Using Job Control for pre-Sales

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Introduction

Job Control is eminently suitable for controlling the Sales phase of a project. It is a common experience that this often takes longer and is more complex than the actual production phase. Moreover there is invariably more room for improvement here.

No matter what you do, you can't greatly influence the time a plumber or bricklayer takes on site. Suppliers, banks and contract conditions keep the pressure on. However pre-production, jobs can be delayed, shelved or forgotten, and the potential clients interest can wane with little immediately apparent consequences.

Job Control lets you set up business rules and templates and triggers to keep track of all "jobs".

We have used the term "job" to include sales leads, potential jobs, projects being quoted or negotiated and actual jobs awaiting production.

Similarly "Sales" has a loose definition. In essence it relates to the pre-production phases of a project.

"Company" also has a loose definition. In essence it relates to a different entity in the parent Databuild system

Setting up the system.

First, set up a Sales Company in the parent Databuild system to handle leads, proposals and jobs prior to production. When proposals have been accepted, they can be transferred to the relevant main operating company.

If you have several production companies, you can either have a sales company for each, or a single sales company that latter exports successful sales to a chosen production company.

The sales company holds:

•	Contact details on all sales contacts

•	A job for each proposal

•	Cost centres sufficient for each proposal. If you supply proposals based on detailed quantities, you need the same cost centres as your production company. If you base proposals based on price lists or recipes, you can do with reduced cost centres. If you do both, simply have 2 cost centre banks.

•	A Catalogue (price list) to reflect the above.

•	A list of Job Statuses to reflect your situation

Ideally, Databuild Front End should also be installed to streamline the process.

With Front End

Setup standard models, options and PC Items. Establish User Definable fields and proposal and contract documentation.

Without Front End

Setup standard models, options and PC Items. Establish User Definable fields and proposal and contract documentation.

Running the system

New data

New proposal jobs and contact details are created. Each is assigned to owners ("[Client]","[Supervisor]", "[Estimator]", "[Sales"], "[UDFxx]") and has its template(s) loaded.

Can Do

The Can Do module is the day to day nerve centre.

The controller can:

•	View all uncompleted activities that can be done

•	Zero in on any problem activities

•	Create any documents

•	Send Emails

•	Adjust Start/Completion dates

•	Adjust The Number of days an activity will take

•	Declare activities started or completed.

Main Chart

The main schedules should be refreshed regularly (at least daily) to reflect changes generated by completions and delays or improvements in dependent activities

Simultaneously, within the parent Databuild system or front End.

•	Estimates are created

•	Proposals are created

•	User definable fields and Job variables ( such as colour selections)

•	At a specified stage, accepted jobs are exported to the main company

•	Use sales analysis to monitor sales performance.

Reports

Charts and Reports can be obtained at any stage.