Workiz, a leading field service management and communication software, has announced a new integration with Zoom, a video conferencing service. In response to a growing need, Workiz provided this new integration feature to enable service businesses, such as plumbing and repair services, junk haulers, and carpet cleaners, to give video estimates to their customers. By reducing the need for physical interactions between service providers and their customers, this innovative solution helps maintain social distancing guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Video estimates allow service businesses to do the following:

• Work more efficiently by having service providers give estimates remotely rather than traveling back and forth to customers’ homes.
• Protect the safety of both service providers and customers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Save recordings of estimates in Workiz, their scheduling and management software.
• Troubleshoot simple problems over video for a reduced rate.

According to Workiz’s data, an average of 70 percent of service providers’ time is spent preparing and providing estimates, rather than actually performing their services. Only 28 percent of these estimates ultimately result in paying jobs. This new feature allows service businesses to do online estimates via video which saves them time, thereby improving their efficiency and helping them become more profitable.

“This Zoom integration allows customers ease of mind during this pandemic,” said Thomas Dawson, founder and owner of Dumpster Intervention Patrol, a trash, recycle bin and dumpster sanitizing and cleaning service based in Peoria, Arizona. ”If somebody who lives 50 miles away called me and asked for a free home estimate — as a business it doesn’t make sense to drive 100 miles without knowing the job is guaranteed.”

In the junk business sector, 76 percent of technicians’ time is spent on estimates rather than on actual jobs for which they get paid. An average estimate for the industry is $650, with a win rate of 27 percent. Therefore, the ability to do online estimates can be a game changer in this industry. 

Workiz provides small to medium-sized, on-demand field service businesses with all the tools they need to manage their business, grow their revenues and improve customer experience. Its software as a service (SaaS) solution is being used by tens of thousands of service professionals in North America.

“Due to COVID-19, service companies are experiencing a 20-40 percent decline in new job orders, as clients think twice before calling in service professionals,” said Adi (Didi) Azaria, CEO of Workiz. “Real-time video can provide service companies the ability to answer questions and request information via a live stream with clients. They can guide clients to use their smartphone cameras to show them what needs to be done for better understanding, quick problem-solving and providing estimates. For clients who are more concerned with having service professionals enter their house, service businesses might look into offering paid video consulting for different types of projects.”