Though some customers will always opt for the lowest bidder no matter what, other customers are interested in taking a look at how the numbers add up and are willing to look beyond the bottom line to pay for quality service. Bidding software not only correctly calculates bids for internal budgeting and workloading purposes, but it allows contractors to show bid transparency and professionalism to potential customers.

Bidding software calculates the building measurements and specifications to accurately predict labor needs; labor takes up the biggest percentage of a BSC’s budget, so getting this number right — and ensuring that a workforce is as efficient as possible — is essential to making a profit. Customers should understand why bids are priced the way they are, and bidding software makes it easy for contractors to avoid fuzzy math and display the hard numbers by providing detailed, itemized lists of what needs to be done, how often, and how long each task takes. Many bidding software packages also have online components that allow data to be entered from a mobile device in the field. That data can then show up in real time for BSCs and their customers.


posted on 11/5/2010