Scheduling Program

P

Przrat

New member
I have been trying and trying to get a scheduling program. Thought I had found it in Taskmasterkec. After getting some basic info found it to be too cumbersome. Too much information to key in. It was like going into a diner, ordering a hamburger and the cook coming out with a cow and trying to shove it down your throat.
Anyway, what I have been looking for is a scheduling program. Simple, set up by Month, Zone, City, Contact Info, Customer, special needs. A program where changing the customer info has to be done only once. Right now I have to do it every cleaning. A click and drag type of program where keying in info is kept to a minimum. Simple reports are offered and if used the customer info will be automatically transferred to the report. Nothinggggg.
Thought Lawn Pro might have been the one but again too much information. Outlook can't do it. I just want to get the scheduling done with as little repetitive keying as possible. Looking online it has become obvious that these programs are built by people that take keying info as second nature. I AM A HOOD CLEANER. Not a keyboardist. I don't have enough time to spend entering info over and over and over and over. (Crap,flashbacks of PeeWee Herman.) I contacted several people regarding this and found that they have changed their focus from software to creating phone apps. One computer guy is resistantly working on developing the program I want. 01/21/2014. If he can yaaaah hooooo. If you guys can think of anything that mighty be helpful to simplify hood cleaning scheduling, please let me know a/s/a/p so I can try to use it. Hoodpro@yahoo.com
Update, he couldn't. Must be too simple for those computer geeks. It appears to be an all or nothing proposal. I run QB so I do not need reports, invoicing etc. Just a simple scheduling program. Helloooo out there. Anybody out there? Sorry they are all working on phone apps.
 
Google calendars man... Don't over think it.

It allows you to put the "Event" to repeat as often as you need it to so that you don't have to CONTINUALLY type everything in again
 
Ed,
What is your budget for this?
 
Luis, I am using Google calendar. I need an informational program that lists the customers due at a particular month , the zone they are in, contact info and notes. I do only put the customer and the time in the calendar. I need a program that lists the customers due. Google calendar does not have that.

Grant,

I had one computer guy say $2500.00. Thats too much. Taskmaster has a monthly rate. Who owns the information if you decide to discontinue? Who owns the information s the site goes down?
 
I use the $5 desk calendar from Staples that's on my desk. It's just not always accurate is all. I know in my mind what calls I have to do and when. I just rearrange it in my head if I have to.
 
Golly thanks Vince. Nothing like a little sarcasm from someone who has apparently no clue. Think of this . We have between at least 2, to 3 maybe 4 jobs per day/night per truck. We work when the cooking is not being done. That means early morning or starting at 7:00 pm until whenever. If we work late at night we try not to schedule first thing in the morning. So a Staples calendar could be constructively used…………for toilet paper. If your comments can't be helpful, please keep them to yourself.
 
Przrat said:
Golly thanks Vince. Nothing like a little sarcasm from someone who has apparently no clue. Think of this . We have between at least 2, to 3 maybe 4 jobs per day/night per truck. We work when the cooking is not being done. That means early morning or starting at 7:00 pm until whenever. If we work late at night we try not to schedule first thing in the morning. So a Staples calendar could be constructively used…………for toilet paper. If your comments can't be helpful, please keep them to yourself.
Click to expand...

Lighten up Francis. You are getting plenty of serious responses here. This isn't a city council meeting where everybody has to be quiet.

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Przrat said:
Golly thanks Vince. Nothing like a little sarcasm from someone who has apparently no clue. Think of this . We have between at least 2, to 3 maybe 4 jobs per day/night per truck. We work when the cooking is not being done. That means early morning or starting at 7:00 pm until whenever. If we work late at night we try not to schedule first thing in the morning. So a Staples calendar could be constructively used…………for toilet paper. If your comments can't be helpful, please keep them to yourself.
Click to expand...

