
BOSS LM, part of the Integra Group, is a popular business management software and mobile app for lawn care, landscaping, snow removal, and other field service businesses.
If you’re considering using BOSS LM for your lawn and landscaping business, keep in mind BOSS landscape software offers limited functionality for certain necessary features and lacks other crucial features altogether.
This blog compares the best BOSS alternatives for field service software, including Aspire, with a deep focus on core platform functionality, such as:
- Key features
- Pricing
- Integrations
- Ease of use
What is BOSS LM?
BOSS landscape management software markets itself as an all-in-one software solution for small and large companies.
The software is geared toward lawn and landscape businesses, supply chain management, snow removal, and other trades. Core features include customer relationship management (CRM), invoicing, branch management, business operations management, and more.
Best BOSS LM alternatives
- Aspire
- Jobber
- Asset
- Real Green Systems
- LMN
- SingleOps
Aspire is lawn and landscape business management software
Aspire’s user-friendly business management software streamlines operations for lawn care, landscaping, and janitorial services, from scheduling, routing, and online booking, to job bidding, payment invoicing, and calculating payroll.
As a ServiceTitan company, Aspire supports residential contractors and commercial enterprises and boasts over 800 clients across 2,200 locations.
BOSS LM vs. Aspire
There’s no single rule for choosing a business management platform because many factors contribute to creating great software.
Consider a platform’s core features as well as any additional business management tools.
Instead of making a gut decision, weigh the options and determine which software solution will help you the most in running a successful landscaping business.
Key features
Estimating
Accurate estimating is key to winning more bids and growing revenue for any service business. BOSS LM and Aspire landscape business software include estimating as a core platform feature that tracks actual versus estimated costs.
The software also automatically adjusts prices in estimates based on changes to material pricing.
One differentiator for Aspire is the ability to create customizable estimating templates. Techs and sales team members can quickly produce an estimate in the field or on the job site using one of several pre-built templates.
Invoicing
Paper invoices are difficult to track, take time to process, and are prone to mistakes.
BOSS LM and Aspire include digital invoicing as a standard platform feature.
Techs in the field can send an invoice with the following:
- Accurate labor hours
- Material costs
- Job details
The mobile device functionality of Aspire also enables users to collect payments electronically even when they’re away from the office. Account managers can view outstanding invoices from the reporting dashboard, making it easy to follow up and collect owed revenue.
Reporting
Real-time reporting uncovers valuable insights into your business so you can make data-driven decisions to increase revenue, reduce inefficiencies, and track team performance.
Both software platforms include a reporting feature and a detailed visual dashboard to help you drill down into key metrics and demonstrate ROI.
CRM
Customer relationship management (CRM) helps services businesses streamline workflows, improve customer service, and increase sales by capturing leads and nurturing them across the sales pipeline from prospect to closed deal.
Aspire and BOSS LM include real-time CRM functionality to spotlight sales opportunities and better manage customer relationships.
Scheduling
Landscape management software takes the headache out of scheduling, especially when making changes on the fly to adapt to changing weather conditions, customer needs, or work order adjustments. The best platforms make job management effortless with route optimization.
BOSS LM advertises a labor forecasting feature that uses historical business data to project expected labor needs and costs months in advance.
Aspire's flexible scheduling feature uses automation, allowing your team to update or modify the schedule with simple drag-and-drop functionality. The intuitive UI makes it easy to:
- Move jobs from won to scheduled
- Create recurring maintenance jobs
- Update the schedule instantly
Field techs can create “quick tickets” at the job site from their mobile app (available for iOS and Android) to close deals faster.
Aspire provides a complete family of software solutions, including Crew Control for small businesses and startups.
If your company is in the early growth stages, earning less than $3 million annually, Crew Control may better match your software needs. The job scheduling feature offers an auto-route function that allows you to automatically optimize driving routes with one click and view expected drive times between jobs.
Both BOSS LM and Aspire offer additional platform features, including:
- Purchasing
- Accounting and Payroll
- Inventory
Check out the full feature list for Aspire and BOSS LM.
Pricing
Whenever a service business searches for new business management software, pricing is typically one of the top considerations.
