Most trade owners stay on software they have outgrown for one reason: the switch sounds worse than the problem. Years of clients, a team that knows the old app, and a busy season that never seems to end.
But a switch done properly takes about two weeks, runs alongside your old system, and nobody misses a visit. Here is how.
The short version
- Compare on what you actually use: users, the features on each plan, the currency you pay in, and where your data is stored.
- Your clients and services come across from an export of Jobber, Housecall Pro, QuickBooks or a spreadsheet, on every crewduo plan.
- Run both systems side by side for a couple of weeks, then switch off the old one.
- Prefer not to do it yourself? White-glove migration moves your history for you, for a one-time fee.
First: is it worth switching?
Owners usually start looking for one of these reasons. Compare them against what you pay today:
- Paying per user. Adding a tech or an office person costs more each month than it should.
- Features on the next plan up. Two-way texting, job costing or route optimisation sit on a plan you do not otherwise need.
- Paying in US dollars while you earn in Canadian dollars.
- Payments that do not fit Canada. Interac e-Transfer recorded by hand, or card readers not available here.
- Where your data lives. You want your clients' information stored in Canada, at a named location.
- The off-season. Paying the full plan for months you do not work.
We keep side-by-side comparisons, checked against each company's own website, for crewduo vs Jobber and crewduo vs Housecall Pro. Both are good products with many happy users. The right choice is the one that fits how your business runs.
What moves over
On every crewduo plan, including Free, you can import:
- Clients: names, contact details, addresses and properties
- Services and products: your catalogue and prices
from a Jobber export, a Housecall Pro export, QuickBooks, or a spreadsheet.
With white-glove migration, the crewduo team moves your history for you. It is a one-time fee; see the pricing page for the current price.
What you will set up fresh, and usually want to anyway:
- Your team members and what each role can do
- Quote and invoice templates with your logo and wording
- Recurring contracts, which is a good moment to check each one's price and terms
- Payments, by connecting your own Stripe account and adding your Interac details
A two-week plan to switch
Days 1 to 2: set up. Import clients and services. Add your team. Set up your logo, tax rates, templates and payment details.
Days 3 to 5: try it on real work. Book next week's new jobs in crewduo. Send a few real quotes and invoices. Let one tech use the app for a few days.
Week 2: run both. New work goes in crewduo; finish existing jobs in the old system. Move recurring contracts across as their next visit comes up. Show every tech the app: today's visits, check in, photos, forms, payment.
End of week 2: switch off. Export a final copy of everything from the old system and keep it. Cancel the old subscription at the end of its billing period.
Mistakes to avoid
- Switching in your busiest week. Pick a quieter stretch if you can.
- Not keeping a final export of your old system before you cancel.
- Skipping the team. Twenty minutes with each tech saves a week of phone calls.
- Moving every old recurring contract at once. Move them as their next visit comes up.
- Forgetting the links. Update the booking link on your website, Google profile and email signature.
How crewduo makes the switch easier
- Free plan, no time limit, so you can set up without paying for two systems.
- 14-day trial of Fleet, every feature, no card.
- 3 users on Van, 8 on Crew and 15 on Fleet, in Canadian or US dollars.
- Business data stored in Canada, in Toronto.
- Export your data whenever you like, on every plan, so you are never locked in either.
Compare plans on the pricing page, or book a walkthrough and we will walk through the move with your own data.
Quick answers
Will my clients notice? Only that your quotes and invoices look a little different and they can pay more easily. Their portal sign-in uses a one-time code, so there are no passwords to set up.
Can I keep my phone number? Your existing number stays with your carrier. A crewduo business line is a new local number, if you want calling and texting inside crewduo.
What if I change my mind? Export your data on any plan, any time.