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Arb Pro Software Ltd (formally Digital Green Solutions) based in Southampton, Hampshire, is run and managed by an arborist involved in the industry since 1992 with a good understanding of the arb industry and importantly running and managing a tree contracting business. The company has recently released the all new tree contracting software package Arb Pro.

The software has been designed and field tested during the past six years and is the first specialist software package designed exclusively for tree contractors in the UK. The software enables companies to proactively market their client base with the specialist tools available. The software package manages two principal areas of business activity, namely office activities (desktop version) and field use – remote data collection (tablet PC version).

The desktop version will operate on the majority of operating platforms and in summary is a customer relations management system (CRM) designed to manage all data associated with managing clients and related data. This includes areas such as quotations and invoices, work programming tools, risk assessment – generic and site-specific – and wildlife assessments, marketing and analysis tools, calendars and email functionality.

The system enables the user to track enquiries and tree work applications, and allows for the syncronisation of financial data with either Sage accounts or QuickBooks. It is also possible to link associated info with quotes with seamless interaction. Creating any audit trail is a simple and quick process.

The desktop version of the software is a valuable tool for any tree contracting organisation and, say the company, a significant aid for any company looking to demonstrate competence in achieving ISO 9001 or Arboricultural Association approved contractor status.

The tablet PC version gives the ability to export and import quotations to the desktop version on return to the office following completion of site visits. The tablet version is a scaled down version of the desktop version, specifically designed for field use with numerous drop-down menus. In summary the tablet version provides surveyors with tools to capture the following quotation information: costs, tree work descriptions, tools required, surveyor comments etc as well as risk assessment, marketing information with reference to the specific client and tree protection. information – TPO, conservation area etc. The syncing of data with the desktop version when the surveyor returns to the office greatly saves on admin time, doing away with the need for entering all the surveyor’s notes and data collected for each site visit completed. Currently there are two purchase options for the software.

The online version, which is hosted completely online in a secure data centre, is a new option available from August 2011. The company is offering a free no-obligation 30-day trial of this. For smaller organisations this is a very cost-effective option for such powerful business management tools. The software is available for a monthly fee of £50 or comparatively just £12.50 per week, payable monthly by direct debit with a minimum 12-month contract. The second option available is outright purchase, locally hosted in the client’s office, which allows users to purchase the software for a one-off fee with a modest annual licence fee for updates and support. This option gives organisations more flexibility in terms of future development to modify the product taking account of other business activities not included in the module purchased.

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