CompanyProfile

constructive-solutions

Since 1997, offering the tools for your construction company to continually profit & thrive

An interview with Jim Collins, President at Constructive Solutions

Tell me about your company.

Constructive-Solutions specializes in software tools to help customers run their construction business more efficiently and profitably. The main product we represent, Deltek + ComputerEase, is construction accounting software that includes accounting, payroll, service management, project management, and field software solution for commercial contractors. Deltek + ComputerEase allows contractors to see their business financials in real time, and manage their business to maximize profitability. This is crucial for contractors so they can see where their project is regarding profit at any moment. The system also allows them to seamlessly track labor in the field, manage materials and project schedules, and make sure their projects are billed accurately and on time. Having all of these functions in one solution allows you to end the repetitive paperwork and the errors that come along with manual systems, or separate systems that are cobbled together.

What do your customers say about your company?

Our clients tell us that their life is easier since they have switched from either their old manual processes or another non-user-friendly construction accounting system.

constructive-solutions.com

Are You Using the Right Tools? Using the right tools is the key to running a successful construction industry business.

Partner with a Company that Understands Your Business. We understand the construction industry and can provide you with the tools and expertise needed to increase your bottom line.

What are you known for?

We are told that our support staff is top notch, and that they and their team would be lost without help from our professional support team. Here are a few client testimonials.

“ComputerEase is very easy to use. I like it because it saves me time on payroll. No more doing certified payroll by hand, ComputerEase prints them right out. Very simple to do an AIA invoice." “My boss uses the job costing to track jobs. I would definitely recommend ComputerEase because it is great construction software to track jobs." “W e had ComputerEase for years, and then our new accountant wanted us to switch to QuickBooks. So we did. Within a year, we were back to ComputerEase. I am so glad. The Constructive-Solutions team is the BEST!"

"I have two that help me all the time, R enee and Angela are so friendly and knowledgeable with ComputeEase – always willing to help me when I call. Don’t know what I would do without them!" Christine Mills, Office Manager KLA Roofing and Construction, Everette, Pennsylvania A client since 2002

“We are extremely happy with the job costing and payroll features offered by ComputerEase. The payroll feature is saving our payroll department and foreman reporting the time many hours, which equates to $ in our bottom-line."

“I would absolutely recommend this product. We love the modules that we are currently using. Every chance we get, we are trying to move processes from other standalone systems to ComputerEase. Every time I ask whether ComputerEase can handle a process, I get this answer: “We can do that.”

Proudly serving contractors of all types and sizes - including small emerging firms and specialty trades. No matter the circumstance, we bond! • • • Proudly serving contractors of all types and sizes - including small emerging firms and specialty trades. No matter the circumstance, we bond! • • • Proudly serving contractors of all types and sizes - including small emerging firms and specialty trades. No matter the circumstance, we bond! • • • CREATIVE UNDERWRITING • QUICK RESPONSE IN-HOUSE AUTHORITY • PEACE OF MIND • REFERRALS Contract Bond Specialist “turning pipe dreams into pipelines... ”

"The Constructive-Solutions team has been excellent. The personal training we received when purchasing new modules was second to none." Chris P. Gardner, CFO S & L Electric, Colton, New York A client since 1997

“ComputerEase is a very helpful accounting Software, especially for the construction industry. The easy-to-read job costing reports save time and energy to understand your potential and actual profits. It lets you set budgets on job codes and allows you to be warned if you are exceeding that budget. Also, it is very helpful making payroll easy and accurate. I would recommend ComputerEase to any contractor. We have multiple state jobs and are required to submit certified payroll reports. ComputerEase allows us to print them efficiently, with no errors.

Constructive-Solutions has bee n very helpful with every type of issue we have encountered. Whether it is an invoice issue or a question regarding the software, they are always available to help. The staff is very personable and extremely knowledgeable about the software. Samantha Schlosser, Office Manager/Accounting Performance Plumbing and Heating LLC, Torrington, Connecticut A client since 2015

When was Constructive-Solutions founded?

