Thread: Online Report Delivery and Contract Signature

Without stooping to a NACHI (Walmart) membership to take advantage of their free Fetch Report system, where should I look to find software that will allow me to deliver my reports online and have clients sign contracts online? I am not interested in using someone else's report software, just report and contract delivery.

Thanks,

Aaron

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Depending on your web site and hosting package, you probably can upload your reports to your site (if it is nothing other than you would as you uploaded a new page to your web site). Them simply e-mail them a link to that report.

Let's say, as an example, you have a report for John Smith which you imaginatively named john_smith_report.pdf. You upload that to your web site server as though you were uploading any file, graphic, new page, etc.

Now, let's say that your web site address is TheBestFriggnHomeInspectorInTheWorld . com (leaving spaces so Brain's software will not pick it up as a URL). Your file could then be accessed by e-mailing your client this link: TheBestFriggnHomeInspectorInTheWorld . com/john_smith_report.pdf

But, you also asked about "and have clients sign contracts online" ...

I would e-mail them the contract, with the contract pasted into the body of the e-mail, and, at the bottom of the contract add a line which states something to the effect of: By typing my name below, I, John Smith, state that this is an acceptable electronic signature and that I, John Smith, do hereby agree to the above contract for services, understand the fee will be $10,000,000, and agree to all of the conditions and limitations in the above contract. Electronically signed and agreed to by: John Smith, today'sdate

You get the idea ... do that with e-mail.

You could e-mail the report to them as well, however, if your reports are like my reports were, they were to large for many of my clients' e-mail servers, so having them click the link and download the file, which they can then save, solve a lot of problems.

That also allows your client to provide that link to anyone they want to share the report with. Tell them the report will be posted for two weeks (or however long you want to leave it there), after which you will remove it from your server to save space on your server.

That gives them 2 weeks to let as many people as they want to access your report, then, Poof!, it is gone.

HomeGauge will allow you to upload your report (theirs or any other file) and lock the report until the Pre-Inspection Agreement is digitally "signed".

You can upload the report, and send emails to the client.

They must then (if you choose) Agree to the Pre-Inspection Agreement prior to even seeing the report. So if you are worried about a client not viewing the report without agreeing to your terms, it is locked out.

You have to pay their annual subscription fee, but it is easy to customize and very user friendly.

Dom.

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

Without stooping to a NACHI (Walmart) membership to take advantage of their free Fetch Report system, where should I look to find software that will allow me to deliver my reports online and have clients sign contracts online? I am not interested in using someone else's report software, just report and contract delivery.

Thanks,

Aaron

You should be able to do that on your website. Contact your websie builder or if you build your own wesite with the online builder and have that company host it they should be able to tell you how to set it up. Why pay someone else?

You can usually aloow access to information on your website to restricted areas with a password.

Ted and J.P.:

I already do some of this on my site by myself. However, Dom's idea is a bit more capable and complicated and not something my provider is set up to handle. It is also not something I want to tackle. I have enough to do without diddling with HTML, etc.

$300 a year is not a bad price for what HomeGauge has to offer in this respect. Walmart (NACHI) charges $289, but I don't send my money to folks like Nick if I can possibly help it.

Thanks,

Aaron

What Jerry said.....

Aaron,

With the e-mail, you can also get a second confirmation of acceptance for your contract by simply having them "re-sign" the e-mail to get a return e-mail with the URL to their report.

Whichever way you want to go is what you need to do, I just could not see paying $300 annually for something so easily done. I did it for my reports for many years.

Now I have some of my reports and information available on my web site, all my clients need to do is click the "Client Access" link. That takes then to a password protected login (which would not need to do as you are e-mailing them the access link) and they can get a copy of my contract and fee schedule on that same page.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Whichever way you want to go is what you need to do, I just could not see paying $300 annually for something so easily done.

Just to clarify, that $300 is not just for the features we are discussing, these are a small part of the service.

FWIW, as professionals, we are always criticizing our clients when they "go cheap", but many of us are guilty of the same decisions sometimes.

Originally Posted by Dom D'Agostino

Just to clarify, that $300 is not just for the features we are discussing, these are a small part of the service.

FWIW, as professionals, we are always criticizing our clients when they "go cheap", but many of us are guilty of the same decisions sometimes.

Dom:

Agreed.