It’s a significant investment, so you want to work with a vendor that offers transparent pricing. Many software providers charge per seat or user, significantly increasing costs if you hire additional employees as you scale.
Some questions to consider include:
- Does the vendor offer a free trial?
- Does the vendor charge a flat rate or per-user fee?
- Does the vendor charge a higher rate for premium features?
Predictable technology costs empower limitless growth for lawn care businesses
BOSS’s website, unfortunately, doesn’t list any pricing information or mention specific plans or tiers. Their website directs you to a lead-generation form to schedule a consultation.
Aspire lists all features of their two plans in a side-by-side graphic, making it easy to compare Aspire Corporate and Aspire Enterprise. Aspire suggests which plan to choose based on annual revenue targets, and their website includes a pricing FAQ to answer common questions.
Grow with confidence by using Aspire
By not charging by the number of users, Aspire customers can increase the number of field techs, CSRs, and employees without worrying about rising costs. Aspire also provides:
- Implementation and training support
- Post-implementation resources
- Monday to Friday AspireCare for problem-solving
With a growing product investment, Aspire users never have to worry about their technology falling behind the competition. Monthly subscriptions include delivery of all future enhancements, upgrades, and software development.
Integrations
A genuinely all-in-one business management software seamlessly connects with other software tools you already use, such as QuickBooks software for accounting and electronic payments.
→ Powerful integrations enable you to connect and streamline every aspect of your business.
Rather than using separate platforms in the field and back office, your team can accomplish more in less time using software with end-to-end functionality.
Minimize errors by integrating your workflows
Both BOSS LM and Aspire integrate with QuickBooks, eliminating duplicate data entry, reducing human error, and limiting the use of Excel spreadsheets. With Aspire’s open API capabilities at the Enterprise level, field service businesses can integrate a wide range of key tools to support functionality, including:
- Payments
- Training
- Payroll management
- Purchasing
- Supplier management
- And more
The BOSS LM website only specifies integrations for QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics GP, and Sage 300.
On the other hand, Aspire offers add-ons for a wide range of functions and partners with Savvy Otter to produce custom integrations.
Some of Aspire’s top integrations include:
- Altus Receivables Management
- Integrated Payroll Services to streamline payroll processing
- Clover Connect for online credit card payment and ACH bank transfers
- Telematics for GPS and dash cam to improve driver accountability
- Greenius for virtual onboarding and training
- LandscapeHub order management system
- SiteOne Landscape Supply integrated price catalogs
- PropertyIntel for digital takeoffs and property measurements
Ease of use
Online reviews highlight the ease of use of both BOSS LM and Aspire, specifically the drag-and-drop functionality.
When evaluating a platform's ease of use, consider the training and customer support options. BOSS LM offers dedicated in-person platform training for companies in the St. Louis area, virtually for those located elsewhere, and advanced online training for specific platform features.
Implement software with support that helps you adhere to the industry’s best practices and standards
Aspire customers work directly with a dedicated implementation manager for the duration of the training process—from onboarding through deployment and graduation—to ensure your team gains the foundational knowledge and skills to utilize the core platform to its full potential.
Users also benefit from unlimited access to ongoing training and support and numerous resources, such as webinars, open office hours, and walk-throughs of new features via an online Knowledge Base—at no additional cost.
| Get more competitive insights between these software platforms on the Aspire vs. BOSS LM page.
Top benefits of Aspire landscape business management software
Landscape and lawn care service businesses seeking to run more efficiently and with fewer headaches trust Aspire’s business management software.
The software is designed specifically for contractors in the green industry, with tools and functionality strategically developed for their specific needs. Aspire isn’t just a new piece of technology to tack on your existing tools or another tech fee to burden your team. It’s an investment to improve your business, giving you the technology to:
- Enhance efficiency and performance
- Streamline and improve processes
- Boost revenue and profits
- Make proactive, informed decisions
Additional BOSS LM alternatives
Jobber
Jobber software provides a wide range of features for field service business management.
Key features
Similar to Aspire, it offers functionality for:
- Scheduling
- Estimating
- Quoting
- Invoicing
- And more
Pricing
When it comes to pricing, Aspire provides far more flexibility for your business to grow and scale. Jobber charges a per-user fee, and their basic package allows for a single user.
