools, spas, and backyard living. But, as we all know, businesses are stretched thin and need every tool at their disposal to improve retail employee productivity.
This is where industry-specific business software can save the day. By automating time-consuming tasks, employees will spend less time performing mundane tasks and more time performing profitable tasks instead. The top three areas where pool and spa businesses are reporting that software has drastically improved productivity are:
- Service Departments
- Water Testing Labs
- Online Bill Pay Systems
Mobile Software Features for Service Routes Boost Retail Employee Productivity
Service departments strive to efficiently perform the most jobs in the least amount of time to generate the most revenue during each hour of the service technician’s day. Combining advanced planning with mobile software technology can help make the most of your service routes. Service professionals have everything to gain by using mobile technology software to improve business operations and make service technicians incredibly productive in the field. Here are a few of the features that enhance service retail employee productivity:
Mobile Tracking & GPS Routing
This software feature allows technicians to clock in and out of jobs on-site, and everything can be tracked by GPS viewable on a map. GPS routing lets service businesses cut down on payroll, gas, mileage, and vehicle wear. In addition, the RB mobile software allows managers to track the time spent on jobs and provides reports that show profit per technician based on the number of jobs completed in a day.
Instant Access
In the field, staff can instantly access all customer information and equipment profiles when they purchase pool and spa software with a “Mobile Live” app to sync with office business software. Forget the hassle of going back to the office to look up important customer information like spa cover dimensions, liner dimensions, or equipment warranty dates.
Instant Scheduling
Technicians can view their schedules in real-time on their phones or tablets. This allows for instant modifications to the schedule as needed.
No More Paperwork
Technicians can use a mobile device to add items used on the job to the customer’s invoice. This feature eliminates the need for office staff to manually enter handwritten slips. They can also send emailed invoices or ask the office staff to review the invoice before sending it to the customer.
Integrating Water Lab Software Saves Valuable Time
Water testing software integrated with business software will unlock opportunities with a customer database, allowing staff to improve retail employee productivity so they spend more time selling chemicals, products, and services to every client that comes into the store.
The way to boost retail employee productivity is by integrating your water testing software with your POS business software so staff won’t spend unnecessary time doing double database entry. When you remove the need for redundant typing, employees can spend time speaking with your customers while their water is being tested.
Your water testing station offers an incredible opportunity to get to know your clients and their pools and spas, develop relationships, build loyalty, and sell more products and services. Imagine generating more revenue because you have increased productivity and profitability by streamlining daily pool and spa service operations.
Suppose you know you may be leaving money on the table because your software systems aren’t integrated or because only part of your business is automated with separate manual processes that don’t provide up-to-the-minute information. In that case, it’s time for you to think about the number of revenue opportunities you could be missing.
Using Online Bill Pay to Increase Retail Employee Productivity in Accounting
Reducing the amount of time spent generating invoices and getting paid is an area where software can instantly improve retail employee productivity, increase profits, and improve cash flow. Today’s pool and spa business owners agree that eliminating the costs associated with mailing invoices immediately enhances the productivity of your accounting staff. Not only will they spend less time generating paper invoices, but your business will also save on the costs associated with envelopes, stamps, labels, paper, printer ink, and more.
Using the RB Online Bill Pay system improves the productivity of accounting staff. It creates a reliable billing process to make it easier and more convenient for customers to pay bills. Sending bills via email eliminates the costs associated with mail supplies. You’ll also save on labor costs by reducing the amount of time spent on billing and collecting payments.
Additionally, using the RB Online Bill Pay mobile system gives service technicians the ability to take mobile payments in the field, eliminating the need to chase customers for payment and instantly improving your cash flow. You can also offer customers the option of securely paying their bills online with a credit card using the customer-facing side of the RB Online Bill Pay feature.
Automation Improves Retail Employee Productivity
Those in the pool and spa industry know that we need to take steps to boost retail employee productivity — but even more importantly, to keep employees from leaving the business. Not only will higher productivity improve profits, but it will also keep our employees from burning out.
Now is the time to embrace software solutions that are designed specifically for our industry. Start with your service department, your water testing lab, and your accounting department, and you will often find that software solutions and mobile applications pay for themselves almost immediately after implementation.
