The 3Connect scheduling screen.
The 3Connect scheduling screen.
The 3Connect scheduling screen.
The 3Connect scheduling screen.
The 3Connect scheduling screen.

Inventory, Service, and Productivity

May 9, 2019
Reviews of Acctivate Inventory and Business Management Software, 3C Connect service management software, and PipelineDeals CRM software.

Acctivate Inventory and Business Management Software for QuickBooks (Alterity, Inc. http://bit.ly/2J7uHTW,  817/870-1311, available based in the cloud or on premise), tracks inventory locations and levels and product availability, along with various service management tools. The software allows an unlimited number of product entries.

The system, which uses barcoding, can locate and trace all stock in any location(s), monitor levels including keeping track of established min/max quantities, and issue an alert when stock is low. The solution can suggest re-order quantities and automate purchase orders. Pre-committed inventory can be labeled (e.g. customer, specific work order).

Service management tools include drag and drop scheduling of service orders, at-a-glance calendar views of activities for any specific day, and the tracking and billing of time and materials used for services. Users can communicate with service techs through text messages, pagers, or email. 

The solution also has pricing tools that enable flexible options to accommodate promotions, customer specific discounts, and custom tier pricing that adjusts margin levels per demographic or other parameter.

Users can create purchase orders manually or using a Reorder wizard, a Special Order wizard, or a Drop Ship wizard, and can set customer service alerts for overdue or priority service.   

It is possible to track purchase order status (entered, request for quote, pending approval, issued), initiate a P/O invoice directly from a P/O with one click and a receipt from a P/O, also with a single click. Users also have quick access to detailed customer histories, including historical records of service requests and billable and non-billable hours.

The onboarding process takes a total of about twelve weeks from initial interview with an Acctivate specialist to going live with the system. The one-time purchase price is dependent on the base system, additional features, and the number of user licenses (three or more).  

3C Connect service management software for small to medium size residential and commercial contractors (www.3cconnect.com, 888/518-7025) consists of three core modules: scheduling/technician dispatch, invoicing, and parts supply for inventory management.

The scheduling module centers on a color-coded dashboard that shows the status of the appointments for each technician, identified by a distinctly colored icon, delineated down to each hour of the work day, with the location and specified job, tasks, or customer agreement status and call notes included in that block. For emergency repairs, dispatchers can select the best technician based on proximity and job status.

Using the mobile app, technicians in the field can see if the customer for an upcoming appointment has a maintenance plan and, if so, the bill would reflect the customer-specific pricing. is with a customer with an existing maintenance plan.

The website portion of the program enables users to create service agreements with pricing and schedule follow-up tasks automatically. A built-in pricing book features customized algorithms based on unit pricing, distributor pricing, technician commissions, and other factors. You can customize the flat rate system, including pricing of non-stock parts and repairs performed in the field.

Upon completion of each job, parts sold by the technicians and consumables needed are automatically recorded to a replenishment list separated for each technician and automatically ordered from the distributor to restock each van’s inventory.

Default reports with KPIs can be customized by contractors to track company-wide sales and performance by type (residential or commercial), time periods, technicians, referral sources, leads, call backs, proactive repairs, and other parameters a contractor may want to report. Reports are delineated by a color graph, actual number, and percentage. 

The solution includes a library of over 70 training videos for indoor and outdoor units showing techs how to troubleshoot and test and what the sequence of operations is for the different types of HVAC units. 

The software, which syncs with Quickbooks, carries a one-time set-up fee and a monthly fee based on the number of users. A portion of the fee is automatically added to each customer invoice for service repairs, essentially reimbursing the contractor.

PipelineDeals CRM software (www.pipelinedeals.com, 866/702-7303) is sales productivity software suitable for sales reps at small and medium-sized contractors ready to migrate away from pencil and paper or spreadsheets to keep track of prospects and estimates for new work. The solution, which is based in the cloud and has native Android and iOS apps for use in the field, has 92 pre-formatted system fields in which to enter data for tracking deals, companies, and people through the sales process.

The software is highly customizable with unlimited custom fields that can be added by the user. You can keep notes on each deal and prospective deal and the data is accessible as calendar views and list views. A “morning coffee” report is generated each day that highlights the current pipeline and details your company’s successes from the previous day and the numbers you need to know to move the needle. Pricing for the software, which comes with U.S. based phone support, is per salesperson per month or annually. A free 14-day trial available.

Patti Feldman writes articles and web content for trade magazines and manufacturers of building products. She can be reached at [email protected].

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