In an industry where efficiency reigns supreme, every minute saved translates directly to the bottom line. No. 85 on the 2024 LM150 list with a revenue of $41,841,001, Conserva Irrigation, in Glen Allen, Va., implemented its routing software in 2018, and according to Russ Jundt, president, it’s made a huge difference for his company.
Conserva utilizes a built-in route maximizer through the Serviceminder platform. The service is available to all of Conserva’s 83 locations nationwide.
Jundt shares how his company utilizes route maximization software and explains why irrigation contractors everywhere should implement it into their businesses.
Landscape Management: How important is your routing software to your business?
Russ Jundt: You can’t run a business without it. Route density is uber important. It’s critical. It is a game changer. You can’t be doing a star pattern across the metro, 30 minutes here, 45 minutes here, 25 minutes that way and an hour up that way. You may as well just turn in your keys and go home. The route optimization, finding the best route point A to B and C then back to the shop, is critical.
LM: How do irrigation technicians receive updates from the software on their route?
Jundt: They have access through a mobile app, which includes not only their route but their work orders. It’s also where they are clocking in and out and recording the material and invoicing and all of that. The app carries them through the entire job process.
LM: What is the cost of adding routing software for an irrigation contractor?
Jundt: There are all sorts of out-of-the-box route optimization programs that are available, and most of them are more than affordable. But, really, it’ll pay for itself on day one of a 22-workday month because it will save you the missed opportunities when you have crews driving around back and forth, covering their tracks multiple times.
You’ll be able to effectively get more work done, and at the end of the day, the more systematized the process in your day, the less that’s left up for chance. And the less that’s left up to chance, the less likely it is for things to go sideways.
LM: What other services does the routing software that Conserva uses offer to your technicians?
Jundt: The software also provides live updates to the customer when the irrigation technician is out on their route. (The customer) will get an email confirmation upon setting up the appointment. They’ll get an email reminder confirmation the day before, and then once the technician clicks out of that first job and is heading to the next, it sends a push notification via text that says the tech is on their way and they’ll be there in X amount of time.
