Hi all, i was a member of Nachi and a home inspector ten years ago in Minnesota, but decided at the time to pursue a different career. I have since moved to Florida and am now getting back into inspections (just joined and started the certification training yesterday)
I know technology wise things have changed a lot since then with apps for everything. Im doing my own research on this too, but would appreciate peoples opinions on best inspection software/apps that they use, and why you like it.
Thanks Jeffrey, ill add that approach right here to my research too, but i also like getting other peoples opinions about what i find.
Btw, i used report host before but just looking around at all i can find
I have used Spectora from the start (a few years ago) so I have nothing to compare it to. But, as I see it…
Pros -
All inclusive: combines scheduling, automation, report writing, billing, tracking, metrics, basic accounting, CRM, website, and just about everything else you need to manage your business, all in one package.
Modern: Reports are arguably the most modern looking/reading available. But you still have the option to print out an archaic PDF if needed, lol.
Customer Support: You can contact live customer support just about any time of the day or night, weekdays or weekends. And they are lightning fast to respond.
Customizable: You can do just about anything with their report writer. Some people are using it for applications totally outside of home inspecting. You can configure your template in thousands of different ways to suit your style.
Privacy: They are a small private company that is not affiliated (yet) with the big corporations like Porch, etc. They do not sell the data we produce (yet).
User Group: Spectora has a large and active user group on Facebook. Many new ideas and solutions come out of this group. Not just for the software, but for inspections in general.
Value: When comparing similar packages from other providers, Spectora is very competitive on price.
Cons:
Development: Spectora has been trying to release “Next Gen,” the replacement for the legacy app, for quite a while now. They have tripped and stumbled a few times and the new app seems to still be riddled with problems. But we are not forced to use it as of now.
Focus: It seems like Spectora is shifting focus to large inspection firms with multiple employees/inspectors. Most of the new improvements are aimed at these users, not at the small one-person outfit.
Privacy: Spectora is introducing new features that do threaten to invade on our client’s data. So far they have kept it “above the line” by not forcing anyone to turn on these features.
Cost: If you are looking for a bare-bones report writer with no frills, Spectora is not for you.
Technology Adverse Users: Spectora is fairly advanced and also uses a lot of phone resources. If you do not know how to manage your phone’s memory and other settings, you may experience issues. You will also need to know or learn how to navigate settings screens and set up automation tasks within Spectora to make full use of it.
Hope this helps!
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10 years ago I don’t think the cloud-based business management systems were a thing yet and they are pretty nice. ISN (Inspection Support Network) goisn.net was the first and is still probably the most popular. I believe some of the software companies are now integrating them in so you might add that to your decision-making on software.
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Nice to see you back.
Good luck with your endeavors.
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