How do you handle paperwork

[frederick]

I'm curious about this, and windering what you use to do paperwork in the field, and in your shop?

Our service agreement and waiver is 100% dead tree material that the customer initials all the way down and signs. But all of our other paperwork like work orders, trouble tickets, and invoices are digital that we have on tablets and email to the customer when all is said and done. If they want a paper copy, all we do is go back to the vehicle and print one on the thermal printer. Because all the paperwork is tied into our db program we developed, everything is stored there and calculated automatically for the customer like work order numbers, customer ids, says what was done for the customer, how long it took what the associated costs were and makes a great print out for our cpa. In shop, we use the computers that do the same.

 

[Martyn]

I'm mobile and do everything through PCRT. I take a print out of the claim sheet in case I need to bring the computer away and use that also for the address etc. if I do need to bring it away it has a print out of my brief t&cs and they sign my IPad. PCRT handles all the shop repair, asset labels and invoice details that can be emailed on.

 

[frederick]

PCRT is web based right? Can I ask why don't just pull it up on your ipad?

 

[Martyn]

PCRT is web based right? Can I ask why don't just pull it up on your ipad?

There's no app for it, it's web hosted. Yes I run it from my IPad, signature etc

 

[frederick]

I'm still a little confused. It's web hosted, so how come you don't pull up the web page?

We have ours pull up a nice web page, all the tech has to do is sign in with his assigned tablet, and it grants him access, from there he can pull up what he needs/has access to, and do all the paperwork from there, including our pickup release form, make real-time changes, etc. Cuts down on paperwork, and having to read their chicken scratch hand writing...whats with techs and having terrible hand writing...

Some of clients (priority level clients) have access to our trouble ticket submission page, which allows them submit a trouble ticket and view it's status. They can't see anyone elses trouble tickets except ones they have submitted, and they can even print out copies of completed invoices.

It makes a lot of the process extremely stream lined, and we don't have to carry around all this paperwork that gets lost, or crumpled.

 

[phaZed]

PCRT is pulled up on a web page. You would go to www.yoursite.com/PCRT/ or similar to get to it.

 

[acscva]

We switched over to mHelpdesk.com which is a hosted solution. Has made life so much better with handling of sales quotes, invoices and service work orders, etc. I can use from my iPhone, iPad or computer. Everything is done within their software at this time except the initial service agreement form which today is 1 piece of paper that we then scan in and store in helpdesk. I am in the process of making this paperless and able to be done via my iPhone or iPad as well and then will be stored within mHelpdesk.

mHelpdesk has really helped me stream line all paperwork to the customer and also all communications back and forth with the customer.

 

[frederick]

So I was right, you can just pull it up on your iPad. I would do that instead of printing out stuff for the customer to sign and then have to go back to the office and fill it out and what not.

ascva, I agree, our customers like the fact they can submit a WOR and kept up on the process. They can even submit PM's that get sent to the tech for them to read and respond in the same manner. Does it keep track of the customers devices (like make, model, serial number, etc.), so all you have to do is select the customer, select the device, and autofills the form for you? We are implementing that now, should have it up in a couple of days. Eliminate the need for the customer to having to call us and ask us where they find that information.

 

[Martyn]

I'm still a little confused. It's web hosted, so how come you don't pull up the web page?

I do.

I see why you are confused now because I print out a claim sheet beforehand. That's their copy after I get them to sign the IPad, I can also email direct from PCRT. Some of the villages I serve have a poor connection and no 3G.

 

[frederick]

OK. Now I'm not confused. Thanks for clearing that up for me. I don't run into that issue, its a metropolitan area, so you are looked at weird if you say you've never heard of the internet or email. Most of my clients want it emailed to them, the older folks in Sun City want a paper copy for whatever reason. But I please them. Also makes the hippies happy, cause they are like "dude, way to save the environment" and I'm like "dude, it's just easier this way"