ECI Software Solutions offers e-automate, an ERP for field services companies supporting workforce management and accounting needs.
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Kickserv
Score 9.3 out of 10
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Kickserv is a field service management solution, headquartered in Austin, Texas. It includes features such as dynamic scheduling optimization, invoicing and online payments, and detailed reporting.
ECI e-automate is a very stable on-prem application. The cloud version has yet to be tested and determined, but I have heard ok reviews. It is scalable for any size business to get started and then to add features; it functions as it should and is a robust tool with several features that can easily allow any entity to run their business.
We use KickServ for nearly every aspect of our operation and cannot think of a scenario when it is "inappropriate" or "less appropriate". It is the backbone of our operation and is used for everything from data gathering to estimates to invoices to payments and accounts receivables to reports to tracking to storage of photos and past invoices. Better searching abilities would be good instead of having to create tags for things we don't know we are going to need later.
Organization - keeps everything organized nicely and has several different filters that you can use to view only the information you need.
Simple website - this was important because you want it to load quickly when you are in the office and on the road.
Database - keeps track of the things that you enter. This is nice when trying to get information on a product or a price when requested by the customer.
It is intuitive enough, but there is some training that will be necessary because of a perceived redundancy within their workflow. It can be hard to distinguish which stage a customer is in (thus what the most important thing to be working on, if you are in sales, for instance) without some training.
Sometimes when you need answers quickly, a voice on the phone is far better than having to wait for email support or a callback. I have found this to have delays and feel ECI e-automate should invest more in its support infrastructure.
Very good technical help. The team is well-versed in their product and what to look for, particularly when interacting with other software platforms. You nearly always get a live person when you call, and if you don't, they will return your call promptly. This is another factor in my client's decision to move forward with their solution.
Unfortunately, in the copy/print side of things, e-automate is the software to use, so our options were very limited when shopping around. When we decided to implement the IT side of the company, we didn't want to track the revenue, etc from the IT in a different application like Quickbooks, etc. so we had to make e-automate fit our needs.
We are essentially paper free. No paper work orders.
We've been able to avoid a layer of middle management by supplementing this layer with technology. KickServ is a part of that layer.
Negatively speaking, like all technology, it has created a void of human level connection. Because we know that we can deliver work orders to our foremen remotely, we are less likely to drive up to the shop and shake a hand or see someone face to face. We had to learn that lesson the hard way, that both technology and human connection are necessary to maintain our culture.
