Why You Should Never Have to Enter Into a Contract When Buying Construction Software
We would if we could avoid persistent marketing tactics, pushy sales language, and false promises. Unfortunately, these misleading strategies get construction companies stuck in long-term, expensive software contracts all the time. When construction technology doesn’t live up to its promises, it becomes an expensive burden. These contracts are notoriously difficult to get out of from a legal standpoint, and most companies offering the technology almost always refuse to offer any refunds or discounts. Not only are you left with a barely usable software but a recurring bill chewing away at profits.
Think about what it says about a company requiring a contract you must fight to get out of. These companies lock you in, in fear you won’t want to continue their services. This fear is often rooted in software flaws such as underperforming features, server crashes, and customer service that can’t find their way out of a paper bag.
Why Contractors Continue Signing Up for Under-Serving Contracts
Unfortunately, at some point in their career, most industry veterans have had the unpleasant experience of entering into a construction software contract only to realize it didn’t meet their needs. Here are a few misconceptions about contracts that often convince people to take the risk:
- Contracts confer trustworthiness – With so many names in the construction industry, it’s tough to know who’s legit and who’s just acting. When a company uses a contract, people subconsciously consider it more professional, prestigious, and trustworthy. Clearly, that’s not always the case.
- They offer you more – What naturally follows after you assume a deal is more official is the sense that you’re being offered more. It might not be spelled out in the contract, but we’ve been conditioned to associate these professional-looking documents with prestige, even though many don’t offer anything special other than a promise you are stuck if you don’t like it.
- You have to act fast – Deals and discounts advertised as only available for a short time pressure companies to commit to a contract quickly. Without time to fully evaluate the software, it’s hard to make an educated decision. Sales tactics that manipulate buyers set the stage for more manipulation along the way.
- You’ll have more protection – Contracts can give signees the false sense that they’re offered more protection. Many people assume these documents rife with legalese are there to maintain order. In reality, most companies are only using contracts to protect their profits.
- They’re required – Perhaps the most troubling misconception about contracts is that they’re required to get construction software. Apps like busybusy for Time Tracking, StackCT for Takeoffs, Structionsite for 360-degree photos, all offer the same, if not better, service without the burden of a contract. In fact, I would argue their service is measurably better because they don’t have you locked into a contract. As a result, these companies always ensure you have a great experience with their software so that you remain a happy, faithful customer.
What Contracts Really Say About the Software Company
With a better idea about the different misconceptions contractors have about companies offering construction software through contracts, let’s take a deeper look at what can be said about organizations who require these agreements:
- Are they not confident about their product? – The primary selling point of a construction app should be what it offers the customer. If a company is not confident that you will be happy with what you are buying, how good could the software actually be? Good software gives you advantages that should be self-evident, and when they are, contractors won’t hesitate to continue paying for the software. Many companies understand that their products won’t deliver on their promises or meet buyers’ expectations, so they have to rely on a contract to secure prolonged business. Some even keep you tied in with promises for improvements and beta access to get it first.
- Do they have bad customer service? – This is one of the more likely reasons companies feel the need for contracts. It’s easier to require a contract, lock someone in and have weeks or months to respond to a problem than to have a team of customer service wizards working relentlessly to ensure customers have a great experience!
- Is the product unreliable? – A product might look good and even perform well at the beginning, convincing owners to invest but eventually, many software products reveal reliability issues that make it impossible to continue using. Companies with this faulty software or undersized servers will try to lock in their customers with a contract knowing that the long-term performance of their product isn’t enough to keep people paying.
- Are they more focused on their bottom line? – Construction software companies that genuinely want to help you do well won’t wrap up their offers in a conditional contract. Those who enforce contracts focus more on their bottom line than on helping clients. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to make money but when it’s at the expense of an unhappy customer, it becomes a fundamental issue. Look for a project management software, a time tracking software, and estimating software whose billing ensures you are making more money too. If you can find a software company that gives you a 100% satisfaction guarantee and doesn’t do a contract, you know you’ve found a company that actually cares if you succeed.
Capable Construction Software Without a Contract
Construction companies don’t have to be tied down by an unrelenting contract in order to get excellent time tracking software or construction scheduling software. The busybusy app is proof! We developed this product to genuinely help construction companies. That’s why we offer a free trial, a satisfaction guarantee, and a commitment-free payment structure that allows contractors to make use of our helpful software without being tethered to it. We’re here to help you improve productivity, streamline fieldwork, enhance communication, boost profits, and outshine the competition.
Gain confidence in a product without a contract. Download busybusy today. The first month is on us, a 90-day 100% satisfaction guarantee and no contract EVER. It works on all mobile devices, and your employees will love it too.
