4 Ways to Avoid Being “That” Guy
You’ve probably seen the Direct TV commercials with Rob Lowe by now, you know the ones… “Don’t be this Rob Lowe” where his alter ego is “Meathead Rob Lowe” or “Scrawny Arms Rob Lowe.” Nobody wants to be that guy. Same goes for the technologically-challenged contractor…who wants to be that guy?
Technology can be your friend, if you let it be. Fear of tech will get you no where, or rather, it could put you right out of business. Here’s are 4 ways technology can help, so you can avoid being “that guy”:
1. Technology Can Put You Ahead of Your Competition
If you do all your estimates in the office (or at home), you’re literally letting your competition get in the customer’s door to produce a quote on-the-spot. By the time you email or worse yet–deliver–a copy of your estimate back to the customer, it’s too late. Take care of business in one fell swoop by using a tablet or cell phone to produce an estimate for approval right away, and your competition doesn’t get their foot in the door.
2. Technology Can Help You Get More Work Done in Less Time
Wouldn’t you like to get your nights and weekends back? Technology such as estimating software and mobile apps can help you do just that. One JobFLEX customer was able to spend 25% less time on paperwork and organizing files in the office, because he was quoting jobs on-site. That’s 25% more time he could spend with his family!
3. Technology Improves the Customer’s Experience
Who wants to be handed a wrinkled scrap of paper with a hand-written proposal on it that is barely legible? No one, that’s who. If you won’t implement technology to save yourself time and effort, then do it to improve your customers’ experiences with you. Make it easier for them to work with you by producing professional-looking estimates including photos (instead of an elementary school drawing) and other personalization. How about a cover page that includes a photo of their home? That’s sure to impress!
4. Technology Can Help Increase Sales
Think about your sales pipeline for a moment. Logically, the more leads you have in the pipeline means more deals that can be closed. More leads = more sales. But if you’re losing track of leads and shuffling paperwork on a desk, how can they be converted to sales? A JobFLEX user experienced a 10-15% increase in conversions because sales performance is tracked automatically, without using separate spreadsheets or messy project files. Reports show where each salesperson is at with their respective leads, giving you visibility into the sales pipeline. You can’t do that with pen and paper estimating!
Lack of technology can almost ensure a contractor’s failure, and no one wants to be that guy. Get valuable tips on how to avoid this fate in The Contractor’s Guide to Epic Failure, the latest download from JobFLEX.
