For decades, Renick Brothers operated exclusively with a manual accounting system of thick AP journals, bulging filing cabinets of cash receipts and payroll records, and human memory. However, the company’s success became a load the manual system could no longer handle. So with growth came challenges, and technology was identified as a critical way to improve processes and maximize profits.

 

“We wanted to enjoy our success and continue to grow, but our manual processes were hindering our ability to properly manage projects and job-cost accounting,” said Joe Bratkovich, Controller at Renick Brothers Mechanical Contractors. “Deciding to automate and streamline our processes was a no-brainer and the software criteria were clear. I needed a solution that was efficient and accurate. Most importantly, I needed something that would reduce the amount of time our team spent on back office tasks.”

 

Five companies and solutions were evaluated and compared, one was ultimately chosen. “It was the power and simplicity of the Maxwell Systems Management Suite software that really appealed to me,” explained Bratkovich. “It’s certainly better than our manual methods that could not keep up with the pace of business, and much better than others in the industry as far as features and user-friendliness.”

 

Maxwell Systems Management Suite is a comprehensive business management software solution designed to effectively handle the everyday operations of any service, specialty trade, or general construction company. It offers end-to-end estimating, job-cost accounting, and project management that helps improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and increase profits.

 

Upon transitioning from manual methods to Management Suite, Renick Brothers experienced immediate benefits in efficiency, time-savings, and accuracy. Within 60 days of training and ramping up, productivity had increased 50 percent. That was just the beginning and they never looked back.

Renick Brothers uses Management Suite for complete financial management including GL, AP, AR and payroll. The solution provides real-time, critical business intelligence in a single, convenient location that helps companies like Renick Brothers gain valuable insight to improve the way they do business.

 

When Renick Brothers first installed the system in 1980, the company had 50 employees and gross revenue of $4 million. Last year, the company grossed $40 million, with 352 employees. “It worked for us then and it works for us now,” Bratkovich added. “With the speed and accuracy of the software, our processes are much simpler and we have improved profit margins with every project. It helps us manage our growth and look for further profitability.”

 

Specifically, Management Suite helps Renick Brothers handle every aspect of a project by automating several key areas for significant benefit:

• Quickly and accurately quantify, price, and bid projectswith the capability to perform digital takeoff, assemble estimates, generate proposals, and incorporate estimate information with accounting to streamline project setup.
• Informed decision-making and project management toolshelp contractors analyze budgeted, committed, actual, and projected costs for each task and overall project.
• Control proper recognition of revenue, whether from a project or service agreement, with integrated financial management controls that allow recognition of revenue based on percent complete, on completion, monthly assessments, or custom assessments.
• Improve service managementwith a quick view of technician workload, scheduled maintenance requirements, and customer details, which help assess work requirements and dispatch effectively.
• Purchase at best possible priceand manage the procurement process with tools that import estimate material lists and create a Request for Quote, identify source of materials, and automatically create a purchase order or inventory requisition for any project.
• Gain business insight to resolve issues and determine course of actionwith a comprehensive toolset that allows company executives to view and analyze project details or company’s overall win/loss status to make adjustments and modify strategies as needed.

• Better monitor pricing, ordering, and delivery of goods
• Produce comprehensive expense reports months ahead of time, with a solid audit trail
• Save time and data re-entry throughout payroll processes that pull data from original entry to automatically prepare payroll reports, job cost reports, quarterly financials, and tax records – even weekly union reports.