Running a successful scrap metal recycling operation requires owners to regularly step back and assess if their tools are working for them.
Heavy equipment needs service, trucks require maintenance, and old containers must be replaced. The same holds true for the software used to run your scrap yards. Is your current software product doing all it can to make your recycling business successful? Scrap metal recyclers should take stock of their current software by evaluating several critical factors.
Scrap Metal Recycling Software Should Do the Following
1. Offer features to run your entire operation end to end
Scrap metal recyclers should have a software system that will seamlessly run your entire operation end to end. From the buying process through inventory management, shipment and sales, the software should allow staff to enter data one time while it is tracked throughout your operation. See a purchase quote converted to a contract, while the inventory is tracked possibly across multiple yards and to its final destination after sale. Eliminate paper, spreadsheets, file cabinets and clerical errors with “first time final” capture of your data after it is entered once by your staff.
Software must provide modules such as:
Purchases, Quotes & Contracts, Sales, Inventory, Truck Dispatch, Container Tracking, Ledger Interface, and Reports. It must also include software modules and interface with hardware to assist with compliance with all laws and regulations.
2. Give you a bird’s eye view of your business with critical reports
Having software run your business is one thing, but it also must produce reports to help you see what’s going on. Good scrap metal recycling software should provide a suite of reporting features that deliver real-time insights to give you the at-a-glance data you need for smart decision making. With these reports on hand, you can transform raw data into actionable intelligence.
3. Provide cutting edge improvements with free ongoing updates
Software is dynamic and is always being improved. A good scrap metal recycling software should include routine updates to add the latest innovations all free of charge. ScrapWare software, a leading product in the scrap metal recycling industry, is constantly collaborating with its industry clients to add new features and abilities to its software. Once ScrapWare makes such improvements, it makes these features available to all its clients free of charge during routine updates. In this way, all its scrap metal recycling clients have access to the latest software innovations.
4. Allow smart customization, if needed
Sometimes a small change can make a big difference. Scrap metal recycling software should allow for customization to meet the changing needs of your business. ScrapWare software is built for customization. It can be adjusted to meet a recycler’s unique goals and needs. At the same time, each modification is carefully evaluated to make sure it will not impact a customer’s ability to upgrade or alter their product in the future. The software should continue to be able to scale up or scale down to adjust to the changing nature of the industry.
5. Provide promised features that are well tested in a timely manner
To serve your recycling company, a software provider must follow through by delivering the features it has promised its customers. Sometimes a promised feature gets snagged in development and takes months or years to be completed or is delivered prematurely with technical glitches. ScrapWare does not provide customers with new features until they are rigorously tested.
6. Offer ample live free support across time zones, on demand
Many recycling software providers underestimate the importance of support. They’re only available during business hours or they rely on automated systems. Your staff must be able to resolve issues with the software as they arise to protect your IT investment and your bottom line. ScrapWare works hard to make sure its software serves you without interruption. Its product is backed with responsive, reliable support. All day, every day, it will quickly resolve any issue by phone, text, or email.
7. Avoid hidden fees
Things like version updates, user improvements, license fees or routine support should not require additional or annual fees. Once your system is up and running, a monthly pre-determined predictable maintenance fee is all you should pay. Major customization work should be quoted and agreed upon in advance to avoid expense surprises.
8. Be easy to use and allow for flexible training
Recycling software cannot produce a solid return on investment if it is too hard for your staff to use. ScrapWare software is designed to be user friendly, and its training is too. ScrapWare software uses an intuitive color-coded fill in the blank format and recognizable icons, so it is easy and actually fun to use. ScrapWare makes the learning process easy, convenient, and accessible. You and your staff members can train at your own pace, anytime, from anywhere.
So many software training programs try to cram everything into one long, dull session. It leaves participants bored and not able to retain the information. ScrapWare takes a different approach, engaging participants through short, interesting sessions. This format lets them build on what they’ve learned and put their new skills into practice. At the end of the program, participants leave knowledgeable and confident in their skills.
Get the most out of your recycling software investment
ScrapWare Corp. has been in business for more than 35 years providing software to the scrap metal recycling industry exclusively. Working hand-in-glove with our customers, we have developed a software product that is built around the needs of the scrap metal recycling industry. ScrapWare is always being enhanced with cutting-edge improvements made with input from our customers.
About ScrapWare Corporation: Since 1989, Rockville, Maryland-based ScrapWare Corporation has been the software of choice for the recycling industry. Its ease of installation and simplicity saves users time and money while helping them achieve compliance and maintain accurate business insights. With state-of-the-art functionality tailored to each organization’s unique requirements, ScrapWare is an advanced dynamic software solution that alleviates the most pressing recycling industry worries. For more information, please call (301) 517-8500 or visit https://www.scrapware.com/.