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February at last, January had bad weather, crashed hard drives, damaged audio drivers and the work picture was bleak.
Is this similar to what you're thinking? I would suggest that a change in thought patterns may be beneficial to your company. For those of you with an adventurous spirit January 2010 was not so bad. Agreed you will need to look outside of your comfort zone, is that not what makes this business interesting?
Recent Event
Early last week I was working with a client who had these very thoughts and more. His employees did not understand, they were not loyal, and their work ethics needed improvement as well. Work was not plentiful he did not have much of an opportunity to even bid work, much less have a lot of work on the books to complete. These sentiments are common place today, largely because they are all to often true.
I asked a few questions to see why his attitude had deteriorated to the level it had. The first question related to his work opportunities, I asked what he was doing to look for work that he had not done a year or two ago? His reply was what could he do other than contact the local general contractors to see what they were bidding. My clients business revolves around service work - perhaps as much as forty percent. This service work had been about 70% residential and 30% commercial. I suggested that he try something new, something outside of his comfort range, but within his expertise - to try and draw clients to his firm. He followed the advice and send out a newsletter (similar to the newsletters that JDE & Associates sends out) with suggestions for homeowners on energy saving items for the prospective clients homes. He sent the newsletters out later that afternoon - seventy five in total within two days thirty-seven had been opened. That is exceeding a forty percent open rate on his email this is an astonishing percentage. Due to that email newsletter he has picked up one opportunity to bid a small job and two service calls These three opportunities would have been missed had he not tried something new.
This was tried with residential customers, but why would it not work with commercial or industrial customers as well? Our government is scrambling over themselves to create energy efficient green projects. In many cases it makes sense to install items that will save energy while producing similar results. Perhaps run an advertisement selling energy efficient lighting or a set back thermostat or get real bold and consider installing whole house fans to keep properties cool in the summer. Yes I realize it's February and its cold now, but advertise it as getting ready for the warmer weather. You may be able to install some items to keep the home warm efficiently while installing the whole house fan at the same time. Taking care of two items with one service call.
What We Do
At JDE & Associates we focus on training to make your life easier while increasing profits, providing Contractors Guide for Success - Project Management and Fundamental Electrical Estimating courses that should be beneficial to you and your firm, immediately. Whether you are just beginning your estimating or project management career or are an experienced professional, our classes may make your life easier, more profitable and less stressful.
At JDE & Associates we strive to make your life easier while increasing profits, providing Fundamental Electrical Estimating and Contractors Guide for Success - Project Management courses that should be beneficial to you and your firm, immediately. Whether you are just beginning your estimating or project management career or are an experienced professional, our classes may make your life easier, more profitable and less stressful.
Our goal is to offer options that allow you to make more proactive decisions. These proactive decisions often (almost always) reduce problems in a contractor's office. These choices will result in far less stress and greater profits. Both classes are designed to show new employees methods that can relieve anxiety regarding their new positions and offer the more experienced employee new ideas or rekindle old ideas that can be inserted into their day-to-day efforts.
We train primarily two subjects - Fundamental Estimating and Contractors Guide for Success - Project Management. Which training is more important? Both are important without a good estimate the odds of procuring work are slim. If you have a good estimate or bad estimate and you get a project good project management techniques are bound to help your chances of making a profit. Without these techniques the odds of making your profit goals consistently are reduced. The bottom line answer is that neither one in our opinion is much more important than the other, it depends on where your needs are at the time your looking at the available training.
We have structured both classes to allow for individual attention, both the Fundamental Electrical Estimating and Contractors Guide for Success - PM classes have two varieties the first is a webinar class with a maximum of 14 students per class. This webinar class is great for people that want a tune up to their current estimating or project management skills. A second option for each is a Home Study Class, which still utilizes our webinar capabilities while giving that one on one attention that individuals just starting their estimating or project management careers absolutely need or for those that want the choice to deviate from the prescribed text.
Many people are afraid to change how they do things in their business. They are comfortable with the way things are and don't believe change will help their business grow. But successful people recognize when things aren't working and aren't afraid to make changes. They recognize the need for change early and embrace it. And they go looking for it. Because of this, they are also usually quick to see when something is not working and not afraid to change it.
Our definition of insanity, (not the Webster's version) is doing the same thing over and over again, while expecting different results.
