Hi. I have been going six months. Running a handyman & garden maintenance business.
All is going well except I am not happy with the paper work side of thinks.
I need a program or app for laptop or i pad that can help.
I would like to quote, invoice, build a database and be able to contact my customers with offers.
Has anyone got any advice.
Thank you in advance
Help with software or App for business
Moderator: Moderators
-
Someone-Else
- Senior Member
- Posts: 14631
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2012 6:03 pm
- Has thanked: 47 times
- Been thanked: 2576 times
Re: Help with software or App for business
Its the last bit that worries me
Look at it this way. A flyer comes through your door, do you read it? you may glance at it then what, put it in the bin?
From a customers point of view what you propose is called spam. No one wants spam. If a customer of yours wants a job doing, they will contact you, an "offer" they do not want or need at that time is just annoying, just like a leaflet through the door.
A simple way to make invoices / database is to use a spreadsheet programme. Set up a template for the most common things, you just fill in the blanks and print it and post it, or save it as a .PDF and email it.
richboak wrote:...........I would like to be able to contact my customers with offers.
Look at it this way. A flyer comes through your door, do you read it? you may glance at it then what, put it in the bin?
From a customers point of view what you propose is called spam. No one wants spam. If a customer of yours wants a job doing, they will contact you, an "offer" they do not want or need at that time is just annoying, just like a leaflet through the door.
A simple way to make invoices / database is to use a spreadsheet programme. Set up a template for the most common things, you just fill in the blanks and print it and post it, or save it as a .PDF and email it.
- These users thanked the author Someone-Else for the post:
- richboak
- Rating: 7.14%
Above are my opinions Below is my signature.
Would you hit a nail with a shoe because you don't have a hammer? of course not, then why work on anything electrical without a means of testing Click Here to buy a "tester" just because it works, does NOT mean it is safe.
If gloom had a voice, it would be me.
Click Here for a video how to add/change pictures
Inept people use the QUOTE BUTTON instead of the QUICK REPLY section
Would you hit a nail with a shoe because you don't have a hammer? of course not, then why work on anything electrical without a means of testing Click Here to buy a "tester" just because it works, does NOT mean it is safe.
If gloom had a voice, it would be me. Click Here for a video how to add/change picturesInept people use the QUOTE BUTTON instead of the QUICK REPLY section
-
Colour Republic
- Senior Member
- Posts: 3372
- Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2010 1:08 am
- Location: Brighton & Hove
- Has thanked: 263 times
- Been thanked: 544 times
Re: Help with software or App for business
Look at it another way... From a customers point of view they already know you, hopefully they had a good experience and would like to use you again in the future, only problem is they have lost your details and for the life of them they can't remember your name or how to find you again. They receive an email and it jogs their memory, then then find out you do garden maintenance as well, which they didn't know about before. They call you. It's not spam it's good business. Don't bombard them with emails every week and give them an option to stop receiving emails and you'll do just fine.
A spreadsheet is not an easy way to create a database. A simple invoice yes, a database no. That is why Microsoft brought out MS Access God knows how many years ago. To create a database (a meaningful database) in a spreadsheet requires a lot of coding and is prone to errors. MS Access is much more powerful but still requires a certain amount of coding and queries,so not sure that would suit you either. Depends on your IT skills.
A cheap, easy to use off the shelf database to do what you want would be something like invoice2go https://invoice.2go.com/en-uk/videohomepage.aspx/ which many tradesmen use because it is simply and easy to use. It does have its limitations and isn't a fully accountancy package by any stretch of the imagination but for many self employed tradesmen it gives them a level of control and does exactly what you're asking above. Especially being able to produce invoices there and then on a phone or tablet.
A spreadsheet is not an easy way to create a database. A simple invoice yes, a database no. That is why Microsoft brought out MS Access God knows how many years ago. To create a database (a meaningful database) in a spreadsheet requires a lot of coding and is prone to errors. MS Access is much more powerful but still requires a certain amount of coding and queries,so not sure that would suit you either. Depends on your IT skills.
A cheap, easy to use off the shelf database to do what you want would be something like invoice2go https://invoice.2go.com/en-uk/videohomepage.aspx/ which many tradesmen use because it is simply and easy to use. It does have its limitations and isn't a fully accountancy package by any stretch of the imagination but for many self employed tradesmen it gives them a level of control and does exactly what you're asking above. Especially being able to produce invoices there and then on a phone or tablet.
- These users thanked the author Colour Republic for the post:
- richboak
- Rating: 7.14%
-
chrrris
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1902
- Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 6:42 pm
- Has thanked: 234 times
- Been thanked: 410 times
Re: Help with software or App for business
I use kashflow.com - seems very good and produces all the tax paperwork you need it you're a sole trader (self assessment figures and all that good stuff). Does quotes, customer db, purchases, invoicing, late payment chasing, etc.
Haste is the enemy of quality.