|
Software applications
can't drive you to work in the morning, but with the way things
have been advancing in this highly competitive field, that might
be on the way. Computers are figuring cut-and-fill quantities, as
well as road and trenching work. In the field, telecommunications
technology allows the project manager to communicate with job supervisors
without having to drive to the job site. Thousands of dollars can
be saved by not having to relocate personnel.
A wide variety of information
can be provided to subcontractors - with little time and effort
expended. Today's products can help coordinate the activities of
dozens of people while tracking everything from the minutes of job
meetings to design submissions, purchasing, cost controlling, and
unexpected expenses.
Software is assisting
greatly in bidding, reducing the process from days to mere hours.
The efficiency of your fleet and in-the-field movements can be monitored.
You can even track down a stolen vehicle with today's technology.
Software systems can
assist the fleet in continuing to make money for you by keeping
your machines in the field and out of the repair shop. An astute
operator can prevent major engine failure with the help of software.
It tells you everything from when to change the oil to the telltale
signs of an impending problem.
With ever-increasing
competition in this business, more contractors are taking advantage
of methods that allow them to make more money with increased speed
in job performance due to more efficient work in the field and the
office. This reduces the risk of losing money from submitting a
low bid that is too low to make an acceptable profit. The increase
in efficiency also is reducing exposure to litigation.
In an effort to provide
a glimpse of some of the products that are currently on the market,
Grading & Excavation Contractor solicited responses from
a cross-section of software systems companies, asking each to respond
to the following questions:
- What kinds of software
do you have?
- What is your software
and what does it do?
- What distinguishes
your software from its competitors?
- What kinds of skills
do your employees need to efficiently operate your software?
- What kinds of changes
do you see in the next five, 10, even 20 years down the line?
What factors will be the drivers of these changes (possibly technology
and changes to construction practices)?
- What advice would
you offer our readers - grading and excavation contractors - in
preparing for the future as it concerns the areas addressed by
your software? What should they look out for? What kinds of skills
and knowledge should they be working to expand?
Here's what our respondents
had to say.
John Patridge, Director
of Product Development, Profitool
Profitool designs and
distributes Profitool, Profitool Express, and Gear Watch. Of the
three applications, the first two are enterprise accounting applications
specifically designed for the construction industry. The suite of
applications includes General Ledger, Job Cost, Payroll, Inventory,
Accounts Payable and Receivable, Equipment, Billing, Dispatching,
and Utility modules.
Profitool is our traditional,
fully functional product, while Profitool Express is a simplified,
somewhat preimplemented version of Profitool. The Express product
was designed for the small to medium-size contractor who wants a
powerful application but can't justify the time or cost investment
in a from-the-ground-up implementation. The product contains many
of the same features that are found in the traditional Profitool
product. However, it has been simplified to expedite the implementation
process and the training phase.
Gear Watch, an equipment
management application, is Profitool's newest product using the
latest development technology and user interfaces to provide a comprehensive
system for equipment tracking and maintenance management. Gear Watch
was designed for businesses with heavy-equipment and vehicle fleets
that want an easy-to-use application to assist them in utilizing
and maintaining their equipment more efficiently. It is server-based
and runs on Windows, UNIX, and LINUX platforms. In addition, Gear
Watch is database-independent and can be utilized with most relational
databases, including Informix, Oracle, and PostgreSQL. The browser
interface provides a familiar way for those who are not regular
users of information systems to get to the information they need
without extended training.
Flexibility is what sets
Profitool apart from the rest of the pack. Our products allow the
user to tailor the applications to their way of doing business.
Decades of experience with construction accounting applications
have enabled Profitool to build in a broad range of functionality.
In addition, Profitool and Profitool Express have a complete set
of user tools that allow the customization of screens, tables, and
reports. Entire applications may be built and integrated into the
application, all without the need for programming.
The demand for more current
and detailed information, along with the requirement for greater
access, will shape the future of information systems in the construction
industry in the years to come. Project managers and construction
company executives want direct and portable access to information.
