Brian Ferrie, owner, of Fresh Cut Lawn Care in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, says contractors should consider what they really need when buying a system. And as he knows, it’s easy to buy more technology than you need.
Before, Ferrie had been using a system that was hard-wired into the trucks, meaning employees couldn’t see it. He recently switched to a different software for about half the cost, he says.
“We hook the systems up to the truck’s computer – the OBD port under the dashboard,” Ferrie says. It has the features he uses, but not so many bells and whistles that the company is spending on extras it won’t use.
Greg Budde uses a cloud-based platform with GPS units and he pays a monthly fee to essentially lease. What he likes is the support. “When I called, they answered the phone and walked me through how to use it,” says the owner of Carrollton Landscaping in the Dallas, Texas, area. “Support is a big deal.”
The Pruitts went for a one-time purchase rather than a monthly fee-based system. “We did our homework,” says Lacey Pruitt, office manager of Pruitt Lawn Service.
While a downside to the magnetic units they purchased is battery life – they last about 25 days before needing to be charged – an upside is their flexibility and affordability.
“We have been really happy with these devices,” says Founder Bill Pruitt. “They have added the accountability we were looking for, and now we can make sure we are running efficiently.”