# What Software Are You Using?



## jhook (Jan 24, 2004)

I have used Blizzard Buster for years. There are a few things I like about it, but the larger I grow, the more things I don't like. It is a bit clumsy to get new clients put in and the routing is a big headache now that I have like 100 active clients in there.

So Just wondering what else is out there? What you guys are using? What yo use it for - routing, just billing, etc.

One thing I like about BB is that once I (painfully) get a client set up, it is very easy to do the billing. I get home from plowing and just go down the list making it very easy to charge everyone.

I am thinking what would be nice is some software that could integrate with a gps unit so when I get to a client's driveway, it already knows where I am and what to charge them 

Wishful thinking really...


----------



## IMAGE (Oct 21, 2007)

I use LMS, www.landscapemanagementsystem.com . I use it for billing and customer account management.

I do use it for routing my scheduled tasks like lawn care and that type of scheduled task, but for snow truck routing I just put em all on one sheet I made in excel and check them off as I go down. When I get home I sit down and enter the invoices. (making the invoices is easy with LMS which is nice)

If you check it out tell em Image sent ya.


----------



## lilweeds (Aug 3, 2007)

Quickbooks with the qxpress plug in.


----------



## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

jhook;631619 said:


> I have used Blizzard Buster for years. There are a few things I like about it, but the larger I grow, the more things I don't like. It is a bit clumsy to get new clients put in and the routing is a big headache now that I have like 100 active clients in there.
> 
> So Just wondering what else is out there? What you guys are using? What yo use it for - routing, just billing, etc.
> 
> ...


how big of a company are you?


----------



## jhook (Jan 24, 2004)

redman6565;632564 said:


> how big of a company are you?


3 full time drivers (including me), couple of part-time shovel guys.

Annual plowing revenue about $130k


----------



## Gicon (Oct 1, 2005)

I enter all truck routes in Excel. Billing gets done in QuickBooks. I have never tried or heard of Blizz Busters and the other program so I have no idea what they do. Excel works best for me. I cant depend on a program that doesnt know my area to route my trucks. It is very simple with Excel, as it is generally a progressive route growth. Quickbooks is just as fast.


----------



## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

you might just want to use quick books, but i just started using a system called ComputerEase and I love it! It allows me to do billing and costing, detailed costing too, all under the same system. But it's expensive for a small company but i would totally recommed it to anyone thats interested. take a look at it.


----------



## BSDeality (Dec 5, 2005)

rsvees;632481 said:


> Quickbooks with the qxpress plug in.


ditto. qxpress is a little pricey (I actually lease the software) but makes up for quickbooks lack of schedule/routing/time management


----------



## rblake (Nov 17, 2007)

clip tied into quick books


----------



## Operasoft (Jan 19, 2011)

jhook;631619 said:


> I have used Blizzard Buster for years. There are a few things I like about it, but the larger I grow, the more things I don't like. It is a bit clumsy to get new clients put in and the routing is a big headache now that I have like 100 active clients in there.
> 
> So Just wondering what else is out there? What you guys are using? What yo use it for - routing, just billing, etc.
> 
> ...


Hi Jhook, 
I'm glad to see you have taken the time out of your busy schedule to see how the proper software can help you grow your business. Check out what Operasoft is all about. If you have any questions about our Snow Management software, please contact me at 1-888-986-7372 extension 427 or by email at [email protected]

Operasoft is a provider of Residential & Municipal Snow removal Management Software. Designed with Microsoft Dynamics CRM which is an extension of your Microsoft Outlook, it provides a powerful and stable backbone to run every aspect of snow removal operations smoothly.

The software solution requires no onsite installation and handles all types of service calls, real-time dispatching, GPS tracking, contract management, invoicing and much more. It integrates with many accounting systems. Imagine having a simple view of all the snow routes displayed on Google Earth, sequencing clients in an order to optimize the number of clients per miles driven. Managing revenues per route is easy, imagine measuring revenues per mile! The leading indicator for profitability, as well as customer service.

The MODIS terminal (onboard touch screen) shows drivers their own route as well as all other routes with client comments/instructions pop-ups per location (example; where to put the snow) at their fingertips. Any driver/operator is immediately a master of all snow routes, even ones they have never driven!

The dispatcher tracks route progress in real-time and can easily view route completion, open/closed service calls, and damage reports, right on Google Earth. Operasoft gives another new tool to the dispatcher, the ability to assign operators that have completed their routes/runs to assist the less experienced operators that have not yet finished their current snow routes. It's like having more vehicles.


----------

