Some things in life just go better together, without exception. Prime examples are salt and pepper, peanut butter and jelly, or even cilantro and onion (okay, don’t judge our love of authentic street tacos). What should be added to that list is premier estimating software HeavyBid, along with HeavyJob, used on the operational side.
Thousands of contractors of every size rely on both programs to work hand-in-hand, helping them build quick and meaningful communication between estimating and operations so that actual job performance can instantly inform the next bid.
Why To Seamlessly Integrate Multiple Products
If you need proof, ask any HCSS user. Bay Cities Paving & Grading is one of Northern California’s top providers of heavy civil paving, grading, underground, and infrastructure work. With a license for both HeavyBid and HeavyJob, as well as Equipment360, Dispatcher, Telematics, and HCSS Plans, their teams rely on the software to finish jobs on time and ensure profitability.
“It just plays out well,” says Ruby Athwal, Chief Administrative Officer for Bay Cities Paving. “It’s the flow of the integration of all the products that’s been the plus. Every piece that we’re adding is benefiting each layer.”
Athwal affirms that having HCSS behind all of their software solutions by saying, “I haven’t really come across a product that's similar to HCSS.”
You can easily liken HCSS to a favorite superstore that specializes in every need for construction software solutions. If your company is using HeavyBid for estimating to win more bids and leave less money on the table, it’s only logical to make life easier by using HeavyJob for job costing, faster time cards, and solving numerous other pain points.
“If someone can conquer HeavyBid, HeavyJob is a breeze,” Athwal states when discussing the challenges of getting her workforce up to speed on the latest technology. “I don't need instructions. It’s plug and play at that point.”
In fact, Bay Cities will regularly hire new employees who have experience using different planning software. The most common reaction after switching to HCSS is, “This one’s so much easier to use!”
Similar to many companies, she asserts that their main “source of truth” is their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). In today’s times, with main business processes mediated by software and tech, the true integration Bay Cities loves is being able to use their ERP with HCSS.
“We call it our main source of truth,” Athwal says about HeavyJob. “That daily time card drives into our ERP where all the financials are held. So the fact that we're able to set up people, equipment, [and] jobs there - it's a game-changer.”
Industry Titan Colas Sings the Praises of Pairing HeavyBid and HeavyJob
HCSS customer Ryan Rivet is another professional who knows the ins and outs of the construction industry. He has previously held posts as a Chief Project Estimator, Job Cost Accountant, and even a Gradesman in Alberta, Canada. In his current role as a Business Analyst for Colas IS Support in Denver, Colorado, both HeavyBid and HeavyJob are key.
“The integration between HeavyBid and HeavyJob, where the data from HeavyJob comes back into HeavyBid, is so useful to us, to take a look at all of the projects that are being completed,” Rivet says. “Being able to close the feedback loop with job history directly in HeavyBid is a great way for us to take a look at how the field is doing so that we can use the most up-to-date data to bid with, that comes directly from the field.”
To call Colas a massive company would be an understatement, and every business owner will tell you that time equals money. With over 58,000 employees, this multinational civil engineering operation must make every second count.
“There’s no more sitting in a pre-bid meeting and having everybody's opinion on what something should cost,” Rivet states. “Right in HeavyBid, we can use that job and production history to go in and take a look at what it actually costs us on the jobs that are comparable. We don't have to have this twenty-minute conversation about whose opinion is right. We can see exactly how our field operations completed the work.”
Prepare To Make Life Easier
If you're ready for quick access to job actuals to prepare more accurate bids, want to grant foremen the ability to see what your estimators were thinking when the estimate was prepared, and just want to ramp up overall communication between the office and the field, the time to pair HeavyJob with HeavyBid is NOW.
Reach out today for a free demo or if you’re an existing HCSS customer, contact your Customer Success representative to learn more.