I apologize Edward, I don't run a big operation. I actually do have clue though, I haven't been in this business for 10 years for nothing. I could be running 3 or 4 trucks but I choose not to. I walked away from a $240,000 a year contract just this weekend for the simple fact that I didn't want to have to go out and get another 3 trucks and equipment to do it. Plus it wouldn't have been cost effective for my business. It wasn't worth the headaches for me. I never started this business to get rich off of it. I have as many as 6 or 7 stops a night myself and never miss one.

And yes I can be helpful at times. I try to lighten things up on here a little sometimes with a little sarcasm because everyone knows on how it can get on these boards.
 
Relax Ed. You have asked for options and they are being given to you. Not every answer will be the answer you are looking for, or the one you need.
 
As far as Google Calendar goes we run three companies on one calendar with multiple routes. Each person has different colors and almost every stop is automatically repeated. About once a month we go in and resolve conflicts. Takes about 20 minutes. It is drag and drop.

It's not perfect but it works.

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Hey, maybe I just don't understand what you mean...

It sounds like you want a logistics program integrated with a calendar.

You might just be SOL on that one lol
 
Im with Vince. I have a list of customers in excel and when they are done. e.g. "Yummy chicken joint" 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Or "Taco place" 2nd Wednesday of January, April, July, October. Once a month I make the schedule for tha month which is a big desk calendar on the wall. One rig so one calendar but if we had multiple rigs we could have multiple calendars. It's very visual.

You might think this is small time and childish, but think the fact that I fill the calendar out with crayon is the only childish thing about it.
 
Dang aren't we touchie,I do the same as you Vince,a regular paper calendar.Alot of times all this new age computer stuff is just too much.
 
Ed, Task Master KEC (as many software programs do) will import your existing database and reduce the amount you need to key in. What are you currently using?
 
Try looking for a CRM (Contact Resource Manager) application. They allow you to enter detailed customer information, and most allow you to set up calendar entries, reminders, etc.

Unfortunately, I cannot recommend a specific CRM because most of the ones I've used lately have been large enterprise level that would be very expensive. I do know that there are many CRMs for smaller businesses.

Just thought I'd share a thought on how to better target what you are looking for. If you are looking for a calendar or scheduling application that also does the other stuff you want, you might not find it.
 
Relax? I have been looking for a program for quite some time. I need help. Some of you guys help and others just like to post. I do just about what each and everyone says to try. Nothing works. Taskmaster is a giant information program that partially does everything. Partially is not in the plan. Neither is a Staples calendar. This forum is where like minded people share ideas and help. Sorry if I get edgy but it is getting really frustrating. Customer information set up by the month. Frequency indicated at the customer info site/ Changes made once to customer information. A corresponding calendar, Google, Apple, Yahoo whatever. Seems as if some computer guy could put that together. They probably can but its too simple and they can't charge enough. Speaking of Taskmaster, thats like a partial accounting program, scheduling program and he charges a monthly fee. The information should be the property of the company. Taskmaster thinks they can transfer info from one program to another but we tried. Some was exported, some was not. Lawnpro has a lot of what I need except help. You cannot talk to anyone about anything. Just can they sell it to you. That too does invoicing, reports etc. I need a scheduling program. Apparently so do many of us.
 
Well, if you need help buddy, get more in detail what exactly it is you need... What are you looking for it to do? How much are you looking to spend?

You want a drag and drop program that notifies your customers as well?

I think Google Calendars is perfect for that...

Let's say I have a customer every 3 months... I plug the contact info in, the address (basically all that you are asking for) and then there is a way to send that exact same calendar event to the customer to remind that reminds them that you're coming out... then once the event passes, you can simply change the date 3 months from the day you went out.

I don't understand how much easier you want it? If you need help navigating google calendar, just.. Google it lol
 
Ed, If there was a perfect program out there, don't you think we would all be using it?
Each has its positives and its negatives.
Have you looked into ServiceCEO.
CRM is a term for Customer Relationship Manager and there is a bunch of them.
SAAS is Software as a Service which is where all software seems to be going. They host your data in the "cloud" and you dont need to worry about upgrading your computer/devices or the software or backups. Worrying if they will disappear with your data is not something only you think about, that is a huge worry for all that are looking at programs Choose a reputable company.
 
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