Increase Sales In Construction With Tablet PCs
This VAR earned $500,000 during the past year by selling tablet PCs to commercial construction companies to eliminate time-consuming manual processes.
Six years ago, Allegiance Tablet PC Experts (ATP) began focusing solely on helping its clients develop, purchase, and implement tablet PC solutions. The construction industry is one of the markets in which ATP found success with this venture. In the past year, the VAR increased its total revenue in the construction industry from 10% to 20%.
According to John Hill, president of ATP, it is common for general contractors to walk around a construction site with pen and paper to make a list of what needs additional work before construction can be considered complete, such as a tear in the carpet that needs repair or a scratch in the paint. The general contractor then takes this list, often called a ‘punch list,’ to the office and sends messages to each of the subcontractors. After repairs are made, the general contractor repeats the walk-through process until the construction is complete.
One customer for which ATP recently completed installation is Suffolk Construction, a $2 billion commercial construction company. ATP learned of Suffolk’s need through Vela Systems. Vela Systems is ATP’s partner that creates the construction software portion of its tablet PC solution. Suffolk was converting a jail in Boston into a hotel with about 200 rooms, and ATP knew it could save Suffolk time on the project. “To pitch the product to a construction company, we discuss the time the company wastes entering data from a list into a computer system and then sending messages to the subcontractors responsible for repairs and repeating the process,” says Hill. Suffolk saw the value in ATP’s tablet PC solution and decided to implement 18 units for its Boston project, equating to a $58,500 sale for the VAR.
Use Your Distributor For Quick Turnaround
ATP purchases its tablet PCs from Seneca Data Distributors. “We’ve been doing business with Seneca since we began selling tablet PCs and will continue to do so. When we went to Seneca for the first time with a credit card and asked to purchase two units, Seneca treated us in the same manner they do now when we spend $1 million per year,” explains Hill. In addition, ATP’s Seneca representative keeps a spreadsheet of commonly sold inventory and ensures the distributor has units in stock. “Companies often spend large quantities of time researching solutions, and once they decide what they want, they want it now,” says Hill. “Seneca makes sure we are able to quickly provide our customers with a solution.”
Once ATP received Suffolk’s tablet PCs from Seneca, the VAR loaded Microsoft Office and Vela Systems software. The tablet PCs were then sent to Vela where the software was customized. Customization includes the client’s vendor and subcontractor information, such as names, addresses, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers, and the creation of customized lists. Vela performed on-site training with Suffolk on the capabilities of the software and how to use it, which lasted about two days. ATP trained Suffolk’s technical staff on the tablet PCs so they are able to service and maintain the units in the field.
The process was completed for Suffolk in June 2008. Using the tablet PC solution now automates the general contractor’s walk-through process. The tablet PCs are connected to Suffolk’s network via integrated Wi-Fi (or where a wireless connection isn’t available, a broadband wireless card). Rather than using pen and paper, the general contractor walks around the site carrying the 3.3-pound tablet PC and determines what needs additional work. Issues found on the ‘punch list’ are checked on the tablet PC and automatically sent to the associated subcontractors. In addition, the solution includes a USB camera so the general contractor can take and send photos of any issues for clarification or verification purposes. In Suffolk’s case, eliminating the paper processes by using the tablet PC solution shaved at least a week off the Boston construction project.
Since the successful implementation of the tablet PC solution for Suffolk’s Boston project, the company has purchased additional units from ATP for other projects. “Our first implementation in the commercial construction industry was in March of 2007,” says Hill. “Since that time, we’ve sold 5 to 15 tablets per month in the commercial construction industry, totaling more than $500,000 during the past year.” The VAR plans to continue to penetrate the commercial construction market, as well as the residential construction market.