The Best Service Scheduling Software
Our guide to the best service scheduling software draws on over 25 years of experience advising companies in HVAC, plumbing, pest control, and electrical services.
- Create estimates and invoices on mobile app
- QuickBooks Platinum Partner
- Real-time dispatching and financials
- Has a mobile app for field services
- Offers a wide variety of integrated features
- Straightforward customer communication
- Integrates with QuickBooks and Xero
- Strong mobile app
- Batch invoice creation
Service scheduling software is a digital tool designed to help businesses automate the process of scheduling appointments, services, or resources. We used our advanced review methodology to rank the top solutions based on key features, mobile capabilities, and value for money.
- FieldEdge: Best Overall
- ServiceTitan: Best for Enterprises
- Jobber: Best for Small Businesses
- Housecall Pro: Best for On-demand Services
- Fieldwire: Best for Construction
- WorkWave Service: Best GPS Tracking
1 FieldEdge - Best Overall
Why we chose it: FieldEdge is our top overall pick for service scheduling software due to its versatile feature set that caters to HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and more sectors. Its scheduling, dispatching, invoicing, and customer management capabilities, combined with its seamless QuickBooks integration, make it an all-in-one solution for service businesses. The platform’s ease of use, analytics, and reporting tools allow businesses to make informed decisions, improve service delivery, and ultimately boost customer satisfaction.
Moreover, FieldEdge offers an intuitive mobile app for technicians in the field, providing them with real-time access to job details, customer history, and inventory levels. The software’s emphasis on automating routine tasks and its scalable architecture make it suitable for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises.
2 ServiceTitan - Best for Enterprises
Why we chose it: We found ServiceTitan best for enterprise-level businesses, especially those in specific industries like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services. Its extensive feature set includes advanced job booking, project management, dynamic reporting, and CRM tools, designed to handle the complex workflows and high volume of transactions characteristic of larger businesses. The platform’s ability to integrate with a wide range of third-party apps and hardware enhances its scalability and flexibility.
In addition, ServiceTitan offers training and support resources, ensuring that teams can fully leverage the platform’s capabilities. Its focus on enhancing customer experiences through detailed service histories, personalized communication, and convenient payment options further cements its position as the top choice for enterprises.
3 Jobber - Best for Small Businesses
Why we chose it: We chose Jobber as a top option for small businesses due to its simplicity, affordability, and effectiveness in managing day-to-day operations. Designed with the needs of small service businesses in mind, Jobber has an intuitive interface that simplifies scheduling, invoicing, and customer management, making it accessible for business owners with limited technical expertise. The platform’s streamlined setup process and responsive customer support ensure that small businesses can quickly adopt and benefit from its features, reducing administrative burdens and allowing owners to focus more on service delivery and growth.
Jobber’s flexible pricing plans and scalable features allow small businesses to choose the functionalities that best fit their needs and budget. The software’s mobile app enhances operational flexibility, enabling business owners and technicians to manage schedules, communicate with customers, and process payments on the go, thereby improving efficiency and customer satisfaction.
4 Housecall Pro - Best for On-demand Services
Why we chose it: Housecall Pro is the go-to software for businesses providing on-demand services, thanks to its strong emphasis on real-time booking, customer communication, and marketing tools. We chose this software because it provides online booking portals, automated SMS notifications, and post-service follow-ups. This focus on client interaction is crucial for on-demand service businesses, where timely and efficient communication can significantly impact customer satisfaction and retention.
The software also includes marketing tools designed to help businesses attract new customers and retain existing ones, including email marketing campaigns, targeted promotions, and loyalty programs. The easy-to-use mobile app ensures that service providers can manage their schedules, communicate with clients, and access job details from anywhere, making Housecall Pro a useful tool for businesses in the on-demand service market.
5 Fieldwire - Best for Construction
Why we chose it: We picked Fieldwire because it’s tailored for the construction industry, offering project management tools, task management, plan viewing, and real-time communication features. Its ability to handle large sets of blueprints and plans, along with field-focused functionalities like punch lists, task scheduling, and progress tracking, makes it an asset for construction managers and field workers. Fieldwire’s platform facilitates efficient on-site coordination, ensuring that all team members are aligned and informed, which is critical in the fast-paced and dynamic environment of construction sites.
The software’s emphasis on collaboration is further supported by its mobile app, which allows users to access project details, communicate updates, and document progress directly from the field. This level of accessibility and real-time information exchange is essential for maintaining project timelines, quality standards, and safety protocols, establishing Fieldwire as the premier choice for construction and field service management.
6 WorkWave Service - Best GPS Tracking
Why we chose it: WorkWave Service provides GPS tracking and routing efficiency, making it an ideal solution for businesses that rely heavily on field service operations. The software’s advanced GPS tracking capabilities enable businesses to monitor their fleet in real-time, optimize routes, and reduce travel times, leading to significant cost savings and improved service delivery. This feature is particularly beneficial for pest control, lawn care, and cleaning services.
In addition to GPS tracking, WorkWave Service offers scheduling, dispatching, and invoicing functionalities. The platform’s intuitive interface and mobile app ensure that field technicians are always equipped with the most up-to-date information and can adapt to changes or emergencies while on the move. For businesses looking to maximize the productivity of their field operations and ensure a high level of service reliability, WorkWave Service’s focus on GPS tracking and route optimization makes it a decent choice.
What is Service Scheduling Software?
