Talking Tradie Tech

April 17th, 2019
Talking Tradie Tech

Running your own show as a Tradie is tough.  Besides getting the job done, there are invoices to pay, jobs to quote, subbies to organise and accounts to stay on top of. Thankfully, technology has come a long way in helping tradies spend more time on site and less time with their head in the books.

If you’re one of our clients, you’ll know by now that we love apps! Xero data has shown that SMBs who use cloud apps boost their efficiency, hire more often and grow their revenue 30% faster than those that don’t, which means if you’re not already, now is the time to get app savvy!

Earlier this year, Xero released their App Advisory Playbooks, which explain the most common needs and pain points for specific industries, and match them against the features of Xero and the apps available in the Xero app marketplace, making choosing the right apps for our clients easy.

Today we’re going to run you through some of the nifty apps we regularly recommend to our trade and construction clients and what type of businesses they are best suited to. If you’re interested in integrating Xero apps into your trade business, get in contact with us!

Xero Projects 

Xero Projects is a great app for tradies who need job costing and time tracking to manage their billable work more efficiently. One of the perks of it being a Xero App is that it offers full Xero support and free self-paced training and videos. 

Tradify 

A good choice for smaller trade businesses, Tradify is a job management tool with a simple and easy to use interface. Integration with Xero allows users a simple view of their finances as well as details on each job and a daily team schedule. Available on iOS and Android, Tradify also offers free 24/7 phone and email support should you need it. 

Fergus

Fergus is recommended for growing, service based trades such as electricians and plumbers. Designed by a veteran tradie while he was knee deep in the trenches of running his own business, Fergus is simple to use, even for people with limited experience of cloud technology. Fergus also offers specialist functionality such as access to wholesale price lists, digital health and safety certificates, and the ability to pay suppliers directly.

ServiceM8

Service M8 is job-management solution for service-based trades such as HVAC and cleaning. Perfect for high-volume, quick-turnaround jobs there are a variety of integrated payment features within the app to achieve better cashflow. Service M8 is available exclusively on iOS.

simPRO

simPRO is serious software for optimising and customising workflows and field service ops for medium-sized trade businesses. Designed for effective collaboration between the field and the office, simPRO offers seamless visibility and connectivity as well as integrated payment app to settle invoices on site meaning the cash will flow in faster.

WorkflowMAX

A great solution for managing workflows and developing an in-depth understanding of financials, WorkflowMAX allows users to track time and resources for each project. As it is both owned and designed by Xero, it provides a great insight into the projects as well as the business as a whole. WorkflowMAX also integrates with over 30 different apps and is customisable to fit specific business requirements. 

Do you think your business could benefit from integrating one of these apps to your Xero software? Get in touch with us and we can do the heavy lifting for you.