5 Ways to Tell if Your Construction Software is Breaking Your Heart — and How to Move On

We’ve all experienced a bad relationship at least once in our life. Whether with a significant other or a friend, to ourselves or someone else, we all know the signs of when a relationship needs to end. That’s how we feel when we see a construction organization in a bad relationship with another software provider. We can see when other providers aren’t treating their clients the way they should be treated and we can’t help but want to assist. We know they deserve better.

Are you unhappy with your current software provider and concerned that you’re in a bad construction software relationship? In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, here are five ways to tell if it’s time to break up with your software provider and what to do about it. 

1. There’s Not Much Difference Between the Software You Used 10 Years Ago and the Software You’re Using Now

No one wants to be using old, difficult software that is difficult to navigate. Not only does that slow down your processes, but it makes completing simple tasks boring and mundane. You should be excited to head to work everyday and log into a state-of-the-art software solution that makes your job easier. If you’re not, it not only affects how you feel about your job but it will also create problems when trying to bring on new hires. Young, new professionals are tech-savvy people, and they want to use software that will make them feel that way. So if you want to continue to attract new talent, then you need a modern software solution that is in touch with today’s workforces.

2. You’ve Been Promises a Connected Construction Experience but You’re Still Not Getting It

For a relationship to survive the test of time, there needs to be a true connection. If you aren’t getting that connection from your software, it’s time to kick it out the door. “Connection” is a word used by lots of software providers these days but unfortunately, very few actually deliver. The importance of being able to connect your back office to the field — and to your extended project teams — is vital. Through this connection, projects can be better tracked, productivity and collaboration increases, and workflows are streamlined. With the opportunity for greater visibility and control of your construction projects, a connection with your software provider is something you do not want to miss.

3. You’re Using a Software Solution that Doesn't Specialize in Construction

You can’t force a relationship to work when the pairing was wrong from the very beginning. Construction is a challenging industry and using a one-size-fits-all software program will only increase the challenges that your company faces. You deserve to be using software that knows the ins and outs of the industry and understands what your company needs on a daily basis. When generic ERPs are used, organizations are held back by the lack of customization options available, inadequate features for various departments, and generic feel to the software. If your construction software partner doesn't acknowledge that you need more than these basic features, then it’s time to move on.

4. Your Software Refuses to Grow Up or Adapt to Meet Your Changing Needs

If you aren’t getting what you need out of your relationship, then you deserve better. If your software provider isn’t listening to your needs for new features or functionality, it might be time to move on. Your vendor should be working closely with you - long after that “first date” ... listening to your feedback and giving you the tools you need to do your job better. At Viewpoint, we recognize that our clients are the ones using the solution and we value their feedback - using it to directly inform continual and consistent product enhancements. By listening to what they need and want to see in our software, we make sure it works right for them, the way they want it to. This is the type of partnership you deserve with your construction software provider.

5. Your Software Isn’t Thinking About Your Future

As Beyonce says, “if you like it, you better put a ring on it.” So if your software and provider aren’t serious about your future and scaling to grow with you, is it worth sticking around? It’s great that most construction ERPs are designed to support small businesses. However, your company’s goal is growth, and you need software that can help you achieve those goals. Your organization should be able to continue doing what it does best to gain new clients, without having to worry if its software will be able to aptly support it in the process. 

Now that you may have realized you are in a toxic relationship with your construction software provider, we understand that you need some time to process this idea. But when you’re ready, Viewpoint is here to be a software provider you can trust. 

The seamless connection of cloud-based construction ERP software, intuitive web and mobile applications, robust data storage and processing capabilities, as well as powerful analytic and business intelligence tools that make up the our ViewpointOne suite, are making today’s construction data transformation possible. With a single source of truth and real time centralized data, you can easily improve how your business operates. The potential of the technologies behind ViewpointOne are poised to help you transform your business, and are why we've invested so heavily in building a platform that allows us to support your growing needs along the way.

To learn more about Viewpoint and why we’re better than your current software provider, visit our website here.