Owners want detailed backup for charges and change orders, and they
want to get to it effortlessly. Equipment managers want concise
and distilled information about their fleets so they can make decisions
that keep their equipment profitable. Profitool recognizes these
trends and is currently undertaking a significant project to ensure
that the Profitool and Gear Watch applications are technologically
up to date so that the market demands of the next decade can be
met with state-of-the-art solutions.
Profitool and Profitool
Express are enterprise applications that require varying levels
of skill to use. As with any software, the more intricate accounting
applications require greater familiarity with accounting procedures
and a working knowledge of the application. Users seeking project
data can get to the information they need with a minimum of training
and can do so with familiar point-and-click tools.
Gear Watch is designed
for people with little or no exposure to computers or information
applications. It has an intuitive design that allows almost anyone
who has surfed the Internet to maintain and retrieve information
useful to our readers - grading and excavation contractors - in
preparing for the future as it concerns the areas addressed by your
software. What should they look out for? What kinds of skills and
knowledge should they be working to expand?
Look for software that
will grow with your business and provide accessibility to information
easily and clearly. Applications should support the way you
do business, not dictate the way you do business. Make sure
the information systems you choose support data exchange with other
applications. Your business will utilize more and more applications
as time goes on. Make sure they have the ability to communicate
with one another.
Hugh McCulloch, Trainer,
HCSS
 |
| Entry
screen of HeavyBid Estimating Software |
Heavy Construction Systems
Specialists (HCSS) develops estimating and bidding software and
job tracking software.
HeavyBid estimating software
gives contractors the ability to prepare, quickly and accurately,
a detailed cost estimate and easily convert it into a bid. HeavyJob
tracking software is a state-of-the-art production analysis/time
card tracking system designed to run the job from the field and
send daily progress quantities and hours back to the office.
HeavyBid can track cost
and bid histories to help in the estimating process. Employing a
relational database virtually eliminates repetitive entry and allows
estimate setup and population of information very quickly, thus
saving the estimator immense amounts of time. It uses codes that
allow for unlimited inquiry of all estimate detail. This kind of
inquiry is simply not possible with other systems. The codes also
allow for faster creation of activities (tasks) and resource items.
Codes are an amazing way of categorizing items so that at any point
you can look up, group, or filter only the items that you want to
see. This coding allows for a much faster look-up than is possible
with other systems, thereby allowing a much quicker entry of the
detail for an estimate.
HeavyBid can merge data
from multiple systems (stand-alone and network), allowing more than
one estimator to work on the same estimate at the same time. It
allows for multiple calendars, each with multiple work rules that
can be customized to account for virtually any labor situation.
We believe that the job
site will become completely paperless at some point. Right now,
with HeavyJob, foremen are entering all their daily time card information,
equipment usage, and major material receipt and usage in the field
and sending that information back to the office without paper. As
laptop computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs) have become
less expensive, the reporting and analysis that HeavyJob provides
companies give them a clear advantage in increasing the profit margin
to their bottom line. HCSS holds an annual user's group meeting
in Houston, TX, each winter, where hundreds of customers come to
see the latest features and functions of our products, exchange
knowledge and ideas with other contractors, and vote on the direction
they want the systems to take in the future.
With the competitive
environment that contractors are facing today, more and more companies
have automated their estimating and bidding process to give them
an edge. We now see contractors across the country seeking to gain
similar efficiencies in the field by using HeavyJob. HeavyJob gives
field personnel the information they need to become more proactive
on the job site. With HeavyJob, they are getting daily feedback
on the progress and profitability of their job. If there are problems
on the job, they know immediately so they can work to correct the
problem before it is too late. HeavyJob gives contractors the ability
to create truly exceptional work forces that are well informed and
proactive - field personnel who want the company to make money and
want the jobs they are on to be profitable.
Tim Vancleve, Vice
President of Sales and Marketing, Teletrac
 |
| FleetDirector
software's equipment installs in the vehicle as well as in the
computer. |
Teletrac develops wireless
location information systems that give commercial vehicle fleet
owners the tools to track their fleets' movements and ensure that
their employees are meeting productivity goals and fulfilling customer
needs.
