2 minute read
The Perfect Match
by MediaEdge
Digital tool pairs skilled professionals with available projects
By Paul G. Stuart Jr.
It’s 2022 and the way tradespeople work, live and purchase has changed. Think back roughly a decade ago. Ridesharing apps like Uber and Lyft had just rolled out in select cities, online food ordering and delivery platform DoorDash was in its infancy and construction software Procore had just started to gain traction with $4.5 million US in revenue. (Today, it’s worth an estimated $11 billion US.) Technologies like these are now commonplace and part of everyday life for many North Americans. Ordering just about anything from food and groceries to tools and even cars is only a click away. What’s my point?
The world has and will continue to leverage digital technologies to improve efficiency, convenience and profit. Technology companies are tasked more than ever with enhancing user experience and the functionality of their software.
Compared to other industries, construction technologies have trailed in development of useful software to date, most notably with regards to mobile applications. But that is changing quickly. There are presently several options for everything from scheduling to marketing and sales to accounting focused on the service and trade professional. Choosing the right app depends on the user’s needs, whether that’s managing incoming leads, marketing and advertising efforts, tracking sales or finding new work.
Some of the most exciting mobile technologies are applications that match flooring professionals with available projects based on the tradesperson’s established skill level. Algorithmic skill scoring is a new technology that allows flooring installers to clearly set themselves apart from others in a way that is easy for the customer or end-user to understand. This technology is helping to increase their profit while doing work that matches their level of expertise, which in effect rewards the flooring professional for their commitment to training and certifications. This has resulted in greater satisfaction among consumers and reduced flooring claims, all while making the professional more money.
When choosing one or more of available digital technologies, flooring professionals should understand what the company’s core offering is and determine if that matches their goals. Most of the scheduling, tracking and accounting aspects are add-ons that the majority of today’s technologies offer. What’s key is determining whether the core offering will increase the metrics that matter most to the user.
Paul G. Stuart Jr. is president of Stuart & Associates Commercial Flooring Inc., in Wichita, Kansas, which specializes in all applications and products — carpet, tile, vinyl, epoxy coatings and sports flooring — for the commercial flooring industry. Paul is also founder of Go Carrera, a mobile app platform aimed at matching the right installer and qualifications to the right project with the goal of drastically reducing flooring failures and empowering the professional installer.
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31 JANUARY - 2 FEBRUARY LAS VEGAS 2023
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