Do you Need ServiceTitan’s Pricebook Pro?

Are you frustrated with all the effort and energy you’re expending to get your ServiceTitan Pricebook where it has to be? You figured some time and work would go into setting it up once, but then you’d be done with it. Now you’ve encountered a few gaps in the functionality that threaten your overall efficiency. You’re probably wondering if upgrading to Pricebook Pro is the answer…

Will it make the difference you need to your operations? Will it be worth it? And is it the best option available to you?

Choosing between Standard and Pro

If one is meant to be an improvement on the other, it’s fair to expect to commit considerably less time and manpower to setting up, checking and updating pricing data. You’d expect minimal manual requirement if any at all.

While Pricebook Pro does promise to shave off some time from the way the standard Pricebook functions, the advantages of upgrading aren’t obvious. Like with bulk editing capabilities, you’d still have to export data to a spreadsheet, edit manually, and then import back to ServiceTitan. You also have to live with the risk of human error and the duplication of old data. Always a question mark over the integrity of your Pricebook.

Among a group of users polled on Facebook recently, just over a quarter of respondents claimed it took them between one and three months to set up their ServiceTitan Pricebook. Almost half said it’s still not set up after three months. That’s not surprising given the amount of data to be entered manually. Since every business is different, we can’t assume the cause of delay but it’s noteworthy how many users struggle to get going.

If you hadn’t expected to employ someone just to do the job of checking prices, you’re not alone. Other ServiceTitan users we’ve spoken to were quite frankly shocked at how labor-intensive the process is. They hadn’t budgeted for that.

Cost will be weighing on your mind too - the cost of sticking with the standard Pricebook versus the cost of upgrading to Pro. ServiceTitan seems to follow a personalized pricing structure for the Pro package - their website currently doesn’t list a price. You’ll have to request a demo with them to learn what the add-on might cost you. And then decide if it justifies the investment:

• Will you end up with a pricebook that actually helps your technicians make the right choices for their customers and drives revenue for your business?
• When you factor in the number of staff members tied up in the setup process, software subscription fees, amount of time spent maintaining pricing data, money spent on a partnership, consultant or Excel expert, how will that impact your ROI?

What is Pricebook Pro?

It’s quite deflating having to add this tool or that system to your existing toolkit, and then you still don’t have an accurate, reliable pricebook. You really need to get this thing working well, as fast as possible. So, what’s the deal with Pricebook Pro and how is it better or different than ServiceTitan’s standard Pricebook option?

What’s included in Pricebook Pro

It’s sold as an upgrade to the default pricebook on your ServiceTitan account. It’s got all the standard features, including the ability to set up categories, input descriptions, prices and sold hours, add images, explainer videos and PDFs, linked services, etc. But here are the add-ons you’d be paying extra for:

• Dynamic pricing - the ability to set up pricing using proposal templates and estimates, edit them as needed and build into options and upgrades
• Bulk edit - the ability to edit certain items in bulk to save you from having to create a pricebook painstakingly, one item at a time 
• Connect feature - it enables you to add items from Pricebook Pro and supplier catalogs individually or in bulk, map and sync via your supplier API what you need to add to your Pricebook in order to get direct notification to action your own pricing updates
• Smart Recommendations - it helps your technicians upsell by taking the guesswork out of selling new or additional services/products 
• Smart Start feature - it automatically adds a few hundred common services personalized for you and feeds into proposal templates your techs can use straight off
• Mobile output with a pretty, modern interface that will impress customers

What it isn’t

ServiceTitan’s website describes Pricebook Pro as a dynamic solution, but if all you want is a simple plug-and-play solution that will allow you to get on with the actual work of running the business, this simply doesn’t go far enough. It’s true that it provides regular notification on available pricing updates. But make no mistake: all those pricing update notifications, including from Connect, will only alert you to changes, not actually process any.

There’s no automation here. Not only will you have to check your pricing info and investigate the relevant pricing source for affected items, but you’ll also have to update it yourself. Or pay someone to do it. Forever.

Keep in mind the time lag between discovery and having the correct pricing available in the system for your techs to use. Does that sound very efficient or cost-effective to you?

To answer the question then: Will going Pro close all those gaps and liberate you from the resource-heavy processes of setting up and maintaining your pricebook? It is a step up from the standard ServiceTitan Pricebook in terms of capabilities and time-saving features. As it turns out though, both are guilty of the same inefficiencies. When all is said and done, you’re still left with a significant amount of manual input and maintenance work to keep your Pricebook updated and correct.

There’s a game-changing role for automation to play here, not only to speed things up but also to ensure a great deal more accuracy.

A better way to use your ServiceTitan Pricebook

There is a way you can get a fully dynamic Pricebook in ServiceTitan with real-time updates. The solution is simple: connect your standard issue ServiceTitan Pricebook and supplier pricing to Wink Reports. And just like that, it’s done - a real set up and forget solution.

Wink partners with ServiceTitan - we’ve brought our expertise in data and reporting automation on board to help home service companies optimize their pricebooks. With accurate pricing visible on a lovely dashboard that anyone in your team can access anywhere, your staff can literally get on with more important tasks.

• No manual maintenance required.
• No tying up valuable resources to check and update pricing info. 
• No misquoting on services, equipment or materials because technicians unwittingly used outdated, static prices.
• No costly delays in quoting or sales because pricing has to be checked first.
• No hesitation impacting service delivery because techs are unsure if pricing is correct.

It’s only the axis that your entire business revolves around! When your pricebook functions properly, generating estimates, quotes, invoices, and reports, delivering quality service and everything else can get done more efficiently. Get the help you need to optimize your ServiceTitan Pricebook: sign up for your Wink solution now.