Though I certainly see the wisdom in being frugal, "penny wise and pound foolish" comes to mind. I like HomeGauge's ability to release the report using a password only after the client has both paid the fee via credit card and signed the contract digitally. And all of that without my oversight.

When you are a one-man show, it is often difficult to keep up with the day to day office work in an efficient and timely manner which still leaves one time to have a life outside the HI business. I think most of you can relate to that statement.

I suppose that there may be some in inspectors out there who would design their own report software, create and manage their own website, do their own search engine optimization, write and deliver their own newsletter, build and maintain their own computer equipment, do all of the mechanical and maintenance work on their own work vehicle, build their own office, run for the legislature, found their own country, spend their free time traveling through the boundless regions of outer space, etc., etc., ad infinitum. And to you renaissance men my hat is off.

At my age, having done all of the above in other businesses, I feel grateful that I need now but pass along the fruits of my labor to others for their services rendered in accomplishing these mundane and pedestrian tasks for me. This ability to delegate frees up my time to become better at what I get paid to do.

But hey, I still pump my own gas. I even do my own inspections. But, I'm working on those as well. . .

Aaron

Hmmmm


"I suppose that there may be some in inspectors out there who would design their own report software, create and manage their own website, do their own search engine optimization, write and deliver their own newsletter, build and maintain their own computer equipment, do all of the mechanical and maintenance work on their own work vehicle, build their own office, run for the legislature, found their own country, spend their free time traveling through the boundless regions of outer space, etc., etc., ad infinitum. And to you renaissance men my hat is off."

Everybody doesn't do all that?????? I better slow down then I guess

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

Hmmmm
Everybody doesn't do all that?????? I better slow down then I guess

Ted:

Nah, just work on your next trick:

YouTube - Criss Angel Walks on Water

Aaron

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

Ted:

Nah, just work on your next trick:

YouTube - Criss Angel Walks on Water

Aaron

Nah

I perfected that trick years ago

Originally Posted by Dom D'Agostino

Just to clarify, that $300 is not just for the features we are discussing, these are a small part of the service.

FWIW, as professionals, we are always criticizing our clients when they "go cheap", but many of us are guilty of the same decisions sometimes.

Dom,

"FWIW, as professionals, we are always criticizing our clients when they "go cheap", but many of us are guilty of the same decisions sometimes."

Which I say all of the time when HIs here try to "go cheap" on things, however, in the context of this thread, why pay $300 for something *I* was already doing?

I wrote my own inspection program back before they were available. I put together my own web site before they were available. I uploaded my reports and password protected them before that was available. Why pay for something I was already doing on my own?

If you want Home Gauge, go for it, however, your first post made it seem like Aaron should pay $300 just so he could upload reports and get his inspection agreement signed - so I offered ways he could do the same thing for no cost.

There is a difference between "being cheap" and "paying someone to do what you are already doing (or can do) yourself" with no special knowledge or skills.

Signing up and using the Home Gauge reporting system, though, that is different. If you want it and like it, go for it.

Yes Jerry, that's why I prefaced my comment with "Just to clarify...".

Dom,

Yes, and I was clarifying whatever it was I was clarifying.

By the way, I still get my Premium High Test gas for my Jaguar at the Self-Serve pumps ... does that make me cheap, frugal, or just acknowledging that there are no Full Service pumps anymore?

(Which I would not stop at anyway, because they would have to charge too much. But that's life in this ever changing world we live in.)

Heck, I remember being a full service attendant at different gas stations, pumping gas for others, checking their oil, cleaning their windshields, etc., then having to go to the self-serve pumps at the "cheap" gas stations to put gas in my own car, check my own oil, and wash my own windshield.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Heck, I remember being a full service attendant at different gas stations, pumping gas for others, checking their oil, cleaning their windshields, etc., then having to go to the self-serve pumps at the "cheap" gas stations to put gas in my own car, check my own oil, and wash my own windshield.

JP

Was this before or after the advent of foot pedals in the cars?

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

By the way, I still get my Premium High Test at the Self-Serve pumps ... does that make me cheap, frugal, or just . . .?

Or what?

http://www.wineglass.com/acatalog/w1002.jpg

Aaron

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Heck, I remember being a full service attendant at different gas stations, pumping gas for others, checking their oil, cleaning their windshields, etc

I had the same job.
Don't forget adding air to the tires, including the spare!

