No, don’t be concerned, I am not about to start quoting Shakespeare. I just thought it would be a good opening line. What is it about human nature that makes some of us so reluctant to change?
At home, when we sit down for dinner, we usually sit in the same place every time. If you attend church, you probably sit in almost the same seat every week. We have routines that we go through every day, day after day, and we will probably continue these routines for the rest of our lives.
I can certainly understand that routines can become habits. Or is it that habits become routines? When it comes to estimating, it is imperative that you have established a method (a routine) that works for you. But I would caution you not to be so naïve as to think your way is the only way. I encourage you to listen to the ideas of others, try new methods and certainly to embrace new technology.
Here we are in the 21st century and I have been using computers for 23 years. The first computer I used had two floppy drives. You would put in one floppy disc to boot up the computer and then take that floppy out and insert the other floppy to access the estimating software. I hated that computer! It would run out of memory and crash without any warning, and you would lose your entire estimate when that happened. But, as cantankerous as that computer may have been, it was much better than preparing estimates manually. I embraced the change because it made my job easier.
Computers and the software that it takes to make them work for us are so much more user friendly and flexible these days. To this day there are estimators (even business owners) who are reluctant (refusing) to change and use the new technology that is available to them. Why? If you ask them they will probably say, “Because this is the way I have always done it.” Well, I guess that sounds like a reason. The question I would like to ask after that reply is, “Have you always been stupid?”
I just had the experience of introducing and encouraging a long-time friend in the construction business to buy an electronic takeoff program. I have used the program for several years, and I have told him for quite some time how this program could cut his takeoff time by more than half. He listened to what I had to say, but he was reluctant to change.
Then, last week, he decided he would give it a try and he purchased the program. He is amazed at how much faster and more accurate it is to use this takeoff software. I’m a little concerned that he might not spend as much time with his wife now as he should, because he realizes that he can takeoff and bid more jobs than he ever did before.
Consider joining in today’s technology splurge, if you haven’t already. The World Wide Web provides so many answers to everyday questions, it’s a wonder how we managed to live our lives before the WWW became commonplace (and necessary). And think about how cell phones have changed the way we do business on and off the job site. The same goes for the software that can help you do your job. You may find that you’re able to accomplish a lot more—and help advance your career—in a shorter period of time. By using today’s technology to do more in less time, you could choose to do the same amount of work yet now have time for your family and hobbies.
You can change and utilize the new technology, or you can hold on to your archaic way of estimating … and rust.
About the Author
Charles Mahaffey is president of Accuest, LLC, Marietta, Ga. Accuest provides estimating and consulting services for commercial drywall subcontractors.