In 1997, by John Collins, to provide best-of-breed accounting and project management solutions to small and medium-sized local contractors. With 30 years of experience working with businesses of all sizes and in a variety of industries, John had a great background to provide those same solutions to the construction industry. In 1997, John and a group of similar minded individuals from across the country were introduced to ComputerEase, a construction accounting program based in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was offered the role of regional distributor for the product in New York and Pennsylvania. In the early days, John provided the sales, training and support of the product to local contractors. The

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850 St Paul St, Ste 20 Rochester, NY 14605 585-393-1001 www.CRFCivil.com Info@CRFCivil.com

product sold very well and John quickly added additional resources to the team to service and support the growing list of customers. In 2002, John’s son Jim joined the company as general manager. At that time, the customer base had grown to more than 200 accounts, and the company had seen a lot of success in helping local contractors automate their business operations. Prior to joining Constructive-Solutions, Jim had been global director of information technology at Computer Task Group, a professional services consulting firm headquartered in Buffalo. Jim had more than 20 years’ experience in helping businesses use technology to help automate and streamline their operations. Increase Your Profits with ComputerEase Construction Accounting Software. We understand your pains. Construction industry software is our solution.

His goal was to help John continue the growth of the business, and also to help coordinate the staff’s activities, now that the company employed close to 10 people. In 2004, John and Jim agreed to a business transition plan and on January 1, 2008, Jim became the president and majority owner of the business. John has continued to work in the business in various capacities; enjoying time off while continuing to assist when needed.

Where are you headquartered?

We are located in East Amherst, a suburb of Buffalo. We currently have seven employees in our local office, and we are also assisted by the team at Deltek + ComputerEase as

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ROBEX — Quarter 1 • 2020 needed. We are a small team, but our staff includes sales and marketing resources, training, consulting and support personnel. We have clients throughout the state of New York, as well as many clients throughout the Northeast (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine).

How’s business?

Business has been steady. We continue to work with new clients to help them automate the operations and move from starter accounting systems into constructionfocused accounting systems. We have more than a 95-percent retention rate with our clients, which we are very proud of. We know that speaks to the effectiveness of the solution and the support and assistance our team provides our clients. Right no w, we are in the middle of our busy season, as the end of the year is a popular time for contractors to evaluate how their business has gone over the past year, and make any necessary changes to help them improve their profitability for the upcoming year. We also have year-end coming up for our existing customers, and we help them with the process of making sure payroll is processed correctly for the year, filing the necessary government forms (W2s, 1099s, etc.). We also have many new clients who are in the midst of implementing their new ComputerEase system, and training their staff to learn the system and all that it can do for them.

What single factor is having the biggest impact on how you do business?

The rapid change in technology these days continues to have an impact on how we do business and the solutions we can offer our customers. While construction as an industry has been slow to adopt technology, we are seeing signs that this is changing. More and more contractors are looking at ways to streamline their communications with their field personnel. Mobile and cloud solutions are becoming more prevalent. Finding solutions that can provide real time business data that management teams can use to run their company is becoming increasingly important in this fast-moving environment.

What have been your company’s biggest challenges over the years?

We have recently noticed a shift within construction companies regarding the person responsible for

technology. In the past, most of the inquiries we were getting were from controllers, accountants, CFOs or the business owners themselves. Lately, the inquiries are coming from project managers, which leads to a whole new set of needs for a system. This has impacted our business because the needs of the PM are a deciding factor in the purchase of our system. We continue to work with our software suppliers to let them know what we are hearing from our customers and to help them understand the technology needs that will drive the future.

What do you like best about your job and/ or the industry?

The best part of the job is helping our customers understand their businesses more effectively, becoming more profitable, and ultimately helping them stay in business! The construction accounting system a contractor uses is just as important as the new piece of heavy equipment that a company uses daily. Without the right tools, you cannot do a job. We know that the Deltek + ComputerEase system helps our clients manage their company more efficiently and increases their profits. We have many clients who have been with us since day one, back in 1997. We believe that they have stayed with us because our support team, along with our product, is helping them run a successful business. Knowing we have a part in helping our clients achieve their success is what makes us happy to be doing what we do.

What are your plans for the future of your company?

As we look to the future, we plan to continue to grow, and to help more customers automate their business operations. We will continue to work with them to identify their technology needs, and look for innovative solutions to those needs. We plan to partner with organizations that are currently working with contractors in various capacities (accounting, bonding, banking, insurance) to introduce them to our solutions and understand how our solutions can better assist the contractors that they work with. We will continue to look for complementary products that can automate and provide additional value to our construction clients.

Apply in person: 1300 Brighton-Henrietta Townline Rd. Rochester, NY 14623

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