Home inspection software doesn’t just make your job simpler. The right software can benefit several different aspects of your business, from record keeping to customer service. If you’re only using it for inspections, you’re not using it to its fullest advantage. Here are 5 ways it can help you be a better home inspector.
#1: Build an Inspection Agreement that Protects You and Your Clients
Your home inspection agreement is a contract between you and the client. It protects them and it also protects you. It’s how you convey what your inspection will cover, and it educates the client about the process and what it will (and won’t) cover.
When your inspection agreement is built into the reporting software, there are fewer documents to handle and fewer places to lose them. Everything is convenient, right on your tablet or smartphone.
#2: Customize the Report for a Professional, Brand Building Look
A generic home inspection report does nothing to help build your business brand. But a customized report with your logo and contact information isn’t as easy to create as you might think. If you hire a graphic designer to make the form look great, you’ll pay extra. With the right software, you can customize the report in a few short steps.
Your software should make customization as simple as entering contact information and uploading your logo. If it takes more than a few minutes, maybe you need software that works with you, not against you.
A mandatory laptop or desktop sync only serves to slow you down.
#3: Eliminate Unnecessary Steps in the Reporting Process
There are lots of ultra-sophisticated software choices on the market. Any one of them can give you a suite of forms with numerous options. But the more complicated the technology, the steeper the learning curve. They’re sometimes more complicated to use, as well.
If you’ve got a simple and effective app, you won’t have to hurry back to your office to plug into a computer just to finalize the report. It could be as easy as finishing up on-site and emailing the final report from your mobile device before you leave the driveway.
#4: Keep Inspection Reports Together in the Cloud
How many files do you keep on your computer? If you’re like many people, it’s probably no small number. Files get lost, reports can be saved in the wrong file, and before you know it, you’ve got a real mess on your hands. If you store reports in the cloud, everything is handy and tidy.
Your app should simplify organization, not make it more complicated. And with cloud storage, you won’t have to worry about a power outage or computer virus erasing months or even years of your work.
#5: Follow up with Clients in a Year or Two
If there’s one thing home inspectors know, it’s the power of the customer referral. You probably contact real estate agents regularly. But what about following up with former customers? They could be a wealth of referrals, as well.
With convenient and well-organized files, you can check in with a former customer to see if they’ve got questions about your report. That breeds goodwill and makes you look like a professional. Check in with the same customers in a year or two, and you might generate more business.
Home inspection reporting software shouldn’t make life more difficult. It should simplify your work and make organization easier. If you never use many of the features on your current software, it might be more complicated than you need. If multiple processes frustrate you and slow down the workday, it’s time for something new.
Report Form Pro is for professional home inspectors who want all of the most important features and none of the fluff. Ready to change the way you do business? Download our home inspection app for Android or get it for Apple products at the App Store.