Teletrac's flagship product,
FleetDirector, is an Internet-based system that locates and tracks
the position of vehicles in major United States metropolitan areas
and relays this information to the fleet dispatcher in real time
over maps on the screen of any Windows-based PC. FleetDirector gives
dispatchers the ability to communicate with drivers in the field
with wireless text messages sent to the driver's dashboard terminal.
Drivers can send canned messages back to the dispatcher. Through
the FleetDirector Alert feature, assigned employees can receive
messages via cell phone, pager, or e-mail, alerting them to important
vehicle location information. Dispatchers configure when, where,
and why to receive alerts. FleetDirector also gives users several
types of reports to help them better determine the productivity
of their drivers and vehicles, including FleetDirector On-Site -
customized reports detailing fleet activity at specific job sites,
such as how long a vehicle remained on-site. Service mileage reports
help dispatchers determine when vehicles need maintenance work.
FleetDirector also increases vehicle security, as it can allow fleet
owners to locate and recover stolen vehicles. The new Trailer and
Asset Tracking Units can be installed to track the location of truck
trailers and valuable equipment or cargo, reporting this information
over the FleetDirector software.
There are currently many
providers of commercial vehicle-tracking technology, but most are
focused on the long-haul fleet market and route optimization. In
comparison, Teletrac is more focused on metro-fleet tracking and
is the industry leader with thousands of customers in most major
cities in the US. A major advantage of FleetDirector is that it
is faster than other products in tracking and reporting vehicle
location information in real time. Teletrac's location information
system allows dispatchers to know exactly where each driver is at
all times, to be able to promptly react to a customer's delivery
or service needs, or to immediately learn when the route plan for
the day starts to fall behind schedule. Other products simply provide
fleet managers with time-delayed reports. FleetDirector is Internet-based,
but not browser-based, so the speed of the system is not delayed
by the browser's speed. FleetDirector also allows for multiple map
views and window views at the same time, unlike browser-based software.
FleetDirector is extremely scalable and can be implemented in fleets
with as few as five vehicles to those with more than 1,000.
Teletrac was purchased
by Trafficmaster PLC from the United Kingdom in May 2001. Trafficmaster
has been involved heavily in the dynamic navigation and traffic
information sector for 14 years. We can see a day in the near future
where we will be able to mix the two products for an even more impressive
fleet management system. We also see continued partnerships with
back-office software companies that will enable Teletrac to operate
fully from the truck level.
One of FleetDirector's
main advantages is that no special skills or training is needed
to operate the system. FleetDirector is a Windows-based system,
making it extremely intuitive and easy to use, based on straightforward
point-and-click commands. Teletrac also installs the system and
thoroughly trains all FleetDirector users. In addition, customer
service and technical support representatives are always on call
to assist at the customer's site.
Implementing fleet-tracking
technology helps all grading and excavation contractors reach their
core business goals: to best serve their customers and to improve
company productivity. These days, as technology permeates all work
forces, more and more operations are conducted in real time - those
that aren't will only fall behind competitors. Fleet-tracking technology
gives grading and excavation contractors a competitive edge.
Gregg LaPore, Owner,
Trakware
Trakware produces three
software packages to estimate excavation quantities: EarthWorks
for Site Excavation, EarthWorks for Pipe Trenching, and EarthWorks
for Cross-Sections.
EarthWorks for Site Excavation
is used to calculate excavation quantities for site grading. The
software works with a digitizer and plan-view site drawings. The
digitizer is used to trace elevation information - such as contours,
curb lines, and building pads - into the software. After all of
the elevation information is entered, the program can then calculate
the cut volume, fill volume, net import or export volumes, topsoil
stripping volume, topsoil respread volume, overexcavation volume,
and strata cut volumes. If the export or import of soil needs to
be reduced, the software can balance the site automatically to prevent
net import or export of soil. The software also can calculate the
amount of materials (i.e., concrete, asphalt) in the building pads
and parking lots, as well as pipe trench excavation and material
volumes.
