Field of the future? Job Management Software becoming a MUST for Trade & Construction business owners. 3 minute read.

My first blog post of 2023, well in fact, my first blog post ever!

After taking some well needed down time over the festive period, I had plenty of time to eat mince pies, & reflect on the industry we've come to know and love - & with that, thought it would be prudent to share my thoughts with my network!

Read on below to find out 3 key benefits of digitalisation within the trades/construction.

As a trade or construction based business owner, you know first-hand how important it is to stay organized and on top of your workload. With so many moving parts and variables, it can be challenging to keep track of everything and ensure that your business is running smoothly and efficiently. That's where 'Digitisation', or in my world, 'Job Management Software' comes in.

In today's digital age, there are numerous job management software tools available that can help you streamline your operations and take control of your business. These tools can help you manage your projects, schedule your team, track your pipeline, and much more. Working from a selection of Excel Spreadsheets, tired non-supported incumbent systems, & manual based workflows are extremely common practices I witness across industry. Whilst this way of working has clearly enabled businesses to reach a certain level, experience has demonstrated this is neither sustainable for growth nor productive.

1. 'One single source of truth.' One of the key benefits of job management software is that it allows you to have a clear overview of your business start to finish, cradle to grave. It is imperative that Project, Service & Maintenance based organisations have total operational & financial visibility to make sensible decisions. Whether it may be tracking exactly what enquiries/quotes are being priced, projects that are in progress, maintenance visits due & stock that needs ordering - an industry built platform has you covered. How easy is it for you to manage these areas currently? More often than not, it's a bit of a nightmare! Investing in the right software can can help you stay on top of your workload and ensure that everything is moving forward as planned & importantly, you're staying in total control.
2. 'Know your numbers.' In the 6 years I've worked at simPRO, I've had some fascinating conversations with business owners regarding their REAL profit & loss. Some have it nailed, others not so much, or the classic I love to hear, 'it's all in my head!'. By tracking your expenses, cost of sales, and revenue in real-time, you can get a clearer picture of your business's financial health. If you're finding yourself pulling your hair out over job profitability, or perhaps not confident about that financial report you need to send to the FD, it may be time to look at investing in software to assist you. Ultimately having a purpose built platform in place can help you make more conscious informed decisions about where you're making/losing, allocate correct resources and allow you to grow your business. With our current economic crisis, supply chain issues and customer demands, its more important than ever to know your numbers and stay out of the red zone.
3. Automation! In the fast-paced world of trade and construction, every minute counts. Job management software can help you make the most of your time by automating tasks and streamlining your operations. Examples could be automatically following up on unpaid invoices, chasing that quote that's reached 30 days, or reminding the client of a planned service. This not only improves office productivity but stretches all the way to your team in the field, providing them real time information and a seamless way to capture events on site. Let software do some of the heavy lifting! This can free up your time to focus on the more important aspects of your business, such as building relationships with clients and finding new business opportunities. Work on the business, not in the business.

As we look ahead to 2023, job management software will be more important than ever for trade and construction businesses. With its ability to help you stay organized, understand your numbers, and grow your business, it's a valuable investment that you simply can't afford to overlook.