Client records/ software on the road.

[SitStayStyle]

Hi! I was wondering if anyone uses a particular software on the road to keep track of clients/schedules/payments etc.

I also have a mac. I want to stay will computer and avoid the old fashioned appointment book.

Anyone have any ideas or would like to share how they track it?



Thanks!!!

[groominshuman]

I don't have a Mac but I have a computer with a sprint card and I use Google apps. I can pull up all my contacts and appointments from there. What I find even better is my Blackberry also has all of my contacts and appointments. So now I just use my Blackberry. Good luck.

[kats_melody]

We have a Mac. We use 123Pet running under Windows XP in a Paralllels virtual machine. We can backup the data on the van's computer to a drive and restore it to our Mac at the office with the same setup. As long as we only use one computer at a time, CMJ Designs is okay with that use. We use Mac applications for everything else.

Alternately, you could use iCal for appointment scheduling, and Quickbooks for Mac to generate your invoices and keep track of the money. Use Mail to send e-mail reminders to your customers.

STX is a Mac program for beauty salons that some groomers use. But it is pricey at nearly $800 for the software, and you have to use workarounds to make it usable. Not worth the money in our humble opinion.

[lyttleravyn]

I have a Mac, and one day was playing around with the program Bento 3. With it you can create your own custom databases, it even synchs google maps when you type in an address and can track all email or phone correspondence. You can also look at your client list in spreadsheets sorted by any of the text boxes you put in.

What was mentioned above are also good, using iCal for appointments. I just thought Bento was great because it was soooo customizable.

[SitStayStyle]

i was playing with ical... its a very nice for the actual scheduling... but not much of a database. What I have found most difficult, is how to keep good records with owners and MULTIPLE pets. Even the salon software (like STX) I imagine the "client" is one space... none of these are going to leave me an area for breed, age, service notes etc.

Ill have to play with Bento....

I LOVE PETLINX! but I am really not willing to get a PC I was thinking about a netbook for the road... but I am such a MAC person now...

i was able to get a VERIFONE "sleeve" for my iphone. I swipe the credit card right on that and in goes right into my bank account

[Canopener Sally]

Having a Mac I also have this problem. I refuse to use parallels. If I wanted to run windows, I wouldn't have bothered to buy a Mac. I do use iCal for my appointments which seems to serve me well. I would like a better way to keep records of dogs. What I do at the moment is use my address book on my Mac and put the dog's info in the Note portion of client listing. Works pretty good for free. Quickbooks for the money side.

[SitStayStyle]

am i onto something?

I came across "mgroomer" it says its a web base service made for mobile groomers. it says it is in development but will be available soon? Anyone else heard of this? the only page i can find on it is mgroomer.com but that has basically the info i just had and nothing more?

[cburnett565]

VERIFONE "sleeve" for my iphone

I would like to find out more information on the VERIFONE "sleeve" for my iphone.....How much does it cost a month to use this on your iphone? It looks like something i would like to check into...... Thanks in advance....Cathy