ServiceM8 versus the Competition

ServiceM8 Versus The Competition – Software Buddy

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ServiceM8 Versus The Competition

Updated: May 2020

In this article, we’re going to be looking at serviceM8 and how it compares in the marketplace.

With so many options in job management software available in the marketplace, it can sometimes be a little bit confusing about which system is right for you.

So we’ve provided this unbiased view to allow you to consider the marketplace.

ServiceM8 Versus The Competition from Lisa Knaggs Hunter on Vimeo.

ServiceM8 Versus The Competition – Jobber

Both Jobber and ServiceM8 have four tiers of pricing, they start with the light version and then they go to a more complex version through these tiers, so for anyone considering these it’s very visible to see the options.

The ServiceM8 subscription is priced and tiered based upon the number of jobs you complete on the platform.

The Jobber subscription prices its subscription-based upon how many people/users have access to the platform.

These pricing options can make quite a difference based upon the type of business you are, for example, if you are a team who has quite a few subcontractors then ServiceM8 would be more cost-effective as the number of users is not charged.

If you are a small team then Jobber offers a great alternative and consideration then needs to be made around any expansion of users being added, any additions will increase the subscription each time a new user is added.

If you complete a small to medium number of jobs per month, then ServiceM8 is a great option, for example, if you were doing house extensions where you only work on one or two a month but you have say 20 employees or subcontractors working across these, on jobber that could be more expensive than maybe ServiceM8 where you are charged by job.

ServiceM8 versus the Competition 1
PRO TIP STRIP BLACK

When considering ServiceM8 versus Jobber, both are excellent systems and the key consideration is whether you prefer to be charged per job or by the number of users you have on the platforms.

ServiceM8 Versus The Competition – mHelpDesk

Like ServiceM8 – mHelpDesk offers transparent upfront pricing for standard features, however with mHelpDesk whilst you can see all the features, if you require a bespoke solution you need to inquire with their sales team for a bespoke price.

mHelpDesk is still aimed at trades and service businesses of all sizes but they’re not as clear with their pricing policy like ServiceM8 are.

Feature by feature, it is comparable to ServiceM8 and after you have completed your mHelpDesk trial you then have to do a consultation to decide whether their system is right for you so it’s not as easy of a comparison straight out the gate.

PRO TIP STRIP BLUE

If you like clear pricing, have the ability to get started with something fast and trialling a job management system under a self-paced environment, then ServiceM8 is a little more easy to access.  

If however, you are more of a process buyer, that you want to go through and check every box and have it more managed then maybe take a look at the trial period with mHelpDesk.

ServiceM8 Versus The Competition – SimPRO

With ServiceM8 you benefit from a system with optional add-ons that can be tailored to your business needs, so over standard features, it has a host of modules that can be added that increases the power of the system.

With SimPRO, you benefit from a system that is aimed at the more mature Job Management System buyer, it then leads into and services they need for a connected Project Management system.

SimPRO is more modular in its function, so you can bring in different modules, for example, SimPRO has a tracker system and a key difference is that the handheld module is a separate system to the core system.

This is not necessarily a disadvantage, many software applications have a full desktop and then a different or lighter version for mobile.

Whereas with ServiceM8 it benefits from one integrated system whether you are working on Desktop or Mobile.  

ServiceM8 becomes all-encompassing and it can be enhanced with third-party add-ons.

ServiceM8 Versus The Competition – SimPRO Job Management vs Project Management

With the reference to Project Management terminology – this is often misunderstood or differing systems will play on different terminology.

SimPRO offers the opportunity of project management, so that if you’re working on client work and it’s done and dusted within a very straight forward timeframe, for example, one day or two days, then that can be considered Job Management.

The flip side of this is if you’re going out on-site, you’re doing that work and you’re coming away again.

When you’re working on something over a longer timeframe and your employees are going to that site,

I.E.: subcontractors are going to that site over and over – that’s where you’re looking at Project

Management because the site doesn’t change, it’s the build on that site, as it’s going up through its stages and its phases, that you’re keeping track of.

That’s the key differences between Project Management and Job Management.

PRO TIP STRIP GREEN

So SimPRO would be better suited if it’s a longer more complex job, Although, ServiceM8 will do a lot of those features and it can be used for straight forward Project Management, although it is really based at Job Management.

ServiceM8 Versus The Competition – Workforce

Workforce is quite different to every other Job Management System including ServiceM8.

