Page 74 - IEC Insights Sept-Oct21

FEATURE

Why All Electrical

Contractors Should Be Using

a SaaS Model of Software

BY PAUL WHEATON, VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES, MCCORMICK SYSTEMS

T estimate for a new project is reduced. As the Internet from nearly any location. SaaS
The electrical industry is ever-evolving
and adapting to become more efficient,
a result, contractors can finish estimates
is one form of cloud-based computing,
and enter bids on projects faster and more
meaning access to software and
and cloud-based software is one element
corresponding databases occurs over
accurately — resulting in more jobs being
currently helping to revolutionize the
industry. With cloud-based — or software-
as-a-service (SaaS) — versions of obtained in less time and completing the Internet.
those jobs with more profit.
software, electrical contractors are able With SaaS, the application itself is
to access secure, real-time job updates To maximize profits and remain competitive typically hosted by a software vendor or
through their estimating, accounting and within the market, electrical contractors third-party center, meaning the data is
other critical in-office software with just a should strongly consider transitioning to housed on secure vendor-side servers.
few simple clicks, whether from the office, SaaS software to make their services more While the software can be remotely
at home or on a jobsite. accessible and efficient. accessed through a user’s device via a
unique login and password, the hardware
SaaS software models make it easier to SaaS: What Electrical itself is maintained by the vendor. For
share job project details with multiple Contractors Should Know users, this means the vendor takes care of
members of a team. This means that the backend setup, installation, security
systems like estimating and digital takeoff Put in simple terms, SaaS is a updates and maintenance — allowing
become more accessible, and the overall subscription-based method for companies users to solely focus on using the
amount of time it takes to create an to be able to access software securely via application itself.

72 Insights Magazine | September/October 2021 | www.ieci.org