For Grant Schoenberger, it’s been hard to find reliable — and affordable — fleet management software for his small service fleet. Customized software programs tend to be too expensive for small fleet businesses, leaving them without many choices.

“We tried using Google calendar and the iCal app on the iPhone,” says Schoenberger, owner of San Diego-based Core Plumbing. “But we were having issues with synching appointments with multiple users on the same calendar. These programs weren’t reliable.”

A Facebook advertisement for Breezeworks grabbed Schoenberger’s attention when it mentioned fleet management scheduling software — specific to small business contractors.

As a service provider, Schoenberger knows the importance of customer service and reliability. To him, Breezeworks’ most valuable feature is its scheduling feature, which synchs a company’s work schedule to each of its technician’s smartphones.

“I need to know that when I make an adjustment to the schedule, there won’t be a glitch and my two other technicians will see the change,” says Schoenberger. “This eliminates the chances of double booking.”

Management Tool

Available in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico, the Breezeworks app enables small service providers to run their businesses from their smartphones while on the go. The app can be accessed on both Android and Apple smartphones.

Matthew Cowan, CEO of Breezeworks, believes this app is a great opportunity to reach out to independent service providers, which make up a large segment of the U.S. work force.

“We wanted to package the equivalent of Fortune 500 technology automation in an easy-to-use, accessible platform for service providers,” says Cowan. “These types of solutions have been out of reach because they have been too expensive for service providers in the past. The mobile, smartphone platform has evolved where we can provide these services at a lower cost.”

Cowan describes the app’s key functions as eliminating customer no-shows, creating customer follow-up automatically and collecting payment. Overall, this cloud-based app serves as a single platform for better coordination among technicians.

“I think that integration is really the magic that Breezeworks is about,” says Cowan. “Our mission is to provide one application that does everything and you never have to re-enter information again. Breezeworks automates these tasks to save companies time.”

Features

Here is a rundown of Breezework’s features, according to the company:

• Schedules: Once you schedule an appointment, the app provides mapping, navigation and real-time traffic. It will even send out a text to the next customer if you are running late.

• Tracks job history: You can view your jobs by customer or date, including job notes and payment history. It will remind you when it’s time to reach out to customers about that next job.

• Processes invoices and payments: You can send an invoice from your phone and keep track of unsent, unpaid and paid invoices. Breezeworks also accepts credit and debit card payments.

• Manages your team: As owner of the account, you can manage your team members by updating schedules and tracking hours and arrival times. An owner invites team members to view the account but can specify what they are able to see.

So far, plumbers, HVAC techs, electricians and general contractors have represented the majority of service providers using the app. But there have been some unique categories, as well, including a wedding planner, family therapist and a company that provides princesses for parties, according to Cowan.

Pricing starts at $15.99 per month for a single user or $25.98 for an owner and one team member, says Cowan. Additional team members can be added for $9.99 per month.

For more information, visit www.breezeworks.com.