Blog Posts

Business Automation…What’s the Benefit to General Contractors?

May 29, 2012 – Anyone in the construction industry knows that in recent years, the US construction market has suffered. Within this rebounding industry, construction companies, now more than ever, must run lean operations and maximize their resources strategically.

And one of the most precious resources a general contractor has is time. Increased requirements have made the construction bidding process even more complex. In addition, the number of companies bidding for the same projects has increased dramatically, driving the price of construction down. To stay competitive, contractors must try to streamline their bidding processes as much as possible, which is where automation can play a valuable role.

Investing in the right technologies is one way to do just that. Companies that opt to automate their construction bidding process see an almost immediate improvement in project workflow. Many construction companies have recognized that their time could be better used, and have implemented business automation tactics in order to achieve greater productivity, revenue, and, ultimately, profitability.

But what parts of the bidding process can general contractors automate and streamline with technology in order to thrive in the construction industry?

Communication throughout the bidding process is one of largest opportunities for reducing costs and increasing efficiency for general contractors. Instead of having an employee sit in front of a fax machine or pounding the phone for hours inviting subcontractors to bid, you can electronically send your invitations to bid with just the click of a button using an online bid management application.

The days of huge rolodexes and address books are over. Contractors can now manage all of their contacts directly in a single online bid management application. You can store all of your contacts in one place and easily access a large database of public companies to find and invite more bidders. Quickly search and find subcontractors and suppliers in the trades you need to accurately bid your jobs.

One of the most time-consuming tasks for general contractors is document management. Contractors who employ a document management system are able to quickly distribute plans, specifications, project addenda, and more to the entire project team, streamlining the costly document distribution process.  Post project documents once to update all of your bidders with the most current project documents, rather than shipping plans, specs, and addenda to a large number of potential bidders.

So when considering automating your construction bidding process, make sure you choose software applications that take the guesswork out of once time-consuming tasks. After all, the more time you save, the more time you can spend developing your business.

Other Blog Posts