Business software offers landscape professionals a bevy of options to streamline their businesses.

LM gathered tips on how to make the most of your business software in the new year from Abheek Dhawan, vice president of business operations for Jobber; Donna Garner, chief marketing officer at Arborgold; and Mark Bradley, CEO of LMN.

1. Get out of your comfort zone. Garner says pros shouldn’t underestimate what business software can do for them. As companies add more features to their software, professionals must evolve.

“We all do it — people get comfortable with the current technology, but they know it can do more,” she says. “The software keeps innovating, and new features are constantly coming out. I think a fear of change can keep companies from finding solutions to their problems.”

2. Invest in training. According to Bradley, pros shouldn’t invest in a software without adequately training their staff on how to use it. Business owners should also be as up-to-date as possible with the same training, he says.

“Whether you invest in a platform or new equipment, consistently training your team is the best way to make sure that your entire team gets the most out of your tools,” he says. “Software evolves and changes. So, your team’s knowledge of it must change too.”

3. Embrace digital payments. While some professionals might hesitate to move away from accepting cash or checks, Dhawan believes those types of payments will take a downward turn as more digital payment options become available.

Dhawan cites credit card fees on larger projects as something that might drive pros to lean towards checks. While he admits that’s a legitimate concern, he also says professionals should consider the costs associated with cashing a check.

“You’ve got to go pick up the check in person, you’ve got to put it on file somewhere, then someone has to go deposit it — all of those steps will end up costing you more than (the credit card fees) in reality,” he says.

4.  Don’t forget the budget. Bradley says a common mistake contractors make with business software is leaning too much toward estimating and not budgeting. He says pros often try to estimate profit without building a profitable budget.

“Many don’t account for their salaries or fixed costs in estimates and only find that they’re making less than expected at the end of the year,” he says. “With a comprehensive budget, pros can understand their overheads, equipment and fixed costs and work to include those costs in their estimates to ensure that every job is profitable.”

5. Consider alternative payment methods. In the same vein as accepting digital payments, Dhawan says third-party options exist that allow the end customer to finance a project.

He says Jobber has already integrated services, like Wisetack, into its software, allowing clients the ability to finance a more extensive project when they might not be able to afford it immediately.

“For the business, it’s a great incentive to get the client to add more services,” he says. “Say they only have cash on hand for one (service); a financing option for the customer still lets you get paid right now. It’s a win-win situation.”