Square: FREE, iPad, iPhone, Android, 2.75 percent per swipe
Being able to write up estimates and invoices on the jobsite is a major timesaver for many arborists, but that doesn’t get you paid. That’s where Square comes in. A little, well, square device that plugs into your smartphone’s/tablet’s headphone jack, combined with the free app, turns your device into an easy-to-use credit card machine. The device is $9.99 at a retailer, but free if you sign up at squareup.com.
Square takes 2.75 percent of each swipe, so it compares to most credit card machines you would have in the office, and there are no other contracts or fees associated with their service. The funds are deposited into the account of your choosing the very next day, and all major cards are accepted.
Square is great for getting paid on the spot when you or your crews perform the work — or for those times when the client wants to add something to a work order. If slow bill-paying clients have been an issue for you, Square can be a great tool to get paid before you even leave the client’s house.
Content provided courtesy of Brandon M. Gallagher Watson, who is the director of communications for Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements. He is also a certified arborist, non-certified home brewer and certifiable mobile technology geek.