EarthWorks for Pipe Trenching
is used to calculate pipe trench excavation volumes and material
quantities. The user enters information from profile trench drawings
using either a digitizer or a keyboard. The software calculates
excavation volumes, strata cut volumes, and material quantities,
including bedding material, backfill material, and pipe quantities.
EarthWorks for Cross-Sections
is used to calculate excavation quantities for roads, transitways,
and canals. The user enters information from a series of cross-sectional
drawings using either a digitizer or a keyboard. The software can
then calculate cut-and-fill volumes, import/export volumes, strata
cut volumes, and paving material quantities. The software also can
generate a mass diagram for each road.
We believe that the power
of most software is lost when the user interface is difficult to
learn and use. Therefore, our primary emphasis is building software
that not only is easy to learn but easy to operate as well. We use
large icons with pop-up names for the most common takeoff functions.
The program always displays a prompt to guide the user through the
estimate. Our "voice verification" system speaks each of the user's
commands and numeric entries as they are made, reducing entry errors
while allowing the user to keep his attention on the drawing. The
software catches the remaining numeric entry errors by scanning
the drawing to look for suspiciously large or small elevations.
There are extensive screens that allow the users to check their
work and to see exactly how the software is calculating the excavation
quantities. We have a 195-page, four-color manual and extensive
online support that explains the operation of the software. The
manual also includes a tutorial that explains the most common functions
of the software. It can be completed within an hour.
The first trend that
can be seen clearly is that the construction industry is moving
increasingly toward electronic plans. This not only increases the
speed at which plans and revisions can be disseminated but also
helps to keep their costs low.
There are two major classes
of electronic files. The first class is bitmap files (i.e., .tif,
.gif, .jpg, .pic). Basically very large photographs of the paper
drawings, they are meant to be printed as standard drawings by the
bidding company and then taken off using a digitizer. This process
relieves the general contractor of the burden of printing and distributing
paper drawings.
The other class of drawings
is vector files (.dwg, .dxf). These files contain objects that represent
the actual dimensions and locations of items on the drawing. For
example, a contour would be represented by a line that contains
the contour's actual location and elevation on the site. When the
plans are distributed in this format, they theoretically can be
loaded directly into estimating software, such as EarthWorks, without
having to be digitized manually. This makes the takeoff process
much faster and more accurate. (In practice, most of the people
who are creating the drawing are interested primarily in constructing
a drawing that prints well. They have no motivation to make their
drawings easy to import into estimating software. It is more the
rule than the exception that the drawing will have substantial problems,
such as not have an internal scale, drawing objects will not be
assigned any elevations, and drawing objects that should be continuous
[such as the edges of a building pad or a long contour] will be
broken into many smaller fragments and not be associated, in any
way, with other parts of the same object. This can make the import
and subsequent editing of the drawing just as laborious as digitizing
the drawing directly.)
The second trend is for
the use of computer control of the grading equipment. In this emerging
trend, the excavation software is used to generate an elevation
map of the site. Hardware on the excavation equipment then uses
that elevation map to control the blade height automatically in
order to grade the site properly. The advantages to this method
are several. First, because the blade height control is automatic,
the site does not have to be staked (stakes typically are placed
at hundreds of locations across the site and are used to indicate
to the equipment operators the depth of soil to remove or build
up at a particular location). The second is that equipment operators
with less experience (read: cheaper) can be hired because the onboard
blade-control equipment not only does the blade height adjustment
but also shows the operator which direction to drive using an onboard
display. The third advantage is the increase in accuracy of the
grading. Grading that used to be accurate to within a couple of
inches is now accurate to within a couple tenths of an inch.
Grading contractors,
as well as general contractors, need to realize that the use of
excavation estimating software will make them much more competitive
in the market. Using excavation estimating software allows an excavator
to estimate a job in only 20% of the time that it would take to
estimate it by hand and with far greater accuracy. That means that
they can bid for five times the number of jobs than they could previously
and that they can place their bids with much higher confidence in
their estimates.
They also should be prepared
to make an investment in the automatic grading-control equipment.