I had that windshield-washing squeegy thing down to a fine art, cleaning the front and back of those land yachts before the purchased dollar amount came up on the pump.

Dom.

WHY NOT JUST HAVE THE CLIENT SIGN IT WHEN THEY GET TO THE INSPECTION OR JUST FAX THEM A COPY AND HAVE IT SENT BACK OR THEY DON'T GET THE REPORT.

Originally Posted by MaMa Mount

WHY NOT JUST HAVE THE CLIENT SIGN IT WHEN THEY GET TO THE INSPECTION OR JUST FAX THEM A COPY AND HAVE IT SENT BACK OR THEY DON'T GET THE REPORT.

Hey, this is the digital age. People want to do everything instantly, and the online systems fill that niche quite nicely. Besides, I have better things to do than to monitor who sent their paperwork back, and which report I haven't sent out, etc.

I have an old thermal fax and a box of that annoying paper in my closet if you need a spare...

Originally Posted by Dom D'Agostino

I had the same job.
Don't forget adding air to the tires, including the spare!

Dom,

I'd forgotten about that.

Also checking the power steering fluid and transmission fluid levels (for those new fangled automatic transmission cars).

At first I tried to check the radiator level ... ummm ... no, we don't do that! There is a very good reason we don't do that!

You did about everything except wash the car, even gave out glasses, S&H Green Stamps, and whatever was the freebie at the time.

of those land yachts before the purchased dollar amount came up on the pump.

The trick at the time was to keep those land yachts running, so you could pump more gas into them.

As a teen I worked at Tri S or something like that. Checked everything you could get to. Ah yes, gas in the .20s as well as cigarettes and it was either 5 cents or maybe .10 for a coke. Gave away glasses, stamps and anything else that was not nailed down.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

By the way, I still get my Premium High Test gas for my Jaguar at the Self-Serve pumps ... does that make me cheap, frugal, or just acknowledging that there are no Full Service pumps anymore?

(Which I would not stop at anyway, because they would have to charge too much. But that's life in this ever changing world we live in.)

Heck, I remember being a full service attendant at different gas stations, pumping gas for others, checking their oil, cleaning their windshields, etc., then having to go to the self-serve pumps at the "cheap" gas stations to put gas in my own car, check my own oil, and wash my own windshield.

Hey, Jerry.

I found a full-service station out in Alpine a couple of weeks ago and stopped in because the gas price was exactly the same as the two stations on the other corners. There was a line for the full-service station while the other two stations were pretty empty.

Here's philosophy of the full-service station:

https://rightsignature.com/

Get the signature before you show up!

Originally Posted by MaMa Mount

WHY NOT JUST HAVE THE CLIENT SIGN IT WHEN THEY GET TO THE INSPECTION OR JUST FAX THEM A COPY AND HAVE IT SENT BACK OR THEY DON'T GET THE REPORT.

I have been bringing the Agreements to the inspection, however there is a lot of waste; 1) Time to pre-print it, 2) Time at the inspection to have the client read and sign it and 3) sometimes you can forget to bring it with you. What ever you can do to streamline your work, without compromising quality is essential as you business grows. I like Jerry's idea.

Originally Posted by Patrick McCaffery

I have been bringing the Agreements to the inspection, however there is a lot of waste; 1) Time to pre-print it, 2) Time at the inspection to have the client read and sign it and 3) sometimes you can forget to bring it with you. What ever you can do to streamline your work, without compromising quality is essential as you business grows. I like Jerry's idea.

Orrrrrr. Just not bother with one at all. 10 years of full time plus, 20 years of part time plus, doing inspection and not one client has ever received a contract from me.

Yeah yeah...I know, the world is going to come crashing down on me, or something like that.

All of my reports get uploaded to Home Gauge. I get clients to sign the Inspection Agreement at the time of inspection. Or if they are not present I use my online Inspection Agreement feature through Home Gauge. This forces the client to accept the terms of the agreement before receiving the inspection online. The report uploading service through HG is great, it allows you to see when clients or Realtors have viewed the report. It also has a rating feature that also allows clients and Realtors to rate you as an inspector.

We created a PDF of our inspection agreement long ago. Collect the email address at the time the inspection is scheduled and send the client a confirmation email along with the attached agreement for their signature. If they cant attend, we ask them to sign and fax or confirm via return email, for the agreement.

