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The Cost of Sticking to Manual Processes in Commercial Contracting

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For commercial contractors, sticking to pen-and-paper methods and “old-school” tech isn’t just a preference—it’s often a deep-seated part of company culture. But the financial costs of this mindset can be staggering.

How staggering?

To demonstrate, this report follows “Premier Contracting Services,” an imaginary mid-sized general contracting firm, and the journeys of three individuals within that company as they transition from old-school to modern solutions.

Company Profile: Premier Contracting Services

Background

Founded in 1998, Premier Contracting Services has been a leading player in the commercial contracting industry, traditionally relying on manual processes for project management and
operations.

Key Characters

John Carter, CEO
Seasoned leader in commercial contracting, skeptical about new technologies due to past challenges.

Emily Stone, Operations Manager
Advocate for efficiency and modernization, pushing for the adoption of advanced management tools.

Mark Liu, Project Foreman
Manages field teams and directly experiences the drawbacks of manual coordination.

The Hidden Costs of Traditional Methods

I. Time Consumption and Inefficiencies

Story Spotlight: A Week in Mark’s Life
Mark uses whiteboards and paper calendars for scheduling. Miscommunications and scheduling conflicts are frequent, wasting significant time each week.

Real-Life Use Case

“Prior to BuildOps, scheduling was done manually. Journeyman workers and apprentices would clock into the wrong jobs.” — Beth Morris, CFO and Treasurer of JL Minter Inc.

Since BuildOps: Slashed billing time 73%, from 30
days to just 8, speeding up cash flow.

Read Their Story.

II. Operational Risks and Limitations

Story Spotlight: Emily’s Expansion Challenge
Emily faces challenges scaling operations due to inefficient manual data entry and project scheduling, which means she needs to hire additional coordinators.

Real-Life Use Case

“By using BuildOps we were able to save an entire office salary.” — Rob Timmerman, RBT Electrical

Read Their Story.

III. Financial Implications

Story Spotlight: John’s Budget Review
John notices high costs associated with inefficient task management and billing corrections—a direct consequence of outdated processes.

Real-Life Use Case

“We were using a ton of different software solutions and still doing a lot of stuff on paper, where there’s always a risk of making mistakes.” — Toby Mitchell, President — Classic Electric and Consulting.

With BuildOps, Classic Electric grew their consulting work by 300%.

Read Their Story.

IV. Impact on Customer Satisfaction

Story Spotlight: Customer Feedback
Frequent project delays and communication errors have led to reduced customer satisfaction and retention.

The Path Forward: Embracing Modern Solutions

Transition Story: Embracing a New Platform
Emily initiates a pilot project implementing a comprehensive management platform akin to those offered by companies like BuildOps, demonstrating significant operational improvements.

  • 75%: Reduction in time spent on scheduling and task management.
  • .05%: What billing error rate was reduced to.
  • 60%: How much customer complaints decreased by.

Conclusion

Through the story of Premier Contracting Services, this report illustrates the significant costs of maintaining manual processes in commercial contracting and the transformative benefits of transitioning to a modern, integrated management platform.

The shift not only streamlines operations but also enhances financial performance and customer satisfaction, setting a new standard for operational excellence.

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