Overview
When Graybar, a Fortune 500 wholesale distributor of electrical, communications, and data networking products, saw an opportunity to capitalize on the explosive growth in the LED retrofit industry, they began to evaluate solutions to increase efficiency and win rate. With a team of more than 120 lighting representatives covering the U.S., Graybar knew that an adaptable, efficient, and accurate method of collecting facility data and producing a professional proposal was needed.
After an extensive evaluation of various audit and retrofit software options, Graybar selected SnapCount to increase speed, efficiency, and the win rate of retrofit projects, all while giving the customer a more wholistic view of the entire retrofit value proposition.
The Problem
As Graybar began to assess and retrofit facilities, they realized they were limited in the speed and accuracy of their assessments, and their ability to generate attractive proposals to complete more projects. This limit was due in part to the collection method Graybar was using at the time, usually spreadsheets.
The Solution
Knowing a retrofit software platform would provide the most efficient method for their retrofits, Graybar began to search for an alternative lighting retrofit software. Graybar had significant requirements when evaluating a new software solution for their retrofit activities. These requirements included the following:
- An ease of use and adoption for specialists to quickly and intuitively assess buildings and fixtures
- A software with the ability to take photos to allow novice auditors to easily assess buildings and enter floor plans in the platform
- Detailed, all-encompassing proposals providing both financial and physical retrofit details
- Multiple platform support (i.e. iPad, Android tablet)
- The ability to take pictures and associate them to a particular area or fixture
Graybar was referred to SnapCount in 2015. After a six- month process evaluating the above requirements, Graybar selected SnapCount as their software for retrofit projects. Graybar selected SnapCount due to its flexible and comprehensive proposals, as well as ease of use in an end-to-end setting from assessment through implementation. SnapCount allowed Graybar’s representatives to collect fixture, location and condition information on multiple tablet platforms such as iPad and Android and enabled less experienced assessors to collect photos of fixtures to associate them to a particular area or fixture for subsequent off-site reference.
The Results
With the integration of SnapCount into their assessment, quotation and proposal activities, Graybar increased their overall project win rate by 25%. This was due in part to an increase in the speed of assessments and ability to produce a professional, intuitive proposal in a timely manner. Using SnapCount, Graybar personnel could perform assessments that collected greater detail in less time, providing a competitive advantage.
With the use of proposals generated within SnapCount, Graybar turned pages of text into powerful visuals, which helped to convey financial savings and better justify the retrofit project. The intuitive layout provided an easy-to-digest document for the building owner and allowed for the reader to better follow the entire scope of project from fixture details, areas, floor plans, and terms and conditions. Overall, the SnapCount proposal created an easier format for a reader to wrap their head around a very complex retrofit project. And, the software facilitated a Graybar-centric proposal format tailored to target customer verticals.
The Reaction
Given the growth of the energy retrofit industry and increased demand, the Graybar team was pleased with the results received with SnapCount software. “SnapCount provides us with an easier model to quickly and intuitively assess buildings and fixtures. SnapCount provided us with increased speed and efficiency, which has led to more complete projects and at least a 25% improvement in project win rate”, said Steve LoJacono, Lighting Business Development Manager at Graybar. “SnapCount has eliminated any need for a paper-based facility assessment through its data gathering and mapping/pinpointing. It’s all of our assessment and retrofit information in one place, one platform”.
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