Our Fundamental Electrical Estimating class starts with the bare basics. We begin by verifying that the project we are going to bid is a viable project for our firm's expertise - one where our experience leads us to believe we have a fair to good chance of winning the project - then making a profit. Generally speaking it does not make a lot of sense to complete bids on projects where our chance of winning the bid are marginal to poor to start. We then take you through a series of steps to take the project off of the drawings. We do this systematically taking the quotable items off first - then sending those items out to be quoted by our vendors, typically three vendors. We then take off the feeders, branch circuits, and devices for the entire project. We do not take off fire alarm on this project as most electrical contractors sub-contract this work to fire alarm sub-contractors. Most fire alarm systems are design and build in nature - we find this better suited for Fire Alarm Sub-Contractors, if a student wants to complete this as well we will complete this portion as a side task separately from the other students. Once the prints have been taken off we then explode all the assemblies to include all of the various material needed to complete those assemblies. Once this is finished we then add material costs to all items that are not quoted adding a labor unit for each item, commodity and quoted items alike. We will discuss the various items needed to complete a cap sheet. We are now ready to complete the estimate and complete our proposal price for this project. Finishing the estimate with a proposal letter to a general contractor or owner, one that will protect you as well as being clear as to what you are proposing and what you are excluding in your proposal.
Our Webinar Fundamental Estimating Class is priced at $750.00, which is $645.00 less then our home study course. It covers the same material you will receive the exact same class materials and still have the option of asking generic estimating questions for up to three months after your class is complete. This class is only intended for existing estimators to tune their estimating skills from the comfort of their computer. This class is generally paced to fast for a new estimator - we suggest these students consider the home study class.
Our Home Study Fundamental Electrical Estimating Class is priced at $1,395.00. It covers the same material as either the webinar or class room Fundamental Electrical Estimating Class - still having the option of asking generic estimating questions for up to three months after your class is complete. This class is a good class for new estimators or estimators that want to improve on specific areas of electrical estimating from the comfort of their computer at home or work. The class is a one-on-one class lasting eight weeks and allows for much more individual attention.
The cost for this course is $1,395.00
Our Fundamental Estimating Classes are designed around a small commercial project - the same project that we use for our classroom or home study students. We cover the same material as our classroom course, just from the comfort of your office. This course is a six week class scheduled for three hours per session - typically in the evenings or during the weekends. Registration is through our website, class materials will be shipped to you before your class is to start. Homework will be assigned every week except the last week. Homework should be completed and emailed to us five days after each class. We will review every assignment, mark up suggestions and email the reviewed work back to you before the next class.
Our Webinar Contractors Guide for Success - Project Management Class is priced at $445.00. This class covers the information shown below from the comfort of your office or home while still having the option of asking generic project management questions for up to a month after your class is complete. This is a Six Week Class one day per week for an hour and a half each week.
Our Home Study Contractors Guide for Success - Project Management Class is priced at $895.00. It covers the same material as either the webinar or class room Contractors Guide for Success - Project Management Class - still having the option of asking generic project management questions for up to a month after your class is complete. This class is a good class for new Project Manager or Project Manager that want to improve on specific areas of their position from the comfort of their computer at home or work. The class is a one-on-one class lasting six weeks and allows for much more individual attention.
The cost of this option is $895.00
Both classes offers methods that can be incorporated into your present Electrical Estimating or Project Management procedures. We also offer a variety of services to electrical contractors and their employees. Many electrical contractors enroll key field electricians to attend both the Electrical Estimating and Contractors Guide for Success - Project Management classes to help the field understand office procedures of both positions. Armed with this information we have seen many field electricians improve their attitude in the field. Consulting services for electrical contractors are available to review and offer suggestions on electrical estimating and project management areas that may be improved, review the services page for more detail.
Specific information about our classes can be seen by going to the "course" page (look at the menu bar on top of this page and push courses). Then look on the left hand side of that index and go to the Calendar Page, follow the Calendar to the classes that you're interested in. From the same menu that you picked the calendar you can also review the syllabus for our classes to see if the content strikes an interest in you.
Classes are scheduled every month, sometimes more often. We generally schedule our fall and winter classes in Mid-August. Depending on the need we often have classes open between Mid-September and June, we do not schedule classes in the summer months unless specifically requested. Do you need a different location, days, or class hours? Send us a request and we will make are best attempt to make your request happen. Are you the type that prefers home study classes? We will attempt to accommodate you.
Monthly tips are a selection of ideas that may help your business - we change these tips every month. Do you have a tip that may benefit other electrical contractors, submit it? If the material is relevant to the electrical construction industry, we will post it. If a tip is beneficial to your company, use it!
Do you have questions regarding our classes or services? Utilize our Contact Us page and ask your questions, we will respond generally within twenty-four hours.
Project ManagementThese following topics are covered in this class;
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Electrical EstimatingThese following topics are covered in this class;
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