Jobber also requires businesses to purchase more advanced packages to access the full suite of features.
On the other hand, both Aspire’s plans—Aspire Corporate and Aspire Enterprise—allow unlimited users and full feature access. Landscapers can grow their workforce without paying more to give everyone access to the software.
Integrations
Jobber provides some basic software integrations for landscapers to keep using their favorite software or to implement new processes for productivity, including:
- QuickBooks
- Zapier
- FleetSharp
- Stripe
- CompanyCam
- Mailchimp
| See how Jobber stacks up against Aspire on the Aspire vs. Jobber competitive page.
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Asset
Key features
Asset landscape management software provides functionality for your entire business, including:
- Accounting and administrative processes
- Production and operations
- Crew scheduling and route optimization
- Sales
- Estimating, bidding, and proposals
- Contract management
- Marketing coordination
However, Asset is slow to update the features, and users must individually download upgrades, leaving you with outdated software at your fingertips. Often, updates are prone to bugs, which can take weeks to resolve.
Pricing
Like Jobber, Asset charges a per-user fee, unlike Aspire’s unlimited access for a flat rate fee.
Ease of use
Asset received low marks in G2 reviews, with customers mentioning how the software requires a long onboarding process and is difficult to use.
Real Green Systems
RealGreen’s business software supports lawn care, landscaping, pest control, and arbor-care companies.
Key features
Unlike some platforms, RealGreen offers integrated marketing services, such as direct mail, customer design, and printing capabilities to promote your business.
While the software generally receives high scores on G2, multiple customers knock the software for having bugs in its reporting capabilities.
Pricing
While RealGreen doesn’t provide specific pricing information on its website, there is a low base cost.
However, each feature comes at an additional fee, leading to overwhelming technology expenses to use the software how you need it.
Some customer reviews report that there is also a fee for every email sent from the platform.
Integrations
RealGreen provides robust integrations to make operation easier for companies in the lawn care and landscape industry, including:
- QuickBooks exporting (not syncing)
- Automated texting to customers
- Marketing functions
- GPS tracking and routing
- Payment processing
RealGreen also has a partnership with Waypoint Analytical for soil testing.
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LMN
LMN offers web-based software for landscaping businesses.
Key features
Similar to Aspire, the platform supports:
- Estimating
- Job and payroll reporting
- Time tracking
- Payment processing
- Customer management
- Sales and marketing support
- And more
One differentiator for LMN is the gamification feature, which motivates and rewards employees who go above and beyond.
Pricing
LMN charges a per-user fee for each of its plans. LMN offers a free version but includes limited features and no implementation support.
On the other hand, Aspire provides unlimited customer support, no matter the plan.
Ease of use
With technology, there will always be bugs and issues, but the support behind a platform can make a big difference in using it.
LMN user reviews say that it seems as though the features are tacked on, and “it feels disjointed to use.”
| Get greater insights into how LMN stacks up against Aspire on the competitive page, Aspire vs. LMN.
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SingleOps
SingleOps all-in-one software supports the green industry, including lawn care, arborists, and landscaping companies.
Key features
The platform offers:
- Customer management
- Mobile estimating and digital proposals
- Scheduling
- Time tracking and crew management
- Reporting
- Invoicing
Integrations
SingleOps provides basic integrations for some aspects of running a busy landscaping business, including:
- QuickBooks
- iCal
- GreenSky Financing
- FleetSharp for GPS tracking
- ProPay for payment processing
The software also doesn’t have industry partnerships that users can leverage to operate better with new efficiencies.
Ease of use
SingleOps receives mostly positive reviews on GetApp, yet multiple customers mentioned how the software experiences difficulties with QuickBooks integration.
The user interface can also be challenging to navigate without Aspire's clean design and intuitive functionality.
Schedule a demonstration to see how Aspire can unlock growth for your landscaping business at 3X the industry rate
Aspire’s all-in-one solution helps enterprise-level landscapers save time, operate more efficiently, close more jobs, retain and gain more customers, increase their bottom line, and lay the groundwork for growing your landscaping business.
To learn more about how Aspire sets itself apart from the competition, reach out for a personalized demo today.
