Construction Estimating Software

Are Your Construction Project Profits Eroding? It May Be Because You Are Not Using Your Construction Estimating Software To It’s Fullest Ability

By: Phillip Gilliam

People as me on a regular basis; why should we use construction estimating software? Competition is the basis of our economy. It can also be a major force eroding your profits.

Using construction estimating software will help you to avoid being reduced to a commodity where the low bid always wins, and insures that the buyer will see a difference between your offering and that of your competitor.

I believe that one of the difference that you will find that the construction estimating software will bring must improve the buyer’s situation in a way that is meaningful to them. There is a method for success, however, that simply involves identifying the right players, their motivation, your own strengths and weaknesses and presenting your findings whenever you estimate construction.

Furthermore, it is evident that on a larger sale, there are three groups of buyers you must work with. While the economic buyer can write the check, the technical buyers and end users have the power to veto your construction estimating software bid if they’re not satisfied with it. The most common error is thinking that your strong relationship with the economic buyer will be enough. You can count on the fact that your competitors are counting on you to overlook or alienate someone in the decision chain with veto power.

It is very obvious that not everyone buys construction estimating bids that you do with your construction estimating software for the same reason. You must discover the objectives, standards of measure, value and current situation from the mindset of each buyer, and in their own words, wherever it is humanly possible for this objective to be met.

The construction estimate project and marketing objectives identify what must be accomplished and the most important outcome driving the project. Is it net project cost derived from your construction estimating software, deadline or long-term maintenance cost? In additions, it is crucial to gain a perspective on the standards of measure i.e. the means by which they will track progress and achievement of the objective that is set forth by your potential client.

Some other excellent examples include budget, delays to schedule, materials waste, or rework. Understanding the personal and organizational value of achieving success is the next key component. If the objective is achieved, what profit will the company reap and how will operating costs be affected? How will success affect the buyer’s career and possibly change the outcome of their decision process?

Last but not least, it is extremely crucial to thoroughly understand the current situation with regard to achieving the objective so that you will properly implement the construction estimating software to guarantee your success. What resources do they currently have? What are the top factors putting the construction estimate project at risk?

Most of the time we find that where most fail in this construction estimating software assessment phase is in adhering to your own marketing copy and sales pitch without candid examination of the facts that sometimes do not seem so obvious.

So be sure and remember that the first step in assessment is to review your track record. Review your construction estimating flagship successes to discover your strengths. Then assess the strengths and weaknesses of your competition, the construction software that they use, and compare them to yours. Look for the differences that can give you the edge. Next, try to shoot down your own marketing claims. Keep only the claims that are backed up by facts.

When you are preparing your construction estimating proposal, the final step is preparing a proposal that lays out what you’ve learned, your solution, and the investment required. A logical outline for the construction estimating proposal starts with the current situation and then identifies the objectives, standards of measure, value, methods and options, joint accountabilities, timing, terms, acceptance and appendix. The construction estimate appendix is the perfect place for the detail that must be included in the contract but not material to the buying decision. If you have done your job, the various buyers (economic, technical, and end user) will work through the construction proposal, nodding in agreement as they go.

Note that the pricing information provided by the construction estimating software should be included in the terms, after the reader has witnessed the full picture. At this point, the price should seem reasonable, given the expected return on investment laid out in the construction proposal document.

If taking a value-based approach to construction proposals appeals to you, and you really do have a unique strength in your construction marketplace, start small and try the method on a deal where the economic buyer, technical buyer and the end user are all one person. On the other hand, if you are hard-pressed to find what makes your company unique in your market, and profits are stagnant, it might be time to rejuvenate it with a business strategy that is effectively implemented using powerful construction estimating software, and plan to turn your construction company into the profitable success machine it can be.

You CAN stop the profit erosion with a little bit of marketing planning, and the proper implementation of your construction estimating software system.

Phillip P Gilliam is a devoted husband and father to three daughters. He has lived in Florida for over 20 years and originally comes from Dayton, Ohio. He has a passion for business management, marketing and finance and has been utilizing software and technology for over 37 years. He is currently the President and CEO of Discover Software Inc., which is a construction estimating software company. http://www.easyestimating.com

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