HomeGauge News Alert June 2014

OneSource | HG Training | Windows 8.1 | Subscription | Credit Cards | Tips | Conferences


HG Integrates With OneSource Solutions Home Connections

Your customers have enough on their mind with their new home purchase. Reward them with convenience by recommending OneSource Solutions Home Connections. OneSource has experienced, well-trained consultants that take the stress out of moving to a new home. In just one phone call, OneSource will coordinate the majority of new home service connections — electric, phone, Internet, cable, satellite, alarm system, gas and more. All you need to do is click the button at the home inspection report to send the buyer's info. As an extra incentive, OneSource will compensate you for your leads and HomeGauge makes it easy! See the tour and link below for more information on OneSource.



Get more information on OneSource:

OneSource: Benefits and Integration with HomeGauge (login required)



Get Your 2 Day HG Training!

HomeGauge Training is headed to the Midwest! This two-day event will be held July 10-11, 2014 at the Hampton Inn Suites in Mt. Prospect, IL. Register today by calling 828-254-2030 — space is extremely limited! This training is taking place directly before the ASHI Great Lakes 2014 Summer Conference.

HomeGauge Training Info & Webinar Signups



Windows 8.1 Treats The Owies

Windows 8.1's changes bring a great deal of improvement. There is no more reason to run for the hills when you hear the words, "It comes with Windows 8!" Windows 8.1 brings back the Start button to the classic Windows Desktop, fixing one of its users' biggest complaints. Many users will start up Windows 8, click on the "Desktop" button on the start screen, and use it just like they used Windows 7. You also have the option in 8.1 to boot up your computer directly to the classic desktop. There are many other usability improvements as well, and Windows 8.1 has better performance and a faster startup — up to twice as fast as Windows 7. Behind the scenes, Windows 8 is considered the most secure version of Windows yet, resulting from a few things, including its Secure Boot feature and Windows 8's default browser Internet Explorer 10, which was rated the best in detecting and blocking over 99% of malicious downloads — believe it, or not! This compared with just 70.4% for Google Chrome (see more).

Windows 8.1 does work differently in many ways, but it's growing on us and we think it is currently the right choice for business users. There are some links below to Microsoft's website showing some short tutorials that show Windows 8.1's ease of use.

It's different, but good!

Windows 8 Start Screen Tutorial

Windows 8 Desktop Tutorial

Getting Around Windows 8 Tutorial




HomeGauge Subscription Special Has Been Extended

Get HomeGauge 5, HomeGauge Companion and HomeGauge Services all bundled together for one low monthly price! Now it's easy to start using HomeGauge or get additional inspectors up and running in your business! For only $59/month, the brand new HomeGauge Subscription includes the latest versions of HomeGauge Software and HG Companion for Android or iOS, plus the HomeGauge Services, which includes cloud transfer, cloud backup, report storage, video in the report, expanding pictures in hi-res, upgrades, TRM (Time Release Messaging), report delivery, scheduling system, social media marketing, and more!




New Merchant Account Offer, Better Than Before

You no longer need to hand over your first born to be able to accept credit cards. Pricing and fees have been coming down lately, so it may be time to reconsider getting a merchant account. With a merchant account hooked into your HomeGauge Services account, you can take online payments and setup force payments, where you can lock a report, requiring payment before the report can be viewed. Take a look at the latest offer we've come across, which includes no contract term, no cancellation fees, no setup fees, only a $10 monthly fee, and a 1.69% + .20 per transaction fee. See the rest of the details at the link below.




HG Tip: Make Your HG Company Profile Scream

Many of our HomeGauge Services users skip setting up their HomeGauge profile. There is only so much time in the day, right? However, let me tell you why it's worthwhile.

It's where you can customize some things for your online report!

Add in your logo, profile picture and website address. These will show up on your online reports and on your HomeGauge.com search listing. You can also pick a report header color to match your online report's color scheme. Let's get that company branding going!

It's where you can do some easy Social Networking!

You can easily add facebook and Google+ recommend buttons that will appear on your online report and HomeGauge search listing. If you don't have facebook or Google+ accounts, don't worry, you can use your company's website address for these. Why do this? When someone is happily viewing their home inspection report, they can click on one of these buttons. If they do, all their facebook or Google+ friends will see that they're recommending your inspection company on their newsfeed. If you want the best results from this, we recommend suggesting to your customer that they click on the recommend button if they're happy with your service. You can add that message to your report notification email if you like. See the tour below on how to set it up.



You can get a preferred listing on our website!

To improve our search results quality, we prioritize them a little bit. When a search is done, a random user from the results who has a logo in their HomeGauge profile will always show up first (followed in alphabetical order).

Set up searchable counties!

You might be surprised by how many Google searches get directed to HomeGauge.com with "county" in the search phrase. For an example, you can Google "home inspectors Snohomish County" to see what it might look like. In all, we get over 1,000 visitors a month just from county searches, so be sure to setup your searchable counties on HomeGauge.com! Keep in mind that in some locations "county" is a more popular search than others, but it can't hurt.

How do I do it?

Go to the links below. Explore all the tabs in the profile editing page to make sure you are getting the most out of your HomeGauge Services!

Edit your profile (login required)

Setup searchable counties (login required)




HomeGauge In The Real World

Come see us at one of these upcoming shows:

ASHI Great Lakes 2014 Summer Conference, July 11-13, 2014, Prospect, IL

SE Home Inspectors Conference, September 11-14, 2014, Duluth, GA

CAHPI National Home Inspectors' Conference, Oct 2-4, 2014, Banff, Alberta



HomeGauge Videos

Available for binge watching

HomeGauge Workshop with Russell (part 1)

HomeGauge Workshop with Russell (part 2)

An Introduction to WordPress

More Videos at HomeGauge's YouTube Channel



What else...

Pfft... If you like us on facebook, you will often be the first to find out HomeGauge news and specials. Like us now...and we will like you back!

InterNACHI and Nick Gromicko are still offering any HomeGauge Services user a 6 month membership to the largest association in the inspection industry! All you have to do is send me an email (russell@homegauge.com) and request it. This is for anyone who has not already been a member of InterNACHI.


Until next time,
Russell Buchanan
HomeGauge, President
russell@HomeGauge.com
828-254-2030