5 Ways to Improve Your BAC/BAS Business During Challenging Times
by Hector HernandezWhile most construction companies have been exempted from the current lockdown, many related businesses like building automation controls firms have seen a slowdown due to new projects being put on hold. Others are in mandated shutdowns.
It’s challenging to find a positive aspect to a pandemic but business-wise this downtime can be viewed as an opportunity to focus on operational activities you may not routinely have time for. If you’re already taking advantage of Cube’s business management software, you need look no further for inspiration into areas within your business that could benefit from greater efficiency.
1) Streamline the Sales Process
Now’s a good time to take a hard look at ways your business can streamline processes and practices. Budget efficiency is top-of-mind for most people right now, but you can also tackle non-financial business areas. From improving your POS system to getting files and documents organized, your firm can be prepared for enhanced efficiency once things return to “normal.” Use Cube’s sales module to gain insight and make adjustments on:
- Relationship management
- Lead management
- Workflow automation
- Drag and drop estimating
- Reporting and analytics
- Document control
If your staff is currently working remotely, Cube’s software has built-in remote functionality that allows you and your employees to stay in touch and exchange documents and information.
2) Identify Ways to Reduce Expenses
Poor productivity can be one of your firm’s greatest financial drains. Simplifying service management helps reduce time wasted on daily tasks like work orders, billing, service reports and contracts, and material requests. Scheduling tools that are mobile accessible help identify bottlenecks and allow you to reassign tasks to employees and vendors who are better equipped to get the job done.
3) Invest in People & Training
A pause in normal business operations gives you the chance to work on your business, addressing employee needs, getting training up to date, and planning for a post-pandemic future. What holes does your firm have in terms of employee skills? Can you improve productivity while cutting costs? Do you need a better way to evaluate employee performance? Workforce management tools help you stop managing people by spreadsheet and analyze performance so both you and your employees get the most out of the workday.
4) Consolidate Business Tools
Business consolidation software provides improved insight into financial processes as well as savings and growth opportunities. Project management tools help your firm organize, plan, track, and discuss ways to allocate resources, easily track and responds to RFPs, and ensure project quality control. Inventory management goes from challenging to simple by making vendor tracking, catalog management, and purchase orders easy no matter where they’re located.
5) Explore New Products and Services
Take a closer look at new products and services you’ve identified but haven’t had the chance to explore. Investing in even one or two can help you fill unique niches, boost revenue, and increase market share. Think about what your customers and clients might need once the lockdown has been lifted. What problems will they have and how can you best help them quickly get up and running again?
Speaking of helping clients, downtime presents a great opportunity to work on building and improving relationships. Efforts like reaching out to current customers and vendors via email and phone calls to see if there’s anything you can do to help will be greatly appreciated and remembered once the market normalizes.
Looking ahead, it’s likely the pandemic will have a significant impact on the construction industry. Cube’s business management software gives you the insights you need to efficiently run your business while boosting revenue and meeting customer and employee needs.