9A: Home Watch Software

Inside the boundary
Who: Home Watchers with high volume of clients

What: Detail-oriented, professional, efficiency (avoiding double-entry), proof of work

Why: The software helps to maintain the trust in the home watcher-client relationship. Home watchers are in charge of keeping most people's largest investment in order- their home

Outside the boundary
Who: The software available is not replaceable by self-made checklists 

What: People who do home watch for few clients may not need the software 

Why: People do not use the software simply because they can't make their own checklists, it is the other features (geofencing, invoicing, all-in-one reporting) of the software that make it worth buying

Interviews

Middle Aged Woman with around 100 Home Watch Clients

• I used to do paper reporting, but then I purchased the electronic system- homewatchsofware.com- I did some research because I was doing lots of paperwork at end of day- about an hour or more
• Lots of higher end clients are expecting it home watch software competitors use the software- you are able to communicate what you did better by using it and easier invoicing
• Which clients want to see the use of home watch software: All varieties of people- less high-end clients appreciate the transparency and communication, higher-end clients require it

Middle Aged man with a few local home watch clients

• If you move back and forth from Florida to Georgia its lot cheaper for someone to get a home watcher than any security system you could buy- there's no way of knowing how your house is, people have alarm systems but want someone to checking. Checklists are printed based on personal preference and based on the house, I don't use software. People don't need software here.
• Reflection: Likely only necessary to have software in areas with high volume of snowbirds coming in and out who need their houses to be watched. Local home watchers in Georgia do not have much competition and have no need for anything other than a printable checklist 

President of National Home Watch Association

• The National Home Watch Association recommends all software that is easy to use and  that includes billing, reporting, and prevents double entry. I personally recommend Home watch IT. I saw HWSoft- Not all that impressed. QRID is okay for 1-2 customers but after that it's exponentially expensive
• Who else could use home watch software: Cleaning services, any service type industry
• What is the return on investment for home watch software: employee time, increased productivity of employees, less paperwork, save double entry of re-typing all information in accounting systems
• There's lots of home watch software out there already
• Reflection: Don't waste the time of a president unless you have very specific questions that could only be answered by an extremely experienced and aware professional

President of "Your Home Watch Professionals"

• Is there anyone who doesn't need home watch software: Everyone in this industry needs it. The most important part of home watch is documentation. Home watchers need proof of visits otherwise there can be legal repercussions or insurance denial. I used to spend 3-5 hours per week after write it all out in work emails and spreadsheets with an assistant, now go through checklists and when we leave we're done 
• What other aspects of the home watch software are most beneficial- is it looking professional, efficient, and what is it not for:All that, but documentation is key- checklist will save you- saves from making mistake, even I can make mistakes, prevents you from forgetting and making mistakes, people forget, systems don’t forget 
• What is the general demographic of home watch clients: There is a financial and age demographic. Baby boomers with expendable income- age 55+ but there are also plenty of millennials who need the service as well. Anyone with second or third home 
• Software needed in Areas with high volume of people leaving their houses