That equipment can cut their labor costs while increasing the quality
and speed of their grading work.
Bill Crumb, Western
Regional Sales Manager, GeoLogic
 |
| Some
of GeoLogic's standard systems include ATV, dozer, and grader
packages. |
GeoLogic software is
a job-site management tool allowing construction industries to manage
their jobs through every phase of the construction cycle, whether
in the field or in the office.
GeoSite Manager is composed
of modules that can be used all together, or mixed and matched,
depending on the contractor's needs. The individual modules involve
the following:
GeoTopo is a rapid surveying
system in which the program collects the coordinates and the data
are filtered and checked by the program, then shown on the screen
as they're logged, creating a 3D topographical map. It can be fully
automated and/or used as a manual data collector. Using it automatically
with an ATV, data are collected while driving the terrain, or the
points can be input manually.
GeoField is a field-based
grade-checking package used to stake surface geometry based on randomly
or regularly spaced points. GeoField uses TINS.
GeoStation station-based
grade checking is used to stake, grade, or check lineally based
projects. The operator can see his position based on a cross-section,
with cut-and-fill information available immediately on screen. This
program calculates grade using true cross-sections.
GeoPoint graphically
locates the points in a design field, allowing conventional staking
to be completed in a fraction of the normal time.
GeoPipe provides machine
control specific to drainage contractors. The computer does all
the necessary calculations and controls the plow. It calculates
the best fit for every tile line installed.
GeoLogic software is
designed by people who have been in the industry for more than 30
years. They understand all phases of the job, from gathering topographical
information for surveying purposes, to staking, grading, and finishing
a job site. Because the designers actually have been "in the shoes"
of the potential customer, they not only have designed an applicable
product but also are able to train customers with complete understanding
of their needs.
In our opinion, wearable
CPUs and heads-up displays are the way of the future.
GeoLogic software is
very intuitive. The basic requirements needed to understand it are
the willingness to learn and the ability to read. A clear understanding
of the interworkings of a job site is, of course, required, but
this is an assumed knowledge for those interested in the GeoLogic
system.
As with any market, there
are many "me too" companies out there. The biggest danger is trying
to standardize products, thus not allowing advancement via change.
For example, the Caterpillar D6 dozer has been manufactured for
22 years; thus it's a wise decision to purchase nothing other than
D6 dozers to standardize the contractor's fleet. However, wise contractors
in today's market first will understand his needs, study the market
entirely, and move forward with an intelligent decision. The main
reason the GeoLogic system is so versatile is because it's a real
computer that operates under a universal standard, Windows 98. Top
contractors of the world can, at a moment's notice, tell you their
equipment operation cost per hour, as well as the cost per foot
in every phase of the construction cycle, no matter the type of
job, whether underground, retrofit, or heavy highway construction.
My advice to you is know who in your company will use the GeoLogic
system. Be careful of products that interpolate grade. Test each
and every system as adequately as possible, and then move forward
with confidence.
Brad Barth, Senior
Vice President of Product Management, Hard Dollar
Hard Dollar BID*BUILD
software is designed specifically for infrastructure contractors.
The software comprises a comprehensive suite of fully integrated
modules that were engineered specifically to manage all aspects
of estimating, bidding, and construction management. These modules
include the following:
- Bidding and estimating
- market tracking, historical analysis, equipment rate estimating,
take-off and analysis, quote management, competitor price analysis,
proposal development, and document administration
- Construction management
- scheduling, dispatching, resource coordination, employment tracking,
cost tracking, change management, pay requests and approvals,
and contract administration
The software integrates
the contractor's two most critical operations: bidding jobs and
building jobs. It helps the contractor work more efficiently, provides
instant access to time-critical information to make fully informed
decisions, and minimizes risk and reduces overhead to capture more
profit. From prospecting, estimating, bidding, and launching a job,
BID*BUILD continues working through job start-up, construction,
monitoring, and closeout.
It is the only construction
software that is built on Microsoft's .NET (dotNet) platform, giving
the user a fast, flexible, and user-friendly work environment.