Workforce has a feature called ‘Fatigue Management’, which is great if you’re having to handle jobs where you’ve got long hours being worked and shifts such as van drivers.

So Workforce is not just purely for what you’d consider trades businesses, much more in the service industry, specifically regulatory and licences requirements.

Consider haulage companies who are regulated as to how many hours that their drivers can be behind the wheel of HGVs, and where you have fleets of drivers rather than Job Management and the man in the van going to do the job.

Another use case for fatigue management in Workforce could be if team members are using dangerous machinery, cutting saws as there are legislations around how much time can be spent on them without a break and It’s very much about compliance.

PRO TIP STRIP ORANGE

If your team requires to be monitored for fatigue management then Workforce is a great alternative to a traditional job management system.

ServiceM8 Versus The Competition – Solarvista

Visually Solarvista has a Gantt chart style view, which some people will really like.

ServiceM8 has a scheduling view, not quite Gantt chart style but certainly where you see your timeline and where you’ve scheduled your people.

Solarvista goes into that a little more detailed with the Gantt Chart style.

PRO TIP STRIP PURPLE

It all comes down to preference, and whether you like the Gantt charts view or the scheduling view.

ServiceM8 Versus The Competition – Joblogic

Joblogic is very similar in a lot of the feature we have discussed in this article, however, what Joblogic has is industry-specific forms and compliance already built into it.

So you put your preferred industry into the software and you already get the compliance forms for that industry, which is slightly different.

Like Jobber, the pricing is based upon how many users you add to the system, not on number of jobs completed like ServiceM8 pricing.

PRO TIP STRIP RED

There’s also a client portal with Joblogic on one of the advanced tiers, which is available also through ServiceM8 but as an additional add-on so consider whether you need the broader functions or whether you are happy selecting from a suite of add ons to build the perfect solution.

ServiceM8 Versus The Competition – Add-Ons

The key point on all systems is that especially relate to add-ons, you will never get a system that will do everything for every business.

There’s always going to be some form of add-on or upgraded module or bespoke requirements that each individual business will value over another.

ServiceM8 Versus The Competition – The Software Buddy Approach

As a ServiceM8 partner, we offer a free consultation that you can set up through a no-obligation call by clicking the link on this site and the team will be more than happy to chat around your goals.

Software Buddy see all kinds of challenges and as specialists in ServiceM8 we can assist to guide you through pitfalls and whether a system like ServiceM8 is right for you, whether it’s detailing the number of jobs or number of users you have in your business, all through a no-obligation 30 minute call to make sure the right software is matched to the right business case.

It’s really important that as a business owner you understand what the key drivers are for your business and ultimately what you are wanting to achieve.

As we have covered in this article a lot of the Job Management software platforms have a lot of crossovers, they do similar things, so as a pro tip you need to be looking for the separations between what would suit you the best.

ServiceM8 Versus The Competition – Simplicity

ServiceM8 is a great option if you’re a relatively new business or a growing business or a business moving from a very manual and paper-driven system on to a digital platform, this is because ServiceM8 is one of the easiest to understand and is very user-friendly.

Having software that is easy to use out of the gate is essential for the digital transformation from manual systems.

Especially if you are having to decide what your process is whilst you’re digitising.  

Most businesses will be in this situation especially the trades businesses.

ServiceM8 is very easy to explain, although it is not for everyone, it might be too simple for one or it might not have relevant features for others, but actually by using ServiceM8 as a starting point framework for discussions, we can then decide whether it is, as a platform right for you or whether it’s worth recommending a different platform.

ServiceM8 Versus The Competition – Your Skill Sets

It is also worth considering your competency in learning software, are you a technophobe or do you pick up things quickly?  

If you struggle to learn new technology then using something like ServiceM8 is going to make it far easier than some of the more advanced systems.

ServiceM8 is still a very very powerful system and far from basic.  

It’s quite deceiving because on the surface it looks very straightforward and simple but there can be a lot to unwrap in it and it’s getting the best out of that but that’s why Software Buddy exists.

We love to help people get the best out of things and not just see the surface of the software and then for them to think it doesn’t work for them.

If you would like to take advantage of a free consultation with the Software Buddy team, click the link below and you can book a no-obligation call.

We’ll be happy to discuss your business requirements and obviously give you an impartial view of which software would help you become more efficient and more profitable.

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