Billing programs

[JCurtis]

Does anyone have any information, experience or recommendations on good snow plowing billing programs.


I am looking for a program to make my life easier.I want to spend less time on the computer and more time in my rig.

Dad always said work smarter! not harder!

 

[diggerman]

We use Quick books pro

 

[JCurtis]

Thanks digger,

I was actually looking for a program that was multifunctional, directly related to snow managment. One that you can do residential, seasonal, and T&M rates all at once.

Ever heard of anything like that?

 

[iowastorm]

I found a program somewhere on the net that was specifically for snow removal . . . I'll try to find it and let you know. Not sure what the cost was, but I can bet it's probably expensive.

 

[snow]

I got a program that was designed for the snowplow only. It's called Blizzard Buster 3.0. they sent me a demo, and its pretty neat and easy to use. the price is $179. if you can find the site, they send you a free demo. here's the site <a href="http://www.adkad.com/blizzardbuster.htm">click here</a>.


Bryan

 

[iowastorm]

Okay, here are some websites to check out:

http://www.ili.net/~knight/land1.html

http://www.nn.net/ProTrack

http://www.lawnmonkey.com

I've never used any of them and they are all focused around lawn care, but it probably doesn't matter.

 

[iowastorm]

The Blizzard Buster software that Snow referred to was the website I was trying to find. I hear it works pretty well and may buy it myself.

 

[John Allin]

We had a program written for us that canabalizes 'AccPac', which is a sophisticated accounting package. It's all inclusive of materials, quoting (landscape installation, routing, p&l reports, payroll as tied into jobs completed, tracking subs time and pay, as well as customers p&l's). It's rather expensive ($5,000+) and you need someone to monitor and do upgrades (at about $10,000 a year support dollars). However, with the volume we do (up to 70 visits per winter to a good portion of our sites), we need to do billing twice a week (minimum)to stay ahead of it. Our system also allows us to know what our expenses are each morning and what our profit is by noon each day. And, we didn't have to alter it much for the new contract.

We're kind of computer happy here with over a dozen work stations on a large network.

However, I'm told (by alot of plowing contractors) that Quick Books Pro works just fine in most cases.

 

[JCurtis]

Thanks John,
Your program sounds great, but just a little too much for me.

I am looking at QuickBooks Pro and Blizzard Buster.

Blizzard Buster does not have the option to charge out equipment at an hourly rate. I realize that T&M isn't the best way to bill out services, but a few of my accounts insist on it that way.

JCurtis

 

[iowastorm]

Well, John, aren't we sitting in the lap of luxury; $5,000 for software, computer networks here, upgrades there. Make us remember that the rest of us are all just little people. Just kidding. Seriously, with all of the advances in technology, your software and computer systems only crash when you need them the most. Go figure.

 

[Alan]

I'm using QuickBooks 2000. While it's not a dedicated program it does pretty good. With somewhere around 50 stops it takes me about an hour to update billing after every storm. I think you can put in equipment as a sales line item and have it fill in the hourly rate for you, then you just plug in the hours. I'm not real big on dedicated software, unless you are really big it's hard to justify the cost and the upgrade fees.

 

[John Allin]

OUCH !!!

Is my nose bleeding ????

Unfortunately, once you DO get to a certain size, you can't keep track of it all with a notepad and a pencil anymore. I still remember my roots though.... remember, I said that I started out with a Bronco and a Valk plow doing residentials in my neighborhood....

In fact, I actually started plowing in New Jersey with my father - and I was driving an old Wiley's jeep with one of those plows that you had to get out of the jeep, pull the pin, move the plow and put the pin back in before heading off again.....

I paid my dues....... AND... you're absolutely right about the crashes..... and it's doggone irritating when it DOES happen.

If I was starting out... quick books pro....

Lap of luxury, indeed.....

 

[JCurtis]

John,

I remember those manual turn plows all too well. I started plowing with my stepdad when I was 14. Guess whose job it was to turn the plow !!!! yep, mine...


He had a 1960 Ford F250, he spent more time fixing it than driving it. I remember one miserable snow storm where the exhaust system fell apart. we patched it with soda and beer cans and baling wire during a storm on the side of the road.

That must be where i learned the right way to maintain a vehicle.

All I can say is Thank God for hydraulics pistons and pumps.


THINK SNOW !!!!!

 

[JCurtis]

Hey John,

From a Bronco and a Valk to a multi-state conglomerate, with a 1300 site contract on the East Coast. Pretty Good!!!


Wanna adopt me? I don't eat much !

Seriously, That is extremely impressive, How did you do it? I really wanna know and please don't say hard work! I already know that!

Email me, I wanna know the secret!

I respect success, and I greatly admire Great Success!!!

 

[diggerman]

Hey John does your wife know how many people worship you if she did you might not have to take out the garbage as much.

 

[iowastorm]

Hey digger; we'll never be real plow jockeys unless we move out east and jump on the bandwagon. Are you sure those bumper stickers don't make us official?

 

[diggerman]

Can't be John said he doesn't even have one,me I only have one sticker and all these trucks.

 

[John Allin]

I hire people that are smarter than me.

And... they are 'window stickers', not bumper stickers.

 

[diggerman]

John thanx for the info might have made a mistake and put it on my bumper,also its good to see you have a sense of humor.

 

[BRL]

AAhhhh.... No wonder I can't get that $130.00 sticker to work.