Hello, I hope you are safe and well. I just wanted to say how impressed and humbled our customers have made us feel. One message is coming through loud and clear. ‘I haven’t come this far to only come this far’. Like households across the country, our HBXL team is adjusting to a different way…More Info
Have you considered what a difference estimating software could do for your business – not just time-wise but financially too? I’ll explain with a question. Did your final profit for 2019 reflect the amount you believe you deserved based on the quality of your work and service? No? You’re not alone. 51% of the 537…More Info
We’ll cut the c**p! You’re busy. So we’ll get straight to the hard facts. HBXL software tools deliver what we promise: simple business management solutions for your building firm. Here’s the bottom line If you’re disappearing under quote requests, concerned about your health and safety obligations, fed up of chasing money and managing discrepancies –…More Info
It’s very easy to write January off when the weather lets you down, customers too - and the odd subbie. It’s dark, wet and there’s no money around… But all is not lost, far from it – the quieter period presents a great opportunity to review your business and decide how to take it forward. So we’ve listed here 10 goals to construction success in 2017 to set you on your way.
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Review your business direction - Starting with the biggie! What projects do you want and like to take on. Consider the 80/20 rule – could you concentrate on the 20 percent of the work that generates 80 percent of your revenue? And say no to the less profitable work? Do you want to diversify? What about Design & Build ? Walking is a good activity for clearing your mind and thinking afresh. Yes even builders can take an afternoon walk! Then break down your big ideas into daily, weekly or monthly actionable goals that you can measure. |
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Improve your bottom line - This usually involves 1) Raising your rates 2) Doing more work 3) Reducing your expenses. Look at the figures for last year and see how you could trim some overheads. Did your profit margins drop unnecessarily? Do you keep reducing your profit margin because of oversights? Find the leaks in your bucket. |
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Stop being busy and be more productive - Busy isn’t necessarily productive. ‘What’s the point of spending your days climbing a mountain, only to realise at the end of this new year, you’ve climbed the wrong one?’ (Quote courtesy of Robin Sharma, leadership expert). Do you enter the same data into multiple documents? Put systems in place that will streamline various processes. |
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Learn to delegate - Have a good long look at your role. Do you really have to do it all? Perhaps it’s time to stop being pulled in different directions and concentrate on the bigger issues. Make a list identifying the things that someone else could do. Estimating? Speaking to suppliers? Booking subbies? |
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Review your approach to health and safety - How confident are you that you have a handle on health and safety? Are your employees and the public properly protected? Do you know what the HSE expect from you – have you properly sussed out CDM 2015? How about putting some time in the diary to gen up on it, do an online health and safety course and get others onto it as well. |
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Review your customer service - Remember the customers pay the bills. If you want good reviews, if you want them to recommend you then make sure they stay happy. A single A4 sheet with your expectations of your employees and subbies will make sure everyone knows the policy. What about giving customers the opportunity to feedback at the end of a job – you could come up with a short questionnaire? At least make sure to ask them to give you a review. |
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Research cloud computing - If you’re not already using Dropbox, Google Drive, One Drive or another cloud storage application, then consider the benefits they could bring you. Saving and accessing files such as estimates in the cloud are really easy, and using cloud over physical file storage can save money as well. And of course you can be anywhere and still access your files remotely. But possibly most important of all is backing up - a must if you don’t want to lose something important following a systems failure or malfunction. |
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Promote your business better - It needn’t be anything grand. What about updating your website (you have got one haven’t you?)? How out of date are the projects on there? What about a Facebook page? Perhaps it’s time for new livery for the vehicles, new polo shirts, some better signs? Sponsor a team or event. Whatever, put together a list, add some time frames and make them happen. And why not book in a bit of marketing training on this – some short courses are available to do from home or office. |
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Become a tiny little bit of a geek - You don’t have to know your Bytes from your RAM but technology really will help you work more effectively, which means faster computers and clever software. Make a point of keeping up with new and changing technology that would impact you directly. Don’t just think about power drills and the latest plasterboard. What IT could you invest in to make your business run more smoothly? |
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Commit to new learning - Your business has to stay safe and compliant. Put some remote online health and safety training on the calendar. And why not think about learning a new skill. Find out about software for designing your own extensions and loft conversions for instance. |
Want more advice on construction success?
We hope our 10 goals to construction success in 2017 proves helpful. If you would like any more advice on streamlining your processes, tightening up on admin and improving your profit margins, give one of the team here at HBXL a call on 0117 916 7898. Our suite of software is aimed exclusively at the builder and developer and was founded by a builder who knows only too well about the pressures of running a successful business. Have a great 2017!
At HBXL we pride ourselves on providing the best quality Support from the moment you begin speaking with us which is why we’re very pleased to have received an award for Excellence in Customer Service. Read on to find out more about the award, how our Support separates us from the competition and the most recent results of our regular Support Team survey…
Softech Award for Excellence in Customer Service UK 2016
Softech are a tech publication read by over 43,000 software industry personnel. They have carefully scrutinised HBXL over the past 12 months, and rigorously compared us to our competitors to discover that we are worthy of an award for excellence in customer service!
Recognition like this and the positive responses of our users, makes all the work worthwhile. Our Support Team tirelessly strive to help ensure every user of any IT capability is able to get the most out of the software. Whether it is providing a helpful, friendly voice 9-5 every working day, walk-through videos, remote login or one of the many other resources we provide, we’re always happy to help. Having looked at our competitors we know the level of support we provide is another thing that makes HBXL Building Software stand out from the rest as no one else offers the level of assistance and the commitment we do on a daily basis. This is why we are extra happy to have received this Support service award!
Support Service results
Since we began asking for feedback on every Support query, we have consistently been rated above 9/10 for customer satisfaction. It is nice to be able to back up our customer satisfaction results with a customer service award to really demonstrate the level of Support we provide. But we’re not going to let it get to our heads! Take a look at our recent support results.
Support Service testimonials
Another way to work out whether our award winning Support service really cuts the mustard is by reading what some of our users have said about us. All of the statements below are from real builders responding to a short questionnaire after their Support query has been dealt with. We of course wouldn’t want users to feel pressure to respond positively so some have chosen to remain anonymous.
It’s a service I would not like to be without. Time is money for me & speed of response keeps me earning. Andrew Johns. AJ Design
I have been using the software for many years now and I know for a fact that you won’t get a better support service from any of the similar branded estimating software companies, as keenly priced and as helpful as the staff at HBXL. They are patient and do there upmost best at all times to help. After all said and done, this software is aimed at people in the building industry and they understand we’re not all computer programmers!!! Keep up the good service HBXL. Neil Kenah, Millbrook Building Solutions Ltd
Excellent customer service…akin to John Lewis! Steve Wright
Gentleman was very polite and talked through everything they were doing in simple terms so that I could understand as I’m no tech expert and didn’t feel patronised.
Very professional and polite. Thank You 10/10.
Give us a call!
If you have any issue, big or small, don’t hesitate to give us a call! We’re always happy to help. The Support line is 0117 916 7899. If want to make the most of our award winning Support service and you need to get your Support & Updates back in line, give us a call on 0117 916 7892 or if you need to talk about purchasing any of our software call us on 0117 9167898. We look forward to hearing from you!