When Mike Vandergugten, owner of Higher Ground Landscaping and Design, started his business, he used his Samsung Note as his primary note-taker. Although it made PDFs, it didn’t solve his team’s challenge with communication: photos, notes, documents all “trapped” in his phone.
The chaos of having a phone packed with work images — paired with the anxiety of remembering which photos to send to what email — is not an ideal cycle for a successful business model.
In 2018, Mike downloaded CompanyCam. “CompanyCam is a game-changer,” he told us. With CoCam, his team now has “very clear communication.”
Mike’s crew understands the app and utilizes it efficiently. To Mike, the monthly cost is nothing. “If it saves me one trip in a month, CompanyCam has more than paid for everyone’s fee.”
Find a Balance
There is a fine line between overloading clients with unnecessary information and leaving them in the unknown. Mike doesn’t want to overwhelm his customers with details and information, but he wants to establish transparency and trust with them. If something note-worthy takes place, he must be prepared to inform the customer appropriately.
For example, Mike does salting and snow clearing. If clients need proof of their due diligence by performing snow and ice control, he can pull up the relevant photos on CompanyCam. He says, “Here is the GPS and time-stamped photo of our due diligence to represent you, so you’re covered.”
If the case ever reaches court, this intentional documentation on CompanyCam could save someone “a whole lot of headache,” not to mention the “risk of a $100,000 to $2 million claim.” With this in mind, Mike believes CompanyCam is a “pretty simple sell.”
Keep Good Records
CompanyCam keeps your company information “relevant and updated.” Mike does projects for some customers in phases, returning for the next stages in two or three years. CoCam makes it easy to find old photos and stay updated, even years later.
Mike’s favorite CoCam feature is being able to “write dimensions conveniently and easily.” Mike has been “doing the photo notes for years,” so take it from him when he says, “unlimited storage and accessibility to everybody in real-time is huge!”
Why wait?
Mike has established deeper trust with his customers because of the honesty CompanyCam provides. “You can be totally transparent with people. You develop trust.”
If he could only choose two software to use, Mike said he’d pick CompanyCam and LMN Landscaping Management. CompanyCam has changed the way Mike and Higher Ground Landscaping do business. So much so Mike “can’t imagine doing business without it now.”
For those of you on the fence, Mike has two words for you: “Why wait?” Having your team on the same page at the same time is essential. CompanyCam provides an organized way to: “show proof for your work, no matter the industry you’re in.”
Last words from Mike, “Give CompanyCam a try. What have you got to lose?! Tell me you don’t like it in three months.”
For Real… Why Wait?
CompanyCam saves you time, money, energy, and headaches. Why delay the inevitable? CoCam may be a great tool for your business!
CompanyCam is a photo-based solution created for contractors by contractors. Users can take unlimited photos — which are location and time-stamped, sent to the cloud, and stored securely. Check out the video below for more details!
Mike Vandergugten is the owner of Higher Ground Landscaping and Design. Higher Ground Landscaping and Design is an environmentally friendly company that has been serving its clients since September 2006.
They provide personalized services for all phases of landscape design, installation, and construction, all the while remaining eco-friendly and sustainable.
Higher Ground Landscaping and Design is committed to providing well-planned, artistically functional landscapes, unique to each client’s needs.