I also host all my own reports. Its works great. We use a reporting system that had some annual fees that were providing NOTHING in return. So we built a hosting platform into the website and now we host all our own reports on a secure site. I am even considering growing the hosting into a sideline biz. Private lable your own report hosting site on my server for a small monthly or annual fee??

M Morris

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

TT: You really should consider having all agreements signed prior to the inspection appointment. If you do not, what could happen, and often does, is that the client will claim they were under duress to sign the document(s) due to their disagreement with the wording of your contract and a lack of sufficient time to find another inspector.

I know it's best to get the agreement signed at or before time of inspection. But most people don't even take the time to read it. They just sign it, or quickly glance over it before signing. I don't really feel that an Inspection Agreement will really give you that much protection no matter how well it is written. I don't like keeping reports held up because the agreement has not been signed. Were in a fast paced world, many times buyers don't attend the inspection and are from out of town. My inspection agreement is attached to the back of all reports. I am currently working on a statement to put at the beginning of all reports that states something like this.

This home inspection report requires that a service agreement be read and signed at or before time of inspection. If for any reason the service agreement could not be signed at time of inspection, by accepting this inspection report you are hereby accepting the terms of the service agreement.

Originally Posted by Trent Tarter

I know it's best to get the agreement signed at or before time of inspection. But most people don't even take the time to read it. They just sign it, or quickly glance over it before signing. I don't really feel that an Inspection Agreement will really give you that much protection no matter how well it is written. I don't like keeping reports held up because the agreement has not been signed. Were in a fast paced world, many times buyers don't attend the inspection and are from out of town. My inspection agreement is attached to the back of all reports. I am currently working on a statement to put at the beginning of all reports that states something like this.

This home inspection report requires that a service agreement be read and signed at or before time of inspection. If for any reason the service agreement could not be signed at time of inspection, by accepting this inspection report you are hereby accepting the terms of the service agreement.

You can make fillable PDF files, then upload them to your site and have people fill them out, sign them and bring them to the inspection.

Send me your agreement and I'll do it for you.

As for reports, why bother uploading them to your site? Make them into PDF files and e mail them to whoever is authorized to receive them.

If you software doesn't have a pdf converter, you can get one here:PDF Printer Driver, Batch PDF Converter, PDF Writer, Free Online PDF Conversion for $20.00. It is a print driver so, it will make everything a PDF file. The LT Lite is the one you want.

Check out the Inspection Support Network.

It offers a great online report delivery AND this feature can be automated as well with an email set at a time chosen by you. The system prompts and directs the client if the inspection has not been paid for or an agreement has not been signed yet. They will not be able to obtain the report until they have done so. The interface looks fantastic, can have the Realtors photo and contact information, has a picture of the front of the report and a google map of the subject property there if desired (great for marketing) and in the near future you will also be able to sell advertising space there as well to help you create an income stream.

Signing agreements online, no problem. The Inspection Support Network can automate this for you and your clients as well. Use one of the provided email templates or create your own, your choice. The email has a link to the inspection agreement with the inspection and fee information already in it. The client just clicks on the link, initials and signs with their computers mouse clicks a button to submit back and the signed agreement is back in your ISN, marked "Signed" and can be viewed, printed, emailed, etc. and all you did was take an inspection order. Easy! Yes, this is legally accepted and all of the major E & O insurance carriers accept it, we checked.

Just 2 of the MANY fantastic features the Inspection Support Network offers to help you run your business.

I can hear you now......"So how much does this cost?" The ISN charges $4.00 per completed inspection, per month for the first 50 inspections then the next 50 inspections per month goes down to $3.00 per inspection and anything over 100 completed inspections per month are charged at $2.00. Great pricing for EVERYTHING the ISN offers. There are NO up sells and NO add ons. NOW - Think about the possibility of selling that advertising space on the report delivery page......this could cover the cost of your ISN. Do I have you thinking yet?

There are far to many features the Inspection Support Network offers to cover here. Check it out for yourself with a FREE demonstration version that can be found on the website or click here Demo.

Oh, did I mention there is a great support website as well as the best customer service in the business? Support

Thanks for your time and attention. Give us a call at 800-700-8112

Stephanie Castillo
Inspection Support Network
scastillo@inspectionsupport.net

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

JP

Was this before or after the advent of foot pedals in the cars?

