Reading estimating software reviews? Check these eight things.
Reviews tell you how someone else felt about a product. This checklist tells you what to test yourself during a trial, especially if your work touches insurance claims.
The checklist
1. Do quantities come from measurements or from typing?
If every quantity is typed by hand, every quantity is a chance for a mistake and an argument. iScope Cloud derives quantities from the sketched room and updates them when the drawing changes.
2. How current is the pricing, and is it local?
Ask when the price list was last updated and whether it adjusts for location. iScope Cloud's catalog refreshes monthly and adjusts labor to the ZIP code of the loss.
3. Can you override a price and keep the override?
You know your market. My Price List in iScope Cloud lets you set your own price on any item and reuse it on every future estimate.
4. Does it do the policy math?
Replacement cost, depreciation, actual cash value, tax, overhead and profit. If the software cannot present these the way a claim file needs them, you will be doing it in a spreadsheet.
5. Are photos tied to rooms?
A folder of 200 photos is not documentation. In iScope Cloud, photos are placed on the sketch, so each one belongs to a room and inspection pins mark the damage.
6. Can it read the reports you already pay for?
EagleView roof reports and CubiCasa or iGuide floor plans import directly into iScope Cloud, so the measuring you already paid for is not typed in twice.
7. What does your team pay?
Per-seat prices vary wildly. iScope Cloud is $85 a month for the license and $20 a month for each additional team member, with every feature included.
8. What happens when you need help?
Look for training videos, a way to reach a person, and help inside the app. iScope Cloud has all three, including scheduled online training with an iScope trainer.
How to run a fair trial
Pick a loss you have already estimated by hand. Sketch it, price it and export the PDF in the new software. Compare the quantities and the total to your original, and time how long it took. That is the only review that matters for your business.
Try it on a real loss
Every iScope Cloud account starts with a free trial. Run the comparison above on your own file and judge for yourself.
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