We've all bought something with good intentions, a product or service with the promise of solving our problems, increasing our income, making us look better, etc. We all have, or at least know someone who has, the exercise bike or walking machine in the corner of their bedroom, being used as a rack to hang their clothes on – arguably a coat hanger in the closet would work just as fine, but heh, for a few thousand bucks, you can save a walk to the closet.
Let’s face it. Software is no different. In my years servicing the construction industry, I’ve seen a lot of contractors buy software with high hopes, only to find these white elephants end up collecting dust in the back room, still in the box.
Go to any software website (ours included) or pick up any “productivity” software box on the shelf, and you’ll see all the claims:
~ Get more done in less time
~ Do it faster, better, easier
~ New and improved (meaning all you that bought the first versions were suckers)
~ Get started quickly, painless easy setup (yeah right)
The fact is, no let me rephrase that, the “evidence” out there is most software installations fail, not because the software doesn’t work, but because users don’t “work the software” OR they bought the wrong stuff. If you're looking for construction scheduling software, and believe that a more organized business is a more profitable one, and agree that miscommunication is the primary profit killer in construction ... and you purchase a BuildIT subscription, then we can safely assume you've bought the right product.
Most software installations fail (60% seems to be the number that comes up in the research) due to a misunderstanding of a simple word … “implementation”.
Implementation – getting liftoff – getting up and running – working your way up the learning curve.
Here’s the key phrase: software implementation is a process, not an event.
So when you’re ready to pull the trigger on BuildIT, and we take your Visa/MasterCard, throw a party 
, and welcome you on board … that is only an event.
You’ve bought the 747.
When we (or you, or both of us together) configure BuildIT to suit your specific company requirements (otherwise known as “setup”) that is an event too… as it really only takes a few minutes to get 99% of BuildIT customers set up.
We’ve fueled up the 747, painted it your color, and stocked the cupboard with peanuts and cookies. Please put your table trays in the upright locked position, and fasten your seatbelts.
Now for the biggie: to get the BuildIT solution working for you, that is a process, or implementation. It means a change of habits. It means showing up regularly/daily, logging in, and getting familiar with the system. It means using the system to communicate from day one. Run all your email through BuildIT, and logging in daily will be an easy habit to get into.
You’re waiting for my 747 analogy, aren’t you.
Well, you’ve now pulled away from the airport jetway, you’re taxi-ing to the runway, you’ve even been cleared for take off.
Most of you will make it that far. But everyone wants to start flying, and reach cruising altitude.
Here’s how you do that with BuildIT:
1. Log on daily, yes, even on the weekends – get into a winning habit.
2. Use the system to communicate from day one … run all your email through the system.
3. Update job information and schedules daily.
4. Do everything else you thought you should do first, besides 1, 2 and 3 above. Everything else is secondary, trust me.
This is the captain speaking. We hope you’ve enjoyed your flight today. And for those of you that have sad little exercise bikes in the corners of your bedrooms, they still could be worth something on eBay.
Scott Hutchinson
scott@builditsystems.com
1 866 585 5050 ext 1