Software makes builders more professional

Tuesday, 12 May 2009

Visiting customers to discuss a new job, making sure all health and safety paperwork is up to date, collating estimates, putting together contracts and making sure all invoices are issued on time are just some of the day-to-day items builders have to keep on top of – and that’s before they’ve started on site!

But in today’s increasingly competitive climate, being ahead of the game has never been more important and the big issue for many builders now is how they go about getting in new work ahead of their competitors.

To some, having to place estimates on letter headed paper or breaking down the cost of a job can seem a bit over the top and laborious, but those who go the extra yard to impress will be the ones who win the work – especially as customers can be a bit more choosy about who they employ.

According to Anthony Botibol, marketing manager at HBXL, the best way to increase professionalism and reduce the time spent on producing estimates, health and safety paperwork, contracts and accounts is by utilising information technology (IT) more fully and investing in software that has been designed specifically for the building industry.

And it’s not just Anthony who believes IT will give companies a competitive edge. A Confederation of British Industry (CBI) report highlights that using IT helps UK firms better meet customer needs and build value in their offerings. It was also noted that take-up of IT will be critical for business growth and efficiency and that all firms must have access to technology to help improve productivity.

Not only will IT streamline the business, making it more professional, but will free up time that would otherwise be spent on paperwork, collating estimates and sorting out general accounts.

Anthony said: “We’ve been saying for a long time that investing in IT and software such as HBXL’s EstimatorXpress, Health & Safety Xpert and Contracts Xpert and PlansXpress gives builders a serious competitive edge. Our software matches precisely the findings and recommendations of the CBI report.”

Some of the key points highlighted in the report include that investing in internet-enabled IT services has given UK companies major competitive advantages. In addition the report found that customer focus rather than cost-saving is now the major driver of IT development.

Smooth operators

Anthony added: “Having carried out our own independent research we know that users of EstimatorXpress win more than 60% more business from their quotes and estimates having converted to using the software. 

“It speeds up the process of providing estimates and demonstrates to customers precisely where their money is being spent. This has helped improve the image of the builders and at a time when the market becomes more and more competitive, portraying your company professionally is vital in winning new business.

“Not only that, for the past three years EstimatorXpress users have consistently won the national award for ‘Best IT Return on Investment’ in the IT Showcase awards, further justifying the benefits of software to increase profitability of the business.”

Missed opportunities

However, Anthony also believes that not enough builders use their computers to their full potential and are missing out on opportunities to make their businesses more profitable and professional.

Research carried out by HBXL showed that sending and receiving e-mail was the main use of the work computer, with 62% of respondents saying they did their estimating on a PC.

Worryingly 86% said they worked in the evenings and demonstrates that many are still not working efficiently in the way they operate through the use of IT.

Anthony added: “These results show that although many builders have embraced IT, many are not using it to their advantage. We’ve proved that those who use our software dramatically reduces the amount of time they spend putting together estimates, health and safety paperwork and contracts resulting in more time to either relax or get on with the job.

Why bother?

For those considering updating their IT the benefits are far reaching and have proven to assist in the running of many building businesses. However there will always be those who think that they can carry on as they always have.

Anthony added: “Naturally, there will always be sceptics who will not yield to the advances of modern technology, but those who have already embraced IT are already reaping the benefits.

“Whether it likes it or not, the whole industry needs to push towards an increase in the use of computers and sees IT as a tool that can lead to less hassle, less stress, improved professionalism and a tighter control of the financial reins of a business.

“One main barrier to overcome is the issue of time. This is because the largest perceived barrier preventing companies from improving the way they work is the time it will take to learn the new methods. The argument against however is that by investing a little management time now could save thousands of pounds and time later on.

“In order to improve its image, the building industry needs to embrace IT as a whole. That way a standard will be set, one which all builders can aspire to and one which customers can come to expect.”

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