Yes, Another Article About Why You Should Go Paperless…

By FCS Roofing Software.

In talking with many roofing business owners across the country, we find that there is still a high percentage of businesses in the industry relying on paper to run their business.

Everything is printed, copies are made, files created – all of this takes an inordinate amount of time and money and leaves a great amount of opportunity for error.

Why Go Paperless?

Your roofing company has established its credentials and won the trust of customers. Your employees are happy to work for you. Your financials are looking good. So why even attempt to make changes to your roofing business?

• Greater efficiency, less errors, and more time
• Happier customers who will gladly send you referral business
• Healthier top and bottom line growth with lower costs, higher profits and increased revenues
• A stronger position in the competitive marketplace

All you need to get started is a firm commitment to follow best practices, so your team can get access to what they need – anytime, anywhere.

If you truly want your company to benefit from the big wins we listed above, then going paperless is not an option – it’s a task to be done today!

6 Ways to Ditch Paper for Good

1. Create a Centralized File System in the Cloud – Your employees should be able to access everything they need, wherever they are – rather than relying on a single employee or file full of papers back at the office. To create a centralized file system, consider using a service such as Dropbox or Google Drive. They both offer secure, reliable cloud storage that you can purchase at a very low monthly price. Your file system can include folders for storing customer information, material pricing sheets, safety checklists, etc. With quick access to this type of information, your team can deliver quotes and reports faster, save time on finding the right paperwork and ensure greater customer satisfaction overall.

2. Create a Library of Templates to Share Reports Online – Rather than having your employees write up a report from scratch, print it out, and get it to the customer – create a library of standard templates they can quickly edit and email over. Your team should be able to customize reports for each job with quick and efficient tweaks to the template. Plus, when you dispatch service technicians, they can have a detailed description of work to be performed already in the template which enables them to deliver a professional, consistent and thorough level of service.

4. Create Repeatable, Paper-Free Processes – Don’t let subjectivity come in the way of efficiency. Create consistent workflows for sales, service and operations rather than using various methodologies from a diverse group of employees.
5. Provide eSigning Functionality – Implement electronic signatures to get approvals right on the job site. The next time your team goes in to present a service proposal, they can get a client to sign-off on a tablet or smartphone without any delay – and without having to use a printer.
6. Provide an Online Client Portal – Providing a user-friendly online client portal makes it easy for your customers to communicate with you and see the exact status of their project. By giving your customers online access to project management tools that help them track job progress, expenses and costs, you are providing them with a seamless customer experience they won’t forget.

6. Integrate Your Software Systems – These days, software providers are getting better at enabling their software to exchange data with other software systems. If possible, connect your accounting system to any other software systems you are using to improve cash flow and get paid faster, while also eliminating unnecessary paperwork and manual data entry.

Need help going paperless?

Originally posted here.