Small GCs/Handymen- What does software like Jobber/Housecall pro not fix for you?

Not selling anything, genuinely trying to understand this space.

I know a contractor(small crew,1-2 guys) who’s been frustrated with clients communication- keeping people updated on job progress, timelines, etc. Looked into stuff like jobber, housecall pro, ServiceTitan, and it seems like most of these tools are built more for recurring service businesses( lawn care, cleaning, HVAC) than actual renovation/ construction work with phase, change orders, and one off projects.

For those of you running small crew under 5 guys, no dedicated office staff—what’s your actual daily headache? Specifically curious about:

• Do clients even see/ respond to updates sent through these platforms, or does it still end up being texts and phone calls?

• Did you try one of these tools and ditch it? Why?

• Is it a cost thing, a “ too many features I don’t need” thing, or does it just not match how you actually work?

Not trying to sell anything—just trying to understand where the real gap is before assuming I know the answer.