
Estimating projects is one of the most time-consuming tasks for any tradesperson.
You’re constantly under pressure, trying to get the calculation done on time. And you can’t afford a mistake.
Whether your business is small or large, it’s important to have accurate and timely cost estimates. With the right estimation software, you can automate the tedious task of estimation.
In this article, we will explore seven benefits of using estimation software for your business.
1. Speed up the task of estimating project cost
Project estimation has never been easier. It’s often a complicated and time-consuming process.
As a tradesman, you need to know the costs for all the different parts of the project and the best way to estimate the overall cost.
But sometimes, you have to work without access to real-time information about the scope of your project and how much it will cost. There’s a tendency for you to rely on outdated and unreliable data, which could lead to delays in the project.
With the right estimation tool, you don’t have to spend hours going through the tedious process of estimating every project cost.
An estimation tool can help you automatically generate estimates with minimal effort. It helps save you time and money and gives you the confidence you need to make informed decisions for your business.
2. Know accurately the cost of every project
How much does it cost to finish a home improvement project? What about an installation service? A maintenance work?
When you’re trying to work out how much something is going to cost, the first thing you do is start multiplying the price of each component together. This often ends up being a very inefficient way of working out the true costs of the project.
Making an accurate estimate can be like assembling a puzzle, where you have to match up the right pieces.
With estimation software, you’ll get a realistic and detailed estimate for every aspect of your project—so you know exactly what you can expect.
This useful tool breaks down the project into easily manageable elements, making it easy to work out the exact cost of any project. You’ll find out exactly how much each part of your project is worth, and then you can charge how much it’s worth.
3. Improve your conversion rate
When was the last time you checked if your clients have read your email messages? How often are you chasing them up for a follow-up?
You could be missing out on revenue because you’re not making sure that your clients know that your services are still needed.
Tracking the progress of your emails is essential to making sure you keep your pipeline full.
An estimation software with a power emailing feature can help you view if your clients have opened and read the quotes you sent them.
And because you keep track of your emails, you can also easily follow up with them right away. So that you’re not missing out on any clients and that you’ll have a higher chance of increasing your conversion rate.
4. Use pre-built formulas to calculate quotes instantly
Do you struggle with calculating and quoting projects and forms? Do you have an idea for a new project, but don’t know how much you should be charging for it?
You need to price your services in a way that’s easy for you and your clients to understand.
With several projects you need to bid on each month, you need to use estimation software that can handle many jobs. This is to save you from becoming overwhelmed by the amount of time spent on estimation.
Basically, you can add any form type and customise each one to fit your project’s needs. No matter whose pricing formula your business uses, the estimation tool is built to work with it seamlessly.
You have complete control over how the cost is calculated, allowing you to build all forms using precise formulas to meet your bespoke needs. So all you have to do is calculate the cost and include it in your quote.
5. Send the right estimate to your clients on the spot
When estimating a project, it’s important that you get the right answers as quickly as possible.
But even though the project can often be split into logical chunks, the time and effort required to do so is often underestimated, resulting in a lot of back-and-forth with the client.
Why not let estimation software do the hard work for you?
When you’re using an estimating tool, you eliminate the guesswork. You make sure that every estimate is accurate and realistic from the get-go.
In short, such a tool makes estimating a breeze. With just a few taps, you can send the right estimate at the right time so that you’re not stuck and your clients are happy.
6. View all your quotes in one place
Having to create each quote individually can be time-consuming. You have to copy and paste a bunch of content.
Creating the same quotes over and over again through such a usual process leads to lots of wasted time and effort. It’s not sustainable.
As you need to grow your business, you need to keep creating new quotes quickly. What if there’s a more convenient way of doing it? The one in which you can easily pull from old jobs from a single place to make new quotes?
With estimation software that offers a custom pricing feature, you can easily produce whole-of-job estimations. You’ll have instant templates that pull in pricing for every material and labour.
In no time, you can instantly generate quotes and procurement requirements for each similar job.
7. Be part of the growing number of estimation software users
Estimation is a critical part of any project. It’s a key component in project management.
There are tradespeople who are left to rely on old school techniques that can lead to inaccurate estimates and inefficient workflows. But you don’t have to be one of them.
The good news is that there are more tradespeople getting access to the right software that enables them to make estimation easier.
They are now adopting software solutions, which eliminate the time-wasting back-and-forth, the errors that can creep in when estimates are made by hand and the risk of under or over quoting.
By switching to the use of estimation software, they have experienced an increase in productivity and accuracy.
Conclusion
With the demands of running a business, you can benefit from using an easy-to-use platform that can create price estimates instantly.
An estimation tool integrated into business management software will free up your time so you can focus on delivering accurate pricing and winning more jobs.
If you’re looking for an estimating tool that eliminates all guesswork and error, Custom Quoter can be the appropriate choice for you. Find out more about how we can assist you with your business needs.