Why contractors should rethink their technology stack

By Jesse Sanchez. 

ContractorHUB CEO Sarah Parks explains how operating systems can complement existing CRMs while giving contractors greater visibility into the rest of their business. 

Contractors have more technology choices than ever, but understanding what those tools actually do for the business is becoming increasingly important as software capabilities continue to evolve.

Sarah Parks, co-founder and CEO of ContractorHUB, encouraged contractors evaluating their technology stack to focus first on how their teams actually use each tool.

She recommended asking questions about your team preferences, saying, “What tools do they love using or do their team love using, what tools do they hate using, and what things do they not even really know how they're using it, and what it's doing for them.” 

That evaluation can help contractors identify technology they want to keep, replace or consolidate while also revealing whether their customer relationship management (CRM) system addresses the broader operational needs of the company. Sarah noted that traditional CRMs generally focus on the workflow from receiving a lead through completing the job and collecting payment. An operating system takes a wider view that can include hiring, training, inventory, vehicles, equipment, subcontractors, reporting and performance management. 

For contractors whose teams already use a CRM successfully, adopting broader technology does not necessarily mean replacing what works. Sarah emphasized, “If you've got 20, 30 people in the field doing something that works. Amazing. But there's still a sort of low hanging fruit benefit to plugging all that information in and then instantly gaining access to all of those additional operational benefits.” 

Before investing in another platform, contractors should also consider what they want to change and where they want their businesses to go. Sarah advised, “For most customers, the thing they should consider is what do they want to change and do they want to change something?” That focus can help contractors determine whether new technology addresses a real operational need rather than simply adding another tool to the stack. 

Learn more about ContractorHUB and how its operating system can work alongside existing contractor technology!