It may seem difficult to manage a successful tree care business when it’s like you are juggling multiple chainsaws at once. As an arborist, you will need to schedule work, manage teams, handle invoicing, keep customer relationships and have detailed tree care records. In today’s world where everything has been digitalized, paper based methods can slow you down. Fortunately for us, there are a number of useful arborist software that is developed specifically to help make your daily work load easier. Below I am going to give some insight into seven of the best ones—starting with my own favorite ArboStar.
Why Arborists Need Specialized Software
Arboriculture is much more than simply pruning trees. Every successful operation has loads of these tasks done in the background and range from placing clients on a map to sending out invoices. Hence the importance of having specialized software cannot be overemphasized. The right platform can not only organize your everyday routines but also ensure that you don’t miss out on any customer data or upcoming appointments in regard to your tree stock inventory among others. Through use of modern digital tools, arborists can communicate with their clients effectively; streamline work orders among other things; as well as analyze information collected about previous projects so that they can make sound choices about future undertakings.
ArboStar
Among the tree care software that I have used, ArboStar is distinct because it has many features and easily understandable design. One of the things I like most is how simple it is to stay on top of scheduling. Through a built-in calendar system that lets you see all crew assignments and job statuses at a glance, you can quickly shift resources if something comes up.
From the business side, ArboStar’s CRM helps in tracking services delivered earlier, quotes given and important information such as tree health reports thus leading to strong client relationships. It also has a plain invoice feature where one can make professional invoices by following a few steps. The good thing about it too is that they allow their crews access to job details and update statuses via mobile even when they are in the field. If you are operating a growing tree care company, ArboStar has specialized features and support that will make your life much easier – without having to integrate different solutions piece by piece
ArborNote: A Game Changer for Tree Management Professionals
ArborNote is yet another software I have tested out which streamlines the process of tree inventory management and data entry. One of the biggest advantages of this software is how it permits you to map each site to give a clear picture of your trees. This is particularly helpful when you are working with many clients and need immediate information about a certain piece of land.
The reporting function also deserves special mention, as they allow users to create detailed summaries of the health assessment done on trees. However, I must admit that ArborNote was a bit difficult for me to comprehend at first, but after getting used to its interface, it becomes one of those tools that every arborist who works across different job locations should have in their toolkit and use them anytime an arborist needs something reliable for tracking the tree data.
TreePlotter
A mapping-centric solution that you may find interesting is TreePlotter. I liked the fact that it was GIS-driven because this helps to depict all projects on a map while analyzing such factors as maintenance schedules, species distribution and tree health.
In case you have larger scale projects; say when dealing with municipalities or universities having hundreds to even thousands of trees, then TreePlotter comes in handy for such situations. Sharing digital maps with your clients or team can help streamline communication and minimize guesswork. It’s not a total CRM package but has good mapping features and data visualization.
ArborGold
Another popular name in the industry, ArborGold, has been around for a while. I decided to try it out and see how well it can handle typical daily operations for an average tree company. It has job costing, scheduling, invoices and even some marketing tools.
I liked its integration of route optimization which makes planning travel between jobsites more efficient in ArborGold. If you need to have something that is straight to the point for doing estimates, billing as well as managing your crew then ArborGold will compete very favorably. Just remember that some of the more advanced features may be a bit tough at first but once you’re good it’s a solid choice for any arborist.
SingleOps
SingleOps goes beyond just tree care to encompass landscaping and other field services related to the “green industry” but it also serves the needs of arborists too due to its CRM which is easy to use and has an integrated schedule.
Its all-in-one platform provides invoicing, route planning and reporting on a simple dashboard. In my opinion, SingleOps is a good bet if you’re looking for something that could put many business processes under one system. It takes care of paperwork so that you can concentrate on your tree work.
PlanIT Geo
If you are running larger operations or have a strong emphasis on urban forestry mapping, PlanIT Geo might be worth considering. I found it especially useful because of its GIS-based analysis tools that allowed me to see the amount of canopy cover as well as overall health of trees across large areas.
This can be particularly useful for city arborists or consultants who need to provide detailed reports on public and private trees. Data driven decision making is what PLan IT Geo believes in doing big inventory projects with big inventories? Then these specialized mapping tools will come in handy when using it.
Fieldmotion
As much as it is designed for field-service businesses broadly, I found out that it could be customized to do tree care too. This is done in a simplified manner which makes scheduling, job management and remote data capture an easy process.
One thing that I really liked about them was their real-time communication where field crews can update the office immediately. In addition to this, billing can be hastened by the ability to produce bills instantly. While Fieldmotion does not have some features specific to arborists like ArboStar does, it’s still worth checking out if you need a flexible scheduling app.
Conclusion
Tree care software is becoming more and more specialized, so selecting the right one will depend on how large your business is, how much you use IT gadgets and software in your projects, and how involved you are with complex systems. Every one of these discussed platforms has its strengths: mapping tools, robust CRM’s or route planning system. In my experience, it works best to pick a solution based on what problem it solves for you the most as this could be scheduling personnel, invoicing clients or doing tree inventory.
ArboStar features a user-friendly design coupled with complete features designed specifically for arborists. Have a well-rounded tree software platform that will not only make your work easier but also help you understand better what is happening around your company. Ultimately embracing technology first makes businesses serve customers better which results in more money—and healthier trees