It seems every article you read or every salesperson you speak with is always touting the latest and greatest that technology has to offer. Cloud Computing, Managed IT Services, SaaS, and Virtual Machines are all buzz words you hear and see daily. These terms are thrown at you as if they are a magic wand; implement these and your business will run itself.
START TO MODERNIZE
Of course, this is not the whole truth and we all know it. Even if you can afford the upfront cost for a total overhaul of all your systems, the “soft” costs can be significantly larger, both monetarily for staff training and the cost of the time spent on implementation that should have been spent managing current business projects. It’s no wonder that many businesses feel overwhelmed by the choices and simply put off the decision to modernize their systems.
A quick review of recent inquiries regarding Roctek’s software reveals that a surprising 75 percent of inquiring companies are still doing critical business functions, such as excavation takeoffs, manually.
While a total overhaul may indeed be daunting and disruptive, there are ways to start modernizing your systems in an incremental manner, thereby minimizing upfront cost and disruption to daily business. For example, onscreen excavation takeoff software is a small and simple change that can provide immediate benefits without disrupting your entire staff. All projects start with a bid. All bids start with the quantities. If the quantities are not accurate, the bid is not accurate. If the bid is not accurate, in most cases, the company will not get the job, or worse, gets the job and loses money. It is also simple logic that more bids equal more jobs and more accurate bids mean more profitable jobs. More profitable jobs add revenue that can fund the next modern software purchase and implementation.
FROM THE FIELD
More than 30 years of experience working with construction professionals show that the two most common fears are that software will be too complicated or simply take too long to learn.
Shawn King with King’s Excavating notes, “By using Roctek’s software, I cut my time in half. It’s user-friendly, and if you have any questions or run into something you don’t know, a customer service rep is always more than happy to assist you.”
Brian Knight with L & B Developers shares, “I’ve been using Roctek software for several months now and the more I learn, the more I realize its value. Roctek’s professional analysis tools give me true confidence in my numbers.”
Heath Hutchinson of HutchNSon says, “I’ve been using Roctek’s product for almost 3 weeks now and have landed two of the three jobs that I’ve bid thus far … my only complaint is that I wish I had done it sooner.”
INVEST FOR POSITIVE RETURNS
Another concern is that a company will outgrow its software investment. Not every company needs heavy-hitting features right away. Features such as export to GPS Control and Satellite Overlay have tremendous value, but only if you actually need them. Any takeoff solution should grow with your company in an easily identifiable method with a clear progression of cost. Roctek’s WinEx Grade and WinEx Master cover the range of basic and advanced features thus fitting the needs of all size companies, from small dirt movers up to Fortune 500 companies.
With all the technology buzzwords and complicated acronyms, you may be tempted to keep putting off modernizing your systems, but remember that small incremental steps can have a very real positive impact on your bottom line. ■
About The Author: Justin Smith is an application specialist with Roctek International. With a background in Management Information Systems, he currently helps ensure that customers find the right software solution. Roctek has been developing fast and accurate excavation takeoff software for more than 30 years. For a free demo, go to www.roctek.com, or call 800.826.7763.
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Modern Contractor Solutions, May 2015
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