Evaluate field-service software options for a pool service route business, focusing on route/scheduling, billing, and chemical-tracking features

Steps

1. Define required feature set before comparing vendors: route/stop scheduling and optimization, mobile technician checklists/water-test logging, customer billing and chemical pass-through invoicing, and reporting for compliance/service history
2. Shortlist pool-industry-specific platforms, a category that includes products such as Skimmer among others, rather than generic field-service software, since pool-specific tools typically include water-chemistry logging and chemical-cost tracking built in
3. Verify integration needs: payment processing, accounting software sync, and any chemical/inventory tracking the business already relies on
4. Request a trial or demo focused on the actual daily workflow (a tech logging a stop's readings and chemicals on a phone in the field) rather than just the admin dashboard, since field usability often decides adoption
5. Confirm pricing structure (per-route, per-tech, per-stop, or flat subscription) and any data-export/portability terms before committing, so switching later isn't blocked by locked-in data
6. Pilot with a subset of routes/technicians before a full rollout to catch workflow gaps early