Kevin Buckalew, founder and CEO of Electric Ease, shares stories from the field, where he served as an electrician and business owner for over a decade
Kevin Buckalew, founder and CEO of Electric Ease, shares stories from the field, where he served as an electrician and business owner for over a decade
Remember that scheduling software you have (but nobody uses)? Or those new features that came as part of your last estimating software upgrade (the ones you don’t know what to do with)?
Lots of companies – electrical contractors included – make investments in software platforms that are never put to good use.
In fact, many of the industry professionals we talk to say they have an estimating software of some kind. They may not know what it is (or how it works), but they know they do have it. The reason they don’t use it? It’s too complicated and time consuming.
That’s an unfortunate reality for many of today’s estimating or job-costing software systems. Ironically, it also misses the point of having software in the first place! Why would anyone use software if it didn’t make life easier and simpler?
But looking for easy-to-use software is only half the battle. Once you find it, you also have to make sure it has the features you need. (Sometimes, “easy to use” may translate to “not enough features.”)
If you’re in search of electrical software – one you’ll actually use! – keep these three tips in mind …
No. 1: Make Sure It’s Easy to Use
Right now, the electrical industry is a unique mix of workers:
- Contractors who have been in the business for 30+ years (before anyone used software at all)
- Electricians who are familiar with estimating software and may have used it in the past (with or without success)
- Younger workers just entering the field who are eager to use whatever technology they can get their hands on
A well-designed, truly easy-to-use electrical software is one that anybody – from those with zero experience to those who are technology pros – can use and be comfortable with. It’s intuitive and engaging, and features everything you need (and nothing that you don’t). This makes it easy to learn whether you’re a new technology user – or new to the electrical industry as a whole.
No. 2: Make Sure It Doesn’t Require Lots of Training
After purchasing electrical software, it’s not uncommon for companies to have to make another large investment to actually learn how to use it!
Sometimes that investment may involve taking everyone out of the field for in-house training. Other times, it’s identifying key people in your organization to learn the software and spend parts of their days showing others how to as well. In some cases, you may have to send employees hours – even states – away to participate in paid training.
No. 3: Make Sure It Incorporates Everything You Need
When it comes to integrating electrical software into existing business practices, which situation would you rather deal with?
1. One integrated system that incorporates everything you need to run faster, better, and more efficiently
—OR—
2. Disparate pieces of software that operate in their own silos, fulfilling their one unique function: project management, digital takeoff, job costing, estimating, etc.
Having to access several software platforms to complete a project creates bottlenecks and slows down processes. Finding a single software solution that encompasses everything you need – and that can be used by everyone – will save you time and money.
Using Electric Ease is Easy
Electric Ease is an estimating software created by electricians for electricians.
We’ve seen new users (who have never used software before) transform – within minutes – into people who use it every day to make their lives easier when it comes to estimating, reducing supply-house runs, and boosting communication.
Our cloud-based electrical software combines estimation and job management, housing everything in one place:
- Assemblies and material databases
- Send proposals and work orders
- Real-time material price updates
- Change orders and alternates
- Automated digital takeoff
Sound interesting? Check out our free, no-pressure self-paced demo today! It will only take a few minutes – and we’ll show you how Electric Ease works.