Service scheduling software is a digital tool designed to manage appointment scheduling, service personnel dispatching, and job progress tracking in real time. Unlike general scheduling software, which is aimed primarily at arranging employee schedules, service scheduling is all about getting service teams and technicians into the field to answer customer requests.
Appointment scheduling software has some overlap, though those solutions are aimed more at businesses where clients or customers come in for service, rather than having someone come to their own home or business for services. The distinction is clearer when referring to this as technician scheduling software instead, which vendors sometimes use interchangeably.
Key Features of Service Scheduling Software
- Work order management: Create custom work orders detailing what tasks are necessary for each job your company accepts, along with how they should be completed
- Dispatching: Assign service calls to available technicians and integrate new service requests into a shared calendar; May include real-time mapping, vehicle monitoring, routing, and GPS tracking
- Job tracking: Once a worker has been dispatched, keep track of job progress in real-time with monitoring tools on mobile devices; utilize various contact methods to facilitate two-way communication between technicians in the field and supervisors at the office
- Quoting: Provide clients and customers with detailed estimates to develop professional quotes or bids; use estimates to prepare final invoices
- Customer relationship management (CRM): Enhance customer communication through various means, such as push notifications, email, or SMS text messaging
- Payment processing: Accept customer payments through various means, from traditional cash exchanges to online credit card payment methods
Best Service Scheduling Software Benefits
While scheduling software offers some obvious to optimize your service calendar, it offers field service businesses many other advantages as well:
Automate Scheduling and Reminders
The most obvious benefit of scheduling software is the ability to add service appointments to a calendar easily. Whatever services you offer, having a clear schedule can help you and your team stay on time. With speedy service delivery, you can get jobs done faster and increase customer satisfaction.
These days, keeping customers happy isn’t just a matter of having the right skill set and getting the job done. How often have you sent a tech to a job, only to find out the customer forgot and wasn’t there? Rather than lose money on wasted time, clear communication tools can improve the customer experience by keeping them fully informed about their upcoming work orders. Automated appointment notifications can be sent via email or text, reminding customers and technicians alike of upcoming appointments. Field technicians can even use software to call or text clients with real-time updates directly, or to get to the bottom of a no-show.
Easily Organize Appointments
Traditional scheduling requires a lot of paperwork. Calendars for each day, week, and month need to be in order to avoid accidental overbooking. Software makes it possible to automate scheduling, preventing any possibility of double-booking appointments. An online schedule can be accessed from anywhere so technicians can check when and where they are supposed to be while working.
These modern calendars are designed for ease of use as well. Time can be blocked out in different increments based on how long a task is expected to take, helping technicians prepare for each job in advance. Color-coding and custom tags on shared calendars can illustrate who is assigned to each job, what it entails, where it is, and more relevant information. Last-minute cancellation or emergency? Drag-and-drop tools make rearranging a schedule easy for everyone, no matter their technical expertise.
Mobile apps let techs review their upcoming schedule even while on the go. And if your field workers are hourly laborers, these shared schedules can also assist with time tracking by showing the base hours worked on each job. You can even measure employee performance based on their response times.
Accept Jobs at All Times
Another downside of traditional scheduling methods is limited hours for accepting customer calls. When you close the office for the night, you’re potentially losing late-night calls from customers. Competitors who keep their phone lines open can gain customers who might have been referred to you. Fortunately, there are now ways to open up your after-hours availability.
Field service scheduling software allows you to open up your appointment calendar even when you’re away from the office. Online scheduling allows you to set availability based on which technicians are available, then customers can select those existing timeslots. No more missed after-hours bookings! And no more spending ages cross-referencing the availability of field workers while the customer sits on hold.
You can even use a template to set up an online booking on your company website. Clients can then book and update their appointments whenever they want and search for availability for certain services or individuals. Customers often prefer this method, as it allows them to select service providers without having to call during certain times.
Service Scheduling Solutions by Industry
Essentially, scheduling software can be used by any commercial or home service providers to streamline their calendar appointments. This can include:
- Automotive (sales or repairs)
- Plumbing and HVAC
- Electrical work
- Roofing
- Lawn care
- Pest control
- Property maintenance
Each field service industry has slightly different standards when it comes to scheduling. For example, automotive service scheduling software wouldn’t just take technician availability into consideration, but also how many garage bays or parking spots are available as well. Otherwise, you could end up accepting appointments without the space to work on each vehicle.
Weather-dependent industries have their own idiosyncrasies when it comes to scheduling. Delays or cancellations due to severe weather can be addressed on the schedule through easy drag-and-drop features. Customizable software makes it possible to build your own system capable of meeting your specific needs, so impacted appointments on a certain day or time frame can be moved with one click.
Scheduling Software Pricing
Service scheduling software pricing tends to start as low as $8 per month and can reach $600 per month per user. Some SaaS plans also charge per user, creating a lot of price variety. If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution, some full field service management software packages include scheduling modules. Most cloud-based solutions are accessible through iOS and Android mobile apps.
With such a wide range of subscriptions available, it’s possible to find the right solution for your budget. The best service scheduling software for small business will be one which fits your limited budget but can potentially grow with you. Scaling software options tend to charge per user, allowing you to set the price based on how many employees you have so you’re not paying more than necessary.
Does QuickBooks Offer Scheduling?
QuickBooks is a popular solution for affordable office management at field service companies, and it does include some scheduling capabilities. Some are offered as add-on modules, while others are included in the base package. However, there are many scheduling software options that integrate with QuickBooks so you can continue using your existing accounting system while adding a new scheduling tool to your business.
