Jan 21, 2022

This Podcast Is Episode Number 455, And It's About How To Leverage Automation And Technology In Your Construction Business

The daily processes and transactions involved in operating a general maintenance and repair contracting business can mean long hours of repetitive tasks and occasional oversights due to human nature. These days, you can use technology to take care of almost any issue facing your business.

Automating these tasks can result in significant savings in resources and eliminate mistakes caused by human error. The key, however, is to know which tasks should be automated and which ones warrant staff intervention and guidance. Let's discuss some of them:

• Lead Capturing, Nurturing, and Scoring

Automating your lead development process can do wonders for your service-based company's conversion rates. Both hot and cold leads require attention and targeted engagement to convert into paying customers. Using automation software can help sales reps guide prospects to end the sales cycle strategically, and it can also direct you towards the leads that will convert the fastest.

• Engaging New Contacts

Entrepreneurs like you meet new contacts all the time. Whether a potential business partner or prospective client, automating your engagement with them can help you forge a solid rapport after your initial contact, several CRM options will allow you to group contacts by event, type, company, and location, amongst other settings, to ensure that your business card collections don't go to waste.

• Personal Direct Mail 

Outreach efforts with a personal touch garner higher engagement rates, which explains why businesses send out birthday cards, calendars, seasonal greetings, and other materials to customers. With the right software, you can set up automated, sequenced events to gather personal data and incorporate it into specific marketing activities.

• Word-of-mouth marketing  

Numerous marketing studies show that consumers are more likely to buy from companies or hire services if a friend has referred them. Encourage customers to give referrals by simply asking for them. There are several ways to automate this, including adding referral mentions to discount offerings, a website page, and email outreach campaigns.

Automation can be a wonderful thing. However, it does not work without monitoring most of the time and is not exactly as expected or promised by the sales department.

The software can be challenging, and depending on what it is, it takes Tech Support to fix it. Tier 1, Tier 2, Developers - "namely anyone but me." A remote assist is a beautiful tool – the technician can see for themselves that you are or not playing with imaginary friends hiding in your computer. Many Tier 1 support need to document that they could not solve the problem and justify sending you to Tier 2.

A contractor called me recently and said it was required to keep an Online Software because they had linked their banking and several apps to the software. These apps are downloaded automatically daily; no matter what, that was a must. It would take too much time to do anything manually.

My take: Why exactly are you calling me? It sounds like everything is working perfectly!

• It wasn't working perfectly.
• Yes, everything was downloading automatically into the file.
• Yes, transactions were going to where that specified software specified.
• Yes, the software decided and did not care about what other software was doing.

So what exactly was the problem? The contractor wanted all the apps to download transactions and that no one in the office needed to touch anything. It would magically create accurate reports seamlessly.

After each of the third-party software decided what and where to put everything, the result was:

• Reports that were not understandable.
• So far out of whack that anyone who looks could see.
• Bank accounts were overdrawn by 5 and 6 figures (more than $10,000 to over $100,000).
• Credit card payments to the same bank became multiple vendors.
• The Word "MESS" did not begin to describe the results.

I am all about automation. Managed automation is when transactions go where I expect them to go.

I know that each one of the applications chosen had a valuable purpose. Hopefully, the decision was based on more than the sync function. But if that is the essential thing – Good Luck!

Choosing the individual third-party software is always best based on the benefits. You are not getting it because it links with this but does not do what you need.

I always suggest determining if the app Is useful as a Stand-Alone Product. Determine who in the company needs it (and will use it):

• Office
• Field
• Estimator
• Project Manager

Again, the key is in the setup (what do you want to know). No program does everything. In most cases, we recommend an online version of the software, which is quickly updated over the desktop version in a box. My only exception is QuickBooks Desktop Software (Get the box with CD).

• Estimating and Invoice Programs.
• Features that are available in the latest 3rd Party Apps.
• Estimates - Can you email the estimate to the prospect?
• Invoice – Can you accept payment from a link?
• Change Orders – Can your client approve from a link?
• Payments – Can you accept job deposits?
• Pictures – Can you send pictures?
• Price Book – Can you create one?
• Flat Rate Pricing – Is this an option?
• Hourly Rates – Can you do this?

My Question To You:

• What 3rd Party Software do you find useful in your business?
• Everyone can benefit from the ones that are easy to use and work with.

If you have a task that you don't like to do, there's an app or software program to take care of it for you. It might take a few moments of your time to learn and understand how the software or app works, but doing so will save you valuable time and precious energy. It will also free you up to spend time on the tasks you love to do, not on all the paperwork and record-keeping that go along with running a business. 

In conclusion

There's no question that these apps and software platforms can make construction business owners' lives easier. Choosing a product that meets your company's needs will free up time and energy to focus on the things you love to do. Set aside a week or two to look at any processes that can be automated within your business. Automating repetitive and tedious tasks can aid you in uncovering hidden cost-savers and potential sales opportunities for your General Maintenance And Repair Service Company.

About The Author:

Sharie DeHart, QPA is the co-founder of Business Consulting And Accounting in Lynnwood, Washington. She is the leading expert in managing outsourced construction bookkeeping and accounting services companies and cash management accounting for small construction companies across the USA. She encourages Contractors and Construction Company Owners to stay current on their tax obligations and offers insights on how to manage the remaining cash flow to operate and grow their construction company sales and profits so they can put more money in the bank. Call 1-800-361-1770 or sharie@fasteasyaccounting.com