Hard Dollar BID*BUILD
helps contractors manage all aspects of bidding and building jobs.
Each module is designed to address each phase of the construction
process from market tracking through job closeout. It contains full
integration with Microsoft Excel, giving the user spreadsheet flexibility
and speed with database consistency and reporting.
Expect to see an evolution
to few systems with broader functionality. As contractors automate
more and more aspects of their business, they need to integrate,
maintain, and support multiple, disparate systems. That becomes
a technological burden. As a result, contractors are seeking to
replace single-purpose systems with point-to-point solutions that
will automate the entire process.
As software gets more
sophisticated and personal computers get more powerful, users are
seeking a greater degree of personalization and customization in
their applications. This allows the contractor to customize reports
to meet the specific information needs of each report recipient.
Contemporary software
should be capable of running on virtually any database, not just
a proprietary database that comes with the software. For example,
high-end applications should be able to run on top of any relational
database, such as Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle.
Microsoft's .NET platform
makes it more efficient for software companies to develop consistent
applications that can be deployed on the desktop and local area
networks and over the Internet without creating separate applications
for each. Some of the most advanced software programs, such as XML,
are already in .NET, while many others are in the process of converting
to a .NET framework.
With PDAs increasing
in power and affordability, more and more applications are being
developed to allow contractors to work in the field "without wires"
and transmit data back to the office in real time. For example,
time sheets can be collected on a palm pilot and sent to the home
office daily via wireless e-mail so that job status reports can
be created every day rather than weekly.
When choosing software,
look for a system that automates the entire business operation.
Is the software compatible with existing systems (digitizing, CAD,
accounting, and so on)? Will the software grow as the business grows?
How long has the company been in business and does it have an established
client base? Has the company proven its ability to respond to industry
needs? Are the products innovative and constantly evolving to meet
changes in the industry and in technology? Is training available
and in what format? Does the company provide technical support and
what is its response record? Do key employees have industry expertise
to understand your business, and are they available and committed
to helping you build a more successful business?
Steve Warfle, Product
Manager, InSite Software
InSite SiteWork Earthwork
and Utility Estimating Software calculates cuts and fills, topsoil
stripping and demolition volumes, strata quantities, subgrade materials,
topsoil respread volume, areas, length, and trench excavation and
backfill. It also prints 3Ds, cross-sections, and scaled plans.
Features include the Dynamic Site Balancer, CAD (.dwg and .dxf)
Import, and Field General Construction Layout software with live
support for robotic total station, global positioning system (GPS),
and machine control export.
Our Paperless CAD Take-off
feature allows import or AutoCAD release 2002 and previous release
files to be imported effortlessly, saving the contractor time digitizing,
while improving the accuracy of the results. We also export staking
data to GPS and robotic total stations and a triangulated surface
model to machine-control hardware.
We see a time when bidding
will be done without paper, exclusively with CAD files. The takeoff
will be done completely from the files, and the results will be
submitted electronically. Once the project has been awarded, the
same electronic files used for bidding will be exported to surveying
and machine-control equipment for construction of the site.
One of the strengths
of our product is that it is not complicated to use. Many of our
customers had no prior computer experience before running our product
and are now doing complex takeoffs, either tracing paper plans with
a digitizer or importing CAD files. With the combination of 24-hour
support and the ability to download projects to our support staff
for review instantly, we've made it easy for anyone to be productive.
Our commonsense advice
for potential buyers of this type of technology is to try first
before you buy. Every software product looks great in a salesman's
pitch, on a Web site, a demo disk, or a video. But at some point
an estimator will need to use the software, and that is where the
quality becomes apparent. In other words, be sure to try each potential
product on your own projects. This might take a little extra time,
but it will ensure that you purchase the correct product.
Also, make sure the software
accommodates your company's future. Importing from a CAD file, or
exporting to machine control, GPS, or robotic total station might
not seem important to a smaller company, but as an excavating company
expands, these features become important. It is important that the
software your company purchases embraces the new technology.
