If you own a home inspection business, you know that there are many moving parts. From keeping up with inspections to managing your team, it can be tough to stay on top of everything. But don’t worry – we’ve got your back. In this blog post, we’ll share some ideas to make running your home inspection business easier. So please sit back, relax, and let us help you take some of the weight off your shoulders. You deserve it!
Develop a system
Creating a smooth workflow is the best way to simplify your life and keep track of details. Develop a system that includes checklists, templates, and processes your team can use during an inspection. This will ensure that nothing is missed and that everyone knows exactly what to do when they arrive at the property.
Technology can be your best friend in this. For example, field management software like ServiceWorks is explicitly designed to function like an office manager while you’re out doing the inspections. ServiceWorks has features that help you with everything from online scheduling and route planning to keeping track of customer details, contracts, billing, and payment. In addition, the software is easy to use and can run a one-person operation affordably or scale with you as you grow and add staff.
Stay organized
This may seem obvious, but it’s vital to stay organized!
Invest in quality storage solutions like a sturdy filing cabinet or, better yet, digital files on your computer’s hard drive. Keeping customer information and contracts organized will save you time when running reports or looking for specific documents. Also, ensure you have a backup in case of a power outage or other unexpected events.
Delegate
Even if you’re running the business solo, delegating tasks to reliable team members can make your home inspection business much more accessible. Outsource review processes and paperwork so that you can focus on the inspections themselves. This way, you’ll have more time to focus on running the business and growing your customer base.
Don’t have staff? You may be able to use a virtual assistant. You can give a VA any tasks that can be done remotely and pay only for the number of hours they work. For example, a VA can create social media posts, do bookkeeping entries, and research significant purchases.
Keep your books in order
Speaking of bookkeeping, you’re missing out on a tremendous organizational tool if you’ve been waiting until tax time to update your books. Up-to-date bookkeeping apps can help you track customer invoices, payments, and expenses. In addition, a quick glance at your books should give you information about how profitable different jobs are and how well your marketing is working. Finally, updated books can keep you on top of collections and ensure you never miss getting paid in full for your work.
One more reason to keep your books updated — you’ll have all the documents you need to apply for additional financing at any moment.
It’s worth taking time to set up a bookkeeping system that tracks all these details or have an accountant set one up for you. Set aside time for you, a team member, or a virtual assistant to update everything weekly.
Note: ServiceWorks can integrate with Quickbooks to automate a lot of that work for you!
Keep communication clear
Communication between your team members is essential for running a successful home inspection business. It helps save time and prevent mistakes that could put your clients at risk. Make sure everyone on your team knows the protocol for communicating with each other and clients.
Technology can also help here. For example, use online chat tools, like Slack, to keep everyone on the same page about inspections, billing processes, and customer service. ServiceWorks can also help you stay in touch, and store photos, notes, and other inspection information in one secure place that your team can access.
Develop a content marketing strategy
If you’re running a home inspection business, the best way to reach both home buyers and sellers is to develop a comprehensive marketing strategy that targets local homebuyers and real estate developers.
You can use social media and email marketing platforms to launch targeted campaigns that speak directly to buyer or seller demographics. By customizing your message for each potential client type, you can ensure that your services reach the right people.
Use your blog and newsletter to provide helpful tips, such as guides for what new buyers need to consider when purchasing a home or articles on common inspection pitfalls sellers should know about. Combining these elements will allow you to build a powerful marketing strategy explicitly tailored toward the needs of the home buying and selling market.
Get listed online
Another way to put your marketing on autopilot is to claim your listings with Google My Business and Yelp. Google My Business is free and allows you to create a listing for your business on the search engine. You can include photos, contact information, hours of operation, and even customer reviews.
Once claimed, potential customers can quickly check out your business and build trust in what you do. With Yelp, you get access to an already-established community of customers. By claiming your business, you can add photos, business hours, and more to the platform allowing customers to find out what you do quickly.
These two tools are essential for running a home inspection business in the digital age. They allow you to reach potential customers and boost your brand’s visibility quickly.
Running a home inspection business doesn’t have to be complicated. With a few simple steps, you can streamline your business and make running it easier than ever before. From using software systems like ServiceWorks for organizing customer information and contracts to outsourcing work to virtual assistants and developing a content marketing strategy, there are plenty of tools and techniques that can help you run your home inspection business with less stress and more success.
ServiceWorks offers a free trial, no credit card needed, so you can try it and see how it can help you run your home inspection business.
