Electrical Contractor Business – In today’s business environment, incorporating modern technology can give you the competitive edge you need to grow your company. As an electrical contractor, a lot of what you do is based on face-to-face interaction but there are a number of digital tools and strategies which you can use to your advantage. If you’ve always relied on word of mouth for referrals, managed your operation manually or worked without 3D models, here are some of the things you should consider.
Build a Modern, Responsive Website
Word of mouth is still a great way to get new customers, but many people automatically turn to the Internet when they’re looking for recommendations. Furthermore, 77 percent of Americans have a smartphone so your website needs to be optimized for their devices.
Luckily, you don’t need to spend a fortune to create a beautiful, functional website. You don’t even need to know how to code. Squarespace and Wix offer low-cost website builders with drag-and-drop functionality while WordPress provides greater flexibility and lots of customization options. If you’d rather not work on this in-house, you can hire a web designer to set up the site. Ask for a solution which allows you to easily add information to your site on your own.
Electrical Contractor Business
Create Social Media Profiles
Facebook has more than 2 billion monthly users, Instagram has 1 million and Twitter has 321 million. Your customers and potential customers spend a lot of time scrolling through these sites on their phones. If you want them to connect with them, you need to have a strong digital presence.
If your business doesn’t yet have a social media page, you don’t need to rush and join every platform. Instead, start with one or two based on where your target market is most likely to be. If you’re more invested in the B2B market, LinkedIn would be best for you since that’s where professional network.
Regardless of the platform you choose, social media profiles make it easy for people who need electrical services to get familiar with your business. They can learn about the services you offer, ask questions, see what goes on behind the scenes, and meet your team members. Electrical Contractor Business. You can also use these platforms to share helpful tips with homeowners. Educate them about they shouldn’t attempt to do electrical work themselves or teach them about the signs of electrical problems. You’re only limited by your creativity.
List Your Business on Review Sites
People check the ratings and reviews of companies online before they decide to do business with them. Sometimes star ratings and testimonials are what give one company the edge over the other. It’s, therefore, important that your contracting business have a presence on sites like Yelp and Angie’s List. These sites make it easy for prospects to discover you and leave reviews after benefitting from your services. You’ll need to monitor the feedback, check the lists for accuracy from time and time and learn how to report reviews that are fake or inaccurate.
Get Dedicated Electrical Contractor Software
Bringing your business into the digital era isn’t only about social media or Internet marketing. If you’re not using management software designed specifically for contractors, you’re missing out on an opportunity to improve your operations. Software like FieldPulse combines a wide range of features including job scheduling, estimate and invoice generation, customer relationship management, and time and location tracking.
This type of software lets you stay up to date with everything that’s happening in your business no matter where you are. Contractor software lets you set up simple workflows, share information seamlessly with your entire team and even see if your electricians are on the job when they are supposed to be. Electrical Contractor Business. Whether you have a team of 5 or 50, cloud-based management software makes it much easier to run every aspect of your business.
Electrical Contractor Business
Use Building Information Modeling Software
Building Information Modeling (BIM) software has been used in the design and construction industry since the turn of the millennium. It allows you to create an accurate 3D model of a building and it was typically used by architects and structural engineers for estimation purposes. However, the technology can now be used by electrical contractors to help them reduce costs, save time and produce better project designs.
With BIM, your electricians will be able to see the building’s complete design and draft the electrical layout even before construction begins. They can simulate lighting performance in varying seasons and compare how one installation would affect another. BIM also helps to minimize those errors which can result in costly corrections.
Electrical Contractor Business
A Few Final Words
These are just some of the basic things you should consider doing if you want to modernize your electrical contracting business. Your industry is important, and your expertise will always be in demand, but you need to use digital tools to streamline your operations, improve efficiency and connect with existing and potential customers. Use these suggestions to give your business the extra boost it needs in this competitive field.
Author Bio
Marie Erhart is a Success Manager at FieldPulse, creators of field service software that lets you run your entire contracting business from a single app. She works with contractors to help them grow their business using best practices.