Jobber is a popular field service management app, but it’s not the only one quality FMS solution available on the market. In this article we’ll discuss the main features of Jobber and its main competitors Housecall Pro and mHelpDesk to give you a good overview of what alternatives you have to choose from. Selecting a top FMS app can make a huge difference that can impact your workflows.
On the surface, all three FMS apps seem identical. However, on close inspection it turns out there are some key differences between them that you should keep in mind. In our ranking of top FMS solutions Housecall Pro got the highest score of 8.7/10. You see the software in action on your own with a free demo of Housecall Pro.
Jobber Overview – Score 8.0
Pricing: starts at $39 per month
Our team of experts gave Jobber a total score of 8.0/10 which puts it on the third spot in our ranking of best FMS solutions (with Housecall Pro on the first place at the moment). Jobber has the standard features of a reliable FMS app. From job scheduling to payment, the app helps you manage all the essential field service tasks in one platform. Color-coding routing assists workers in locating customers fast. You can also generate single or batch invoices and email them to customers immediately. It’s also easy to integrate the app with your existing accounting system (especially Xero) to sync client records. Likewise, it’s got robust reporting that summarizes invoicing, payment, transactions, and timesheets to give you the big picture of where the business is heading. Like its major competitors, Jobber allows for credit card payment directly in the app.
Jobber has great CRM tools, too, such as, client reminders, client search, and client history. However, compared to HouseCall Pro and mHelpDesk, its CRM tools seem limited in terms of giving you complete sales cycle visibility or outbound marketing tools. It also doesn’t have the market reach of HouseCall Pro’s customer-end app. You only get to embed a quote form your own website to solicit jobs. Likewise, it targets a more limited scope of services than the other two apps. But if you’re into chemical and pesticide service, Jobber has a dedicated add-on that lets you track dangerous items in the field.
On the other hand, a few snow removal companies wish the routing feature could automate alternate routes during heavy snow without the need to input the alternate data manually every time a dispatch is made. This issue indicates that Jobber works best in industries with standard FMS needs. If you have constant requirements for customer search, invoicing, expense management, payment tracking, calendar views, time tracking, and task management, among others, Jobber has got your back covered.
Some of the best features of Jobber include: custom fields and tags that make data tracking easy; custom visit line items that let you insert add-on work in invoices; and job scheduling wizard that guides you through creating a job, selecting the client, and assigning it to your team. You can also link schedules and invoices to manage visit-based charging. You can read more about the app in our detailed review of Jobber.
HouseCall Pro Overview – Score 8.7
Pricing: starts at $57 per month
HouseCall Pro won our Best Mobile Support Award for 2015
After a thorough analysis of all the major services on the market our B2B experts selected HouseCall Pro as the best field service management software currently available. It received a great total score of 8.7/10 and has a user satisfaction rating of 100% which puts it at the very top of our list of FSM services. We also distinguished the software with our Award For Best Mobile Support in 2015 as well as our Great User Experience Award and Designed For Small Business Award. You can quickly check on your own what great features they can offer your company by getting a free HouseCall Pro demo.
It’s been referred to as “the future of FMS,” and we can see why. The app uses an Uber-like model that gives equity to quality-driven field service providers and make it hard for lackadaisical companies to compete in the market. Its customer-end platform, HouseCall, allows customers to rate providers based on performance. Only companies with 4-star ratings are enrolled in HouseCall’s database. Neither Jobber nor mHelpDesk have a customer-end site (only embeddable forms); for this advantage alone, HouseCall Pro can give your business a wider market share. Besides, as more customers get wind of this “Uber of field service providers,” using HouseCall Pro ensures your business is well integrated with HouseCall.
Similar to mHelpDesk, HouseCall Pro is targeted at a wide range of services, from plumbing and carpet cleaning to maid services and electrical. The app also has integrated features that match different workflows across the field service industry.
The mobile UI has a smoother navigation than both Jobber and mHelpDesk. However, behind its simple front-end, HouseCall Pro is backed by former Qualcomm Labs engineers, who are renowned as among the top mobile developers in the world. This is important to know if only to reinforce user trust about a startup’s reliability. Using the iOS or Android native apps, you can schedule appointments, manage billing and payment, dispatch jobs, and generate on-demand reports with real-time and GPS data, while you’re out, say, having lunch.
HouseCall Pro can also automate workflows from providing estimates, scheduling jobs, and sending invoices. Automated processes are helpful for recurring jobs, allowing you to focus on exploring more opportunities elsewhere. And like Jobber and mHelpDesk, HouseCall Pro generates real-time updates and alerts that keep you posted about on-location progress. Calendars can also be shared with teams, while online payments and GPS directions are standard features as with the other two FMS apps.
But while all three apps share CRM functions such as customer search filters and client history lookup, HouseCall Pro has outbound features. The app has rule-based email marketing tool that lets you send postcards for repeat business or retarget marketing. You can also send thank-you messages and re-booking alerts to stay in touch with customers. More importantly, you’re the default field service provider in your current customers’ HouseCall account when they log into the customer-end app. You can find more information about the app and its features in our detailed review of HouseCall Pro.
mHelpDesk Overview – Score 8.2
Pricing: starts at $99 per month
Our B2B review team gave mHelpDesk a total score of 8.2/10 which makes it the second best FMS software in our ranking, outmatched only by Housecall Pro. Compared to Jobber, mHelpDesk caters to more industries with the vendor claiming it has over 10,000 users. It also has different free trial offers for each industry–although this is just a matter of tweaking the product pages for each industry–such as, HVAC, landscaping, electrical contractors, computer repair, and pest control. But this extra attention to the different dynamics of various field services suggests its support may be more aware to address specific industry issues. The drawback is, mHelpDesk has the highest starting plan among our top three FMS apps: $99/month at 2 users and 50 jobs.
A quick look across social media and business software review sites shows most users cite its dedicated support. In fact, mHelpDesk offers free daily training for new users to get them up to speed with the app’s functions. Another common user comment about the app is its smooth integration with QuickBooks, a popular accounting software for small and medium businesses. All three top FMS apps feature QuickBooks integration, but mHelpDesk enjoys a 5-star rating from Intuit, makers of QuickBooks. If you have a lot of data in QuickBooks to integrate, mHelpDesk has perhaps the smoothest integration.
Like Jobber and HouseCall Pro, mHelpDesk has rich features for scheduling jobs, creating “one-click” invoices, tracking jobs, and generating reports. But unlike Jobber, mHelpDesk’s CRM reporting gives you complete visibility into your sales cycle, including identifying high-priority activities and recurring appointments. Plus, it can automate recurring appointments from job schedule to invoicing and collection. We also think mHelpDesk, like HouseCall Pro, has a more user-friendly UI than Jobber for time management, quote estimation, and billing. mHelpDesk can also handle both scheduled and unscheduled jobs, as well as one-time and recurring appointments. Like Jobber, however, mHelpDesk’s customer-end function is limited to embedding a quote form in your website. Pound for pound, mHelpDesk has a richer feature than Jobber for field service CRM, time tracking, and dispatch and routing tools, but it falls short in matching the marketing reach and intuitive functions of HouseCall Pro. Our detailed review on mHelpDesk highlights more of the app’s features.
Conclusion
Jobber is a good FMS app with the expected standard features, but HouseCall Pro has the powerful functions of mHelpDesk, plus it has a customer-end platform that presents providers with a wider market reach. A field service company that wants both powerful FMS features and marketing tools will do well to invest in HouseCall Pro as an alternative to Jobber to ensure that business stays competitive. You can easily try the service on your own with a free HouseCall Pro demo to see for yourself how this app may change the field home service industry.
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