This on-site job management App for the trade and service sectors has undergone a major upgrade, including the addition of simPRO In-App Payments, a solution that has the potential to improve clients’ cashflow.

simPRO Software’s Connect mobile app now enables field staff in the trade and services industry complete control over the administration of individual jobs including the capacity to process payments on-site using a customer’s credit card.

The simPRO Connect app is a mobile extension of simPRO’s locally-developed Enterprise business management platform that now has more than 1,500 clients and 20,000 users around the world. The Connect App runs on tablet sized devices and smart phones and enables staff in the field to update times, materials and details used for each job.

The upgrade to the Connect app, which was rolled out to customers from May 17, includes a range of new features and a stylish new user-friendly interface.

simPRO chief executive Brad Couper says it was the most significant upgrade to the App since it was released 18 months ago.

“The entire product and upgrade is built around improving the performance of our clients’ business by allowing field staff to quickly and reliably execute administrative processes and reducing pressure on head office,” Brad says.

“Improving cash flow remains the number one issue for our clients so the capacity for field staff to enter and process payments immediately on completion of a job was a ‘must-have’ for this upgrade.

“simPRO In-App Payments is fully integrated through Enterprise to the clients’ accounting software so you not only get the money faster but you don’t need to generate invoices and chase payments.”

simPRO client Jody Stimson of Stimsons Plumbing is already using Connect to manage her business and has seen a tangible impact on her recoverables.

“We implemented simPRO Connect and in 2 months brought the list of completed, uninvoiced jobs from 300 down to 80,” she says.

The payments feature provides real-time payments processing of Visa, MasterCard, Amex and debit cards via the IntergraPay payment gateway. IntegraPay holds an Australian Financial Services License and maintains PCI DSS Level 1 (Version 2) Security.

Other major upgrades in the release include Geostamping of mobile status changes to show where a user was when the update was made. This allows head office to better manage field staff and allocate resources more efficiently.