Top companies around the world have two particular qualities: they effectively provide relevant solutions to consumer problems, and they do it better than anyone else. As an electrical contractor, you’re in an industry that has an advantage. Nearly every industry requires the use of electricity. The need to power homes, buildings, roadways, signs, light bulbs, computers, and anything else that relies on a current will never go away. What sets your contracting business apart from the competition is how you deliver your solutions and to whom. By examining how other companies solve problems, you can reflect on your own contracting business to determine how it can best leverage a CRM system to deliver solutions to consumers.
Industry Giants that Solved Marketplace Problems
General Electric
The electrical contracting industry may not be where it is today without the innovations of Thomas Edison and his company, General Electric. GE is a multi-national enterprise that provides innovative solutions to various industries, but it didn’t start out as a giant. It started with one goal: illuminate every home and building with electric lights.
In the late 1800’s, only the wealthy continually illuminated their homes with oil, gas, or candles. General Electric brought electricity into every home, paving the way for the electrical contracting industry. GE’s ongoing success comes from creating solutions to a market’s current and future needs, so products remain sustainable and relevant.
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)
For over 20 years, IBM has filed more patents than any other company in the world. It remains an industry leader because it has constantly evolved since its inception. The company’s earliest machines included tabulating equipment that processed large amounts of data. IBM’s computers helped NASA scientists in the 1960’s track orbital flights and progress space exploration.
Early computers required massive amounts of space and expertise to operate. The IBM PC (personal computer) in 1983 changed everything. IBM brought computers into the home, providing the public with compact machines that processed data quickly, stored information, and could hook up to a television set for under $1,000. This innovation helped make Customer Relationship Management software possible today.
Uber
Most cities do not have a taxi service or one that’s easily accessible. Taxi services can also be really expensive. Uber’s strategy is to hire individual drivers that use their own vehicles to pick up passengers, thereby reducing the need for a taxi service.
Uber recognized the public’s transportation needs and revolutionized the idea of a ride. Rather than hailing or calling for a cab, which doesn’t work if you aren’t in a taxi-heavy city, Uber sends a car to your location. All you need is a smartphone. GPS technologies allow you to see exactly where your driver is, a new technology that doesn’t exist with taxi services. Thanks to a partnership with PayPal, Google Wallet, Apply Pay, and other providers, you never need cash to pay for a ride. This serves as a great payment solution in today’s plastic world.
Netflix
When Blockbuster started mailing DVDs to patrons who did not want to scour video store shelves, Netflix quickly took the next logical leap—mail videos and provide online streaming services. The ability to access a vast library of movies and commercial-free television shows was an immediate hit. It became even more popular when Internet-connected DVD players, gaming consoles, televisions, and other devices made it possible to watch videos on a television instead of a computer. Thanks to Netflix, you can engage in movie streaming whenever you want, on virtually any device with an Internet connection and screen.
The Difference between Developing Software and a Solution
At 360e, we recognized a problem in the electrical contracting industry. Generic CRM software did not truly relieve the pain points that contractors continued to experience with outdated processes. Additionally, many of today’s software solutions don’t fit an electrical contractor’s exact needs. Rather than create a one-size-fits-most solution, 360e used the expertise of electricians to provide the specific features that electrical contractors need in field management software. These include a simple-to-use platform that you and your employees can access from any Internet-connected device. This eliminates the need to go back to the office to create estimates, send invoices, collaborate with team members, or see real-time information about a project. Because 360e is customizable, you never have to pay for features that you don’t want or need, eliminating confusion and mistakes.
Get in touch with a 360e representative today to see how field management software for electrical companies will enable your company to provide unique solutions to consumers while increasing productivity and customer satisfaction at the same time.
