When is the best time to start looking for new construction estimating software? Let’s be honest—is there really a good time to start looking, much less a “best” time? That’s what we’re going to help you tackle today.
Starting off with the obvious, searching for new software is never an easy task. You have to:
- Narrow down your must-have and nice-to-have list of features
- Spend time scheduling and watching demos
- Figure out your budget
You might even pull people to form a specific software task force.
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Once you make your choice, there’s the issue of onboarding for a team who might be scattered across the country, as well as the issue of trying to execute a well-thought-out evaluation without being able to meet the vendor in person.
In spite of all these potential hurdles, though, there are some major signs that you can look for out to determine if looking for a new estimating platform is still the best choice for the well-being of your preconstruction team and the overall success of your company.
Here are a few things to take into consideration when you’re trying to decide if it’s time to begin evaluating new software:
1). Your current tools can no longer keep up with you.
If you can’t keep track of your data, if you’re struggling to train employees and share resources because everyone estimates differently depending on the office—then it’s time to start looking and seeing what the other options out there are like.
2). Support is nonexistent.
A preconstruction software’s support shouldn’t consist of a PDF and maybe an outsourced helpline. You should have in-house, real-life, easily accessible support. A vendor that isn’t constantly providing your tools with updates and applying your feedback to the software isn’t someone you want to partner with long-term.
3). You’ve already done some “soft” evaluation.
If you’ve attended an industry conference, or are planning to attend one, and end up speaking to some of the vendors there, you might as well go ahead and book demos with at least one of them since you’ve already started the conversation.
If you’re feeling like your team is falling behind when it comes to innovation, if you want to get an edge over your competitors, or if you’re just ready to shake up the status quo—it is the right time for you to start evaluating new construction estimating software.
