DiFazio Industries carries out some of the toughest underground utility work in Staten Island, New York, which is no easy feat. Years ago, their Chief Administrative Officer, Cesar Piedrahita, was on the hunt for reliable estimating software that could help their business continue to grow. Along with a coworker, Piedrahita attended a presentation on HCSS products.
“One of the things said during the presentation is that support always picks up in 3 rings,” Piedrahita recalls like it was yesterday. “The guy did a demonstration, and they picked up in 3 rings. Everybody in the room was like, ‘Yeah, of course. It's all prep. You're trying to sell us the software.
Despite this skepticism, the HCSS presenter assured everyone present to go home and test the phone number on their own time, even if it was in the middle of the night.
“Sure enough,” Piedrahita continues, “we went home, called, and they picked up in 3 rings. To this day, we call support, and they pick up in 3 rings. That hasn't changed in all these years. So why do we use HCSS software? Because of the support.”
The Good Ol' Days are Still Here with HCSS
How many times in recent years have you heard complaints about customer service not being what it used to be? Businesses are often run by accountants with red pens and spreadsheets who know how to hack and slash expenses. Oftentimes, service representatives are one of the first luxuries to go.
Oppositely, HCSS has doubled down by investing in their own people and keeping knowledgeable employees on staff around the clock. There is no automated phone system to hopelessly navigate while banging your head against the wall in frustration.
“They're the best service of any tech company I've ever had,” Hoyt says of HCSS Support. “Really any third-party service. They’re always there, and they stay with you until they answer your question or get someone else on who can help you."
– Victoria Hoyt, VP HSE, Colas USA
As Director of Project Management for Sigfusson Northern in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Tim Klaas has not only called support, but he also keeps the sticker with the number right on his work laptop.
"In a world where you're dealing with bots or placed on hold, it's a breath of fresh air,” Klaas says. “What's fantastic about HCSS is you're talking to a real person in a couple of rings. And it's somebody who – they might not be able to answer the question, but they'll get you somebody right away.”
Mark Stapf of Amico Infrastructures is another Project Manager in Canada who also works as an Estimator. On occasion, he and his team have no choice but to call HCSS for software support.
“My experience with tech support has honestly been outstanding,” he says. “From HeavyJob to HeavyBid, in moments where we were very stressed in regards to potentially making fatal mistakes for projects, they were actually able to solve them very quickly, walk us through the solutions, and get us over that hump.”
With a determined staff of problem solvers who carry the hearts of servants, HCSS technical support always gets to the bottom of things – regardless of what they have to go through to make it right. Stapf will attest to this.
“If there's a scenario that needs a little bit more digging, they always follow up,” he says.
When pandemic shutdowns swept the entire globe, the technical support line at HCSS never missed a beat either. Project Superintendent Will Little of Allen Contracting points this out.
“Even during COVID, it was really wonderful,” he says of support. “I could always hear dogs barking in the background, their kids crying. I call in fairly frequently, a lot of times just because I want to discover what a product can do better, any tips and tricks.”
24/7/365 is Not Just Lip Service
A reality of the construction industry is that projects aren’t completed on a standard 9-to-5 schedule. With road closures and other DOT work many times completed during off-hours, foremen using HCSS software can’t afford to sit and wait if an issue arises.
“That’s the biggest selling point for me,” says Ruby Athwal, Chief Administrative Officer at Bay Cities Paving & Grading. “Our world does live twenty-four hours a day. Our true work, heavy highway, is night time. So if HCSS is down, it won’t work. It’s never down. I’ve been on the phone with HCSS at eleven o’clock at night, and there is someone answering the phone. Not C-level support, it’s still A-level. It’s usually a user issue, but they figure it out with you.”
Another HCSS user, Charles Blevins, is a longtime Estimator for United Brothers Development in Jacksonville, Florida. He always tells others that if you're looking at different software programs, forget about all of them that aren’t HCSS, because they have the absolute best technical support of any software he’s ever used.
“I’m telling you right now, I’ve called tech support Saturday night at 2 in the morning, and I’ve had somebody in 3 rings answer and address what my problem was and take care of it,” Blevins says before adding, “Best in the world.”
Take the Instant Support Test
At HCSS headquarters, no team members are outsourced, and calling up any second of the year ensures an in-house team member will quickly answer. Still a doubter? Call for yourself:
- Estimating - HeavyBid: 855-231-7876
- Operations - HeavyJob, HCSS Safety, HCSS Plans, Forms: 855-231-7878
- Fleet - Equipment360, HCSS Telematics: 855-231-7877
We promise not to say, “Told you so.”