Now I am wondering if I am old. And something else in common with Jerry. Funny thing is, Michigan is considering *requiring* a full-service attendant at fueling stations for those who are handicapped.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Dom,

I'd forgotten about that.

Also checking the power steering fluid and transmission fluid levels (for those new fangled automatic transmission cars).

At first I tried to check the radiator level ... ummm ... no, we don't do that! There is a very good reason we don't do that!

You did about everything except wash the car, even gave out glasses, S&H Green Stamps, and whatever was the freebie at the time.



The trick at the time was to keep those land yachts running, so you could pump more gas into them.

Hold on a minute - they didn't all have power steering. That was new.

A.D. Miller, What's with the shot at InterNACHI. Care to explain how we are like Wal-Mart?

Oh my God, I think you're right!

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

Without stooping to a NACHI (Walmart) membership to take advantage of their free Fetch Report system, where should I look to find software that will allow me to deliver my reports online and have clients sign contracts online? I am not interested in using someone else's report software, just report and contract delivery.

Thanks,

Aaron

Check out Google Docs. It is FREE!! We like free. You can now upload PDF files and share them with whomever you choose. My reports have gotten to be upwards of 10-15 MB now and that is often a problem as an attachment. Don't even get me started on AOL Now, I just post the PDF to my Google Docs and share it and send them the link. They can view online, print or download at their pleasure.

The Inspection agreement gets emailed as a PDF for them to print out and initial/sign and bring with them to the inspection. I also bring a copy with me just in case they "forgot" to bring theirs. No sign, no inspection.

Originally Posted by Patrick McCaffery

I have been bringing the Agreements to the inspection, however there is a lot of waste; 1) Time to pre-print it, 2) Time at the inspection to have the client read and sign it and 3) sometimes you can forget to bring it with you. What ever you can do to streamline your work, without compromising quality is essential as you business grows. I like Jerry's idea.

I actually do my reports on a "tablet" computer with a digitizer screen. My clients can "sign" the agreement right on the screen.

Originally Posted by Dana Bostick

I actually do my reports on a "tablet" computer with a digitizer screen. My clients can "sign" the agreement right on the screen.

Better be sure they hold your computer long enough to read and understand the entire thing. If you just hand them the computer and watch them sign it and they hand it back to you 30 seconds later you might as well not even waste your time having them sign it.

Originally Posted by Matt Fellman

Better be sure they hold your computer long enough to read and understand the entire thing. If you just hand them the computer and watch them sign it and they hand it back to you 30 seconds later you might as well not even waste your time having them sign it.

That's the last resort "fall back" method. They get a copy emailed before the inspection and often return before the inspection. I also print out and bring a copy with me to every inspection. If its not needed, I use it to make notes on the back. In any case, they are signing a statement (in 14 pt bold type) stating that they have read and understand the document.

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

I eventually did opt for an INACHI membership in order to gain access to both their report and contract delivery services. All was well until their geeks recently decided to upgrade the contract service. It all went to hell in a hand basket in short order.

I'm glad you mentioned that. Lisa, what happened with the online agreement section at INACHI? I had my agreement on there and could just pull it up, click a few times and send it. All of a sudden, everything changed!!!

To add to my previous post...Lisa, the new INACHI agreement system doesn't look as professional as the last did. When you fill in the blanks for the address, fee, etc. the info. line expands and you have to go back and shorten it. Before, you just filled in the field boxes and the info transferred over to the report. Also, the old way had the client initialing each paragraph and sigining at the bottom. The new way only requires a signature at the bottom. It seems to me...as far as a piece of paper would protect any of us from litigation...that more checks (i.e. initialing each paragraph) would hold up better. What are your thoughts and/or reasons for the change?

We had to revamp the system because the email confirmation caused too many problems (people were constantly missing the email because of spam filters). This problem was getting compounded by the popularity of the system (some days we get over 1,000 reports uploaded to the system). And as with any major infrastructure upgrade, there is going to be some inconvenience at first.

Other upgrades were made based on numerous suggestions and complaints from members. It's a bit like making a dinner for 32,000 people. It's hard to decide on one dinner that everyone will love.

As for "holding up in court" even though each paragraph is no longer initialed, we store the IP address of whoever signed the contract, so if a signature was ever disputed, the court could request verification from the signer's ISP. This seems to be the current standard for electronic signatures under the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act which isn't based on initials.