Collaborate on jobs to streamline estimating, ordering and job management
At Buildxact we talk a lot about building. Construction. Renovations. Perhaps even more importantly, we talk about the people involved throughout the process – builders, trades, suppliers, consumers, even coaches and accountants!
When we chat with our builders and our suppliers, the main thing they want, no they need, is time. How they would choose to spend that time differs – some might spend it getting new business and talking with existing customers, others might spend it with the family, or at the golfing range. But what rings true is that time is an important commodity.
So, what if we were to tell you we’ve found a way to save builders and suppliers a ton of time? What if there was a way to streamline an everyday activity completed for every job? Well, we have, and there is!
The rework cycle challenge
Since the beginning of time, builders have contacted their suppliers with a list of items to quote. Some might even send plans so the suppliers can do the takeoffs for them.
The challenge has been that the plans may change, or the measurements were incorrect, an item was missed, or prices were not up-to-date. All of this results in multiple phone calls and emails back and forth to arrive at the final supplier quote.
Integrated up-to-date supplier price catalogues
Today Buildxact launches Supplier Integration. A new feature that brings builders and suppliers together to collaborate on jobs.
Builders can now view their supplier’s price catalogues automatically integrated into their workflow on Buildxact. With up-to-date pricing on hand, builders can work on estimates at a time that suits them, sending a quote to their customer in hours, rather than days or weeks.
“The benefits of [my supplier’s] price list offered through Buildxact, it stops all those phone calls in between and waiting for prices and quotes,” said John Peros, director at Peros Built, a leading contractor in New South Wales, Australia.
Supplier recipes will also save builders time and money by removing the need for those last-minute trips to the local supplier for missed items that weren’t included in the customer quote. Recipes group together SKUs (or items) to create a packaged component. For example, a door, door jambs, hinges, and lockset could make up a door recipe. With one click, the recipe adds all the items to an estimate.
Better yet, supplier’s price catalogues will simplify builder’s accounts payable and increase profit margins. With supplier items automatically appearing as an option in estimates, builders are likely to order more items from their main suppliers/dealers for ease in delivery, management, and invoicing – fewer invoices, fewer headaches! With the latest pricing and all items captured in the quote (i.e., no unexpected expenses from last-minute suppliers trips), builders can be confident in their profit margins for each job.
Our research shows that the likelihood of winning a job increases the earlier a quote is received. Integrated suppliers catalogues and recipes equals time saved, more jobs won, and better profits.
And if a builder needs a quote for an item not in the price catalogues, they can easily collaborate with their suppliers in Buildxact to quickly turn around a customized quote. Stay tuned for more on this one!
Place orders online anytime
Once builders have won the job, they simply click the items needed to order in Buildxact and submit to their suppliers online. With the product codes included in the purchase order (from the supplier’s catalogue), suppliers have the information they need to accurately fulfil the order. Easy, fast, and accurate, this process enables builders to place orders early to secure stock.
Collaboration for the win
With the launch of Supplier Integration, builders and suppliers can connect on Buildxact to collaborate on jobs. And we are talking a true collaboration here, the relationship forming kind. From those chats we had with builders and suppliers came the realisation that there is a shared unified goal – both aim to win more work, both require efficiency in quoting to do so, and both benefit from the other’s success!
Connect to take advantage of Supplier Integration
With suppliers already listed in Buildxact, builders can connect now to integrate price catalogues and recipes into their workflow. Generate customer quotes in a fraction of the time, be confident on price, and secure in the knowledge nothing has been missed.
Builders: check out how to connect with suppliers to start collaborating today.
Suppliers: check out to invite customers to collaborate on Buildxact.
Not a Buildxact customer but want to learn more? Book a 1:1 demo with our team.
