Does the template actually bend to your process?
Ask whether you can rename condition labels, reorder sections and remove items you never use. If the answer is partly, you will be working around the tool on every job. Also ask what happens to reports already issued when you change a template — the correct answer is nothing.
Does field capture survive no signal?
Crawlspaces, basements and rural properties are where inspections happen and where connectivity does not exist. Confirm that field entry queues locally and syncs afterwards, and ask specifically what happens when the same record changed on the server while you were offline.
Can you prove delivery?
- Is there a record of when the report was sent and to whom?
- Are bounces surfaced, or do they fail silently?
- Can a share link expire and be revoked?
- Is third-party access to a client report logged?
Is the CRM tied to the property or just the person?
Inspection work repeats on the same addresses. A CRM built around a canonical property record lets a re-inspection open with the prior findings and public-record data already present, which a contact-only CRM cannot do.
Who can see what?
For any multi-inspector shop, ask whether access is enforced in the database or only in the interface. Role-based permissions that are enforced at the data layer are the difference between a policy and a guarantee.
What happens to your data if you leave?
Confirm you can export your reports and records, and that reports already delivered to clients remain valid documents independent of your subscription.