MyLandscapeWebsite.com
Website Development

Digital tools are becoming as important to the success of landscape businesses as traditional tools. Fleet management, project design and business operations are some of the areas that benefit significantly from mobile and desktop applications. Here are some of the digital advancements that appeared in 2015.

This company's website design and development services were changed from static HTML to responsive, which facilitates better viewing and interaction on mobile devices; in other words, easier reading and navigating with a minimum of resizing, panning and scrolling. A site designed with responsive Web design adapts the layout to the viewing device. RWD is becoming more important since mobile traffic now accounts for more than half of total Internet traffic. Google has even begun to boost the ratings of sites that are mobile friendly if a search is made from a mobile device, essentially penalizing sites that are not mobile friendly.
https://www.mylandscapewebsite.com

Software Republic
Design Software

The makers of Pro Contractor Studio irrigation and landscape design software released a new version of their RainCAD• program for creating irrigation designs, distribution analysis, hydraulic calculations and more. It is called 15 BricsCAD® Edition and runs seamlessly inside of existing licenses of BricsCAD® Pro or Platinum 15 (64-bit only) from Bricsys®. The software saves drawings in an AutoCAD® DWG format, eliminating the translation process, and assists with the material takeoff and estimating process.
https://softwarerepublic.com/

RMJ Technologies/Verizon Networkfleet
Fleet Optimizer / Fleet Management

Among the fleet optimizing solutions that RMJ sells is online application Verizon Networkfleet, which last year was a finalist in the Telematics Update Awards for best telematics service or solutions for commercial vehicles. In addition to Networkfleet, RMJ offers on-board camera systems including the CoPilot•, a live-view unit that measures less than five inches and weighs under a pound but features dual built-in cameras to see inside and outside the cab to promote safety and facilitate risk management. Besides monitoring driving behavior live, a record function is available.
https://rmjtech.com/

Flint
Mobile Payment Processor

Flint Mobile, a dongle-free, swipe-free mobile payments app, expanded its payment management and loyalty capabilities for small, service-centric businesses like landscape companies.

With Flint's technology, workers can take a picture of the credit card with their mobile device and the app translates it into a digitized number. The purchaser signs with his or her finger to approve the transaction. The merchant can then send a receipt back to the consumer via the app. Flint helps build loyalty with their coupons and social media tools. They also recently added a Sell Online feature that will let businesses begin selling their products or services online without additional service fees.
https://flint.com/

Drafix Software
Design Application

Drafix added an Android version of PRO Landscape Contractor, a standalone landscape design and bidding app to facilitate designs and price quotes on an Android tablet. After a picture of the site is loaded, plants, mulch, grass, hardscapes, and more can be added.

The image library includes over 11,000 items with plants organized by climate zone. Other images such as water features, statues, outdoor kitchens and more are available. Downloaded images can be saved to local favorites so no Internet connection is required to design. The climate zone can be set to show plants by locality. The image library can be searched by common or botanical name. Price quotes can be created using company prices, which can be saved for future designs. PRO Landscape Contractor is free to download and try. To access the full image library, users can subscribe on a monthly basis. To download, search for "PRO Landscape Contractor" in the appropriate app store or use one of the following links:
Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.prolandscape.contractor
App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/app/pro-landscape-contractor/id878340892?ls=1&mt=8

JobFLEX
Quoting and Estimating Application

JobFLEX, which helps in-the-field sales staffs create professional quotes on-site, announced a new pricing model to make their mobile quoting technology more accessible to small- to mid-sized contractors struggling with staffing during the labor shortage. The company found that many contractors who shop for estimating, quoting, and sales software have a hard time figuring out the true cost of it: the weeks or months it takes to implement the software, additional support costs, license fees versus monthly fees, etc. Both Basic and Pro JobFLEX plans can now be paid on a monthly basis, without an up-front investment.???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+The Basic Package, which includes the mobile app, customizable materials list, support and training, file directory and one user is $45/month. The Pro Package, priced at $95/month, includes everything in the Basic Package, plus customer management features, scheduling/calendar, data import, standard reporting features and five users.
https://job-flex.com/

Vip3D
Design Software

Structure Studios relaunched their widely used, high-end 3D pool and landscape design software, VIP Suite, as Vip3D, which, the company says, takes the package beyond pool and landscape design.

Vip3D's tools include the new SketchUp Importer that lets designers resize, scale, and customize items from the millions of items in the 3D SketchUp Warehouse, or created in SketchUp, to populate Vip3D designs.

Once models with SketchUp items are fully rendered in 3D, they can be customized - it takes just one click to select the object, and one click to choose a new color, material, or finish. An exclusive???(R)???AE'?N????e'?N,A+high-contrast color theme was also added.

The SketchUp Importer, and other new tools in Vip3D, are available now as a free update for current members and as a download for new members.
https://structurestudios.com/