4 Ways to Avoid Supply Chain Issues With Digital Ordering

By Anne Redd, AccuLynx.  

How digital ordering gives control back to contractors. 

It is no secret that the industry has been troubled with material shortages and delays. Since 2020, these supply chain issues have caused disruptions in roofing and exterior projects and impacted job start dates. So how do you effectively keep your jobs on schedule with these supply chain issues? Consider digital ordering to help you regain control even as supply chain issues remain unpredictable. 

AccuLynx roofing software has direct integrations with material suppliers that can help you avoid schedule disruptions and mitigate the impact of material shortages and delays. Here are three ways you can use digital material ordering through AccuLynx: 

See real-time pricing and material availability by branch location 

AccuLynx currently integrates with three roofing material suppliers, ABC Supply, SRS Distribution, and Beacon Building Supply. With these integrations, you can see your company’s unique, real-time material pricing and availability by branch location right from your AccuLynx account without having to pick up the phone or access your material supplier portal or account. 

Having this information at your fingertips can help you write more accurate estimates and ensure you won’t need to provide price corrections that could impact your profitability. You can also provide more transparency into what is happening with a customer’s project by suggesting products that are already in stock. This insight into product availability can move projects along and help avoid any delays. 

Access tracking and delivery information 

AccuLynx’s material supplier integrations provide you with key status information, such as shipping and delivery updates, from virtually anywhere. 

Having this information ready can help you keep your customers updated on project timelines and help manage your crew’s schedules more effectively. You can share your material order (without pricing) with your crews through the Mobile Crew App to give them the information they need about their jobs. Through automations, you can set up triggers for your crews and customers to receive emails and texts about important updates, like once the order is shipped or delivered, so that everyone is on the same page with the status of the job’s materials. 

Predict future material needs 

It is likely that material shortages and delays will not disappear anytime soon. To minimize the disruption to your jobs, you can use AccuLynx reporting to start tracking your material usage and spending right in your AccuLynx account. 

With the Materials Report, you can run reports on what materials you purchase, including types, quantities, and colors, to create predictions for future jobs. You can also track how much you spend by supplier and make adjustments accordingly. For example, if you order a lot of a specific type of shingle but have noticed the price has continued to rise, or the availability has started to decline, you can adjust your cost projections or project start dates to account for that. 

Order your materials through AccuLynx supplier integrations 

While supply chain issues are out of your control, putting processes in place to help you create accurate estimates can make a difference to your day-to-day production schedule. By investing in a CRM system that integrates with your material supplier, you will gain more visibility into your orders, which will help you create more accurate estimates and allow you to get ahead of delays. 

Interested in learning more about how you can order your materials through AccuLynx’s integrations? Check out a quick demo today! 

Learn more about AccuLynx in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit AccuLynx.com. 

Original article source: AccuLynx