By John Chaney, co-founder, Dexter + Chaney
Business management software is one of the most difficult investments to make for your business. Difficult because it's hard to know when it makes financial sense to upgrade to more capable-and likely more expensive-systems. Difficult because implementing new software requires a commitment to change. And difficult because your business expertise is probably not in software-it's in construction and service contracting.
Here are some guidelines that can help decide when to make a change in the way you handle business information and communication in your company-in other words, when it may make sense to look at new software and what you should look for.
When to Upgrade
Virtually every company uses software today in their business. The most common scenario is the use of email for communication, a basic accounting system like QuickBooks for accounting, and a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel for estimating and project management. For many companies, this combination works just fine. If this scenario resembles the way your company works today, here are two common "growing pains" to look for to help you know when you should look for a more sophisticated, unified approach to your business software.