Mark Ashdown, Vice
President, TMT Software
Our 100% focus is in
the creation and enhancement of a fleet maintenance software package
(Transman), not only for transportation but also all other industries
that have fleets, such as people who have off-road equipment, school
buses, and anything in between.
Transman performs many
tasks in the fleet. It has repair orders, purchase orders, fuel
tickets, inspection tickets; it tracks the direct labor of working
on equipment and the indirect labor of all the activities that go
on with people in the shop. It has components for the shop supervisor
to plan work to be done. We have a design that allows the mechanic
to use his finger and touch buttons on the computer that will perform
all of the tasks that he would normally do writing repair orders
by hand. If it has to do with ordering parts for inventory, working
on equipment, or determining any labor spent working on a truck
versus doing operational moving equipment, we keep up with that
activity.
What makes our product
different is our design philosophy. We want the author of the data
to put in that data. So if the mechanic charges a part out of inventory,
we want him to be able to go to a touch-screen monitor and touch
buttons and reduce the inventory in real time and charge that piece
of equipment in real time. When the mechanic comes to work, we want
him to clock in and out of tasks, and at the end of the day there
is a complete record of all of the activities that the mechanic
has performed. So there is nothing that is in the mechanic's head;
everything is in the computer system. Our philosophy is real time.
We don't expect any fleet to have an administrative clerk reentering
data into a computer software program. That's probably the biggest
difference, along with the fact that our architecture is designed
so that we can pass information to other applications, including
accounting, payroll, accounts payable for invoices, and other dispatches
to other departments that need information out of our system.
The biggest change I
see in the short term - less than three years - is the scarcity
of a mechanic. We have a driver shortage now in the transportation
marketplace, and I believe we're going to have the same scarcity
of mechanics. The companies that have programs, tools that help
the mechanics perform their tasks, are going to be the ones that
attract the quality people who are available in the marketplace
today.
Also, I believe the advent
of the Internet is changing the way we purchase and replenish consumable
items, be it office items from Office Max or parts for a million-dollar
grader or loader. We're designing functionality into our product
that touches the vendor who has the best price for the piece of
equipment we have electronically, without printing paper. I think
the advent of push-button technology for the mechanic and the ability
to communicate in real time over the Internet without any paper
whatsoever to place orders and receive orders are the biggest changes
that will happen in the maintenance department. It's totally different
than the way a (typical) maintenance department operates today.
There is virtually no
computer skill necessary because we've designed it like an automated
teller machine with a multiple-choice test. You select from the
options that are given to you. Knowing what you want to measure
is probably the most important skill at the fleet manager level.
Do I want to compare the performance of one engine manufacturer
over another? Do I want to compare the performance of one mechanic
over another? Do I want to evaluate part or vendor performance?
The real skill set is the management philosophy at the middle management
level, and if there is a desire to measure, then our system really
positions itself nicely to help them do that job. You can have the
best software around, but if you don't have the discipline or you're
not asking the evaluation-oriented questions, people will stop using
the product. It's critical that you spend the minutes as you perform
the task, instead of the hours at the end of the day or the end
of the week trying to get caught up with inputting data. Most people
don't remember that far back. If I can capture the activity as I
perform it, then I'm most productive, and I'm actually getting more
accurate information because I'm the author of those data.
Spend more money in training
your staff on how to use the tools to do the job. Take the extra
time to ensure that the knowledge base has been acquired by the
people who are using the product. I say this because we're in a
fast-food frame of mind. We want to drive up, get our food, and
drive away and eat at the same time. In the software business, people
believe that Bill Gates has created this point-and-click application
that should require no real training. But if you think about the
software application involved just in writing a Word document, the
sophistication in Word is tremendous. The fact is that most people
don't take the time to get really educated on all of what it can
do, and they use it as a simple typewriter. But there is significant
value and productivity, if only people would take the time to get
really trained on all of the features and functions and capability
of that product, and I think that's what all software companies
struggle with. They want to present an easy-to-use solution. Don't
shortchange training.
Writer Jack Beardwood
has more than 20 years of professional experience working with newspapers
and magazines.
GEC
- March/April 2003
|
