Last year, Jesse Wisely, owner of Mid-South Irrigation in Memphis, Tenn., a mostly residential design/build and irrigation firm with just under $1 million in revenue, expedited the invoicing process by putting an iPad in his irrigation service technician’s hands and a printer in his van.

Once the tech completes a job, he creates an invoice on a “dumbed-down version” of QuickBooks. The printer, which is rigged to the van’s power but can also rely on an adapter in the cigarette lighter, quickly spits out an invoice.

“The technician used to handwrite the invoice and take it back to the office, where it was typed up and sent to the homeowner,” he says. “We’ve eliminated a five-day waiting process by putting the invoice right in the homeowner’s hands.”

With the Square app and card reader, a customer can pay with a credit card on the spot, though Wisely also accepts checks or later payment.

The iPad cost $600—not including a data plan—and the printer cost $150. Both apps were free, but Square, which provides a free card reader, takes 2.75 percent off the sale. To Wisely, it’s a small price to pay, as it saves the office manager 10 hours a week and him many headaches by not having to chase checks.

“We’ve potentially cut out a 20-30 day period of waiting for that check,” Wisely says. “It’s helped out tremendously on cash flow. The whole process is just so much more efficient and streamlined.”

Photo: ©istock.com/vitranc