I'm curious,
Does anyone here in the Trade do any or get any business online?
Ever use any RFP or Sales Lead Services?
(Submit requests for Bids on Services or Materials etc.) Anyone ever get any calls for work or estimates?

I'm just curious what the web is doing for you.

Bill

I do much e-mail biz. Especially popular with out of state customers. The on-line catalogs save a lot of trees too!

When i finally get around to a site, i'm sure it will follow suit.

Sparky,

Do I take it that it's not trade related?

Are you that Viagra Guy?

Bill

Bill that was funny, viagra.

Word of mouth is the only thing that worked for me. If you want to go international maybe the web is the place to go?

Other than that, just do a good job so you avoid recalls. If they have to call you back they will lkely disrespect you. If that happens, it has to me in my younger daze.

Resistor,

I'm wondering how many use it to advertise their business locally or go online for leads, buying supplies etc.
The web can be very effective for local advertising if people decide to use it for that. Look at the Fax machine! One of it's biggest uses around here is for placing lunch orders at the local Deli!

Bill

We place material orders over the net, and e-mail everything we can rather than send it by FAX or snail mail. It saves quite a bit of Fedex $ when you can exchange blueprints in Autocad files rather than paper, and it's instant!

electure,

Do you ever submit a list of materials to get the best price? Or do you just deal with the same suppliers?

Do you print out the blueprints (Big stuff) or have it done at the printers? Awhile back we were trying to figure out a good program to use for this that would understand the most different formats.

Bill

There are lots of on-line suppliers, i do submit parts lists for quotes e-mail, it's great!
I do prints, but nothing fancy, fancy programs take time to learn or at least for me they do The prob is that the recieving end must be up on this also....
So far no Viagra sales, but an on-line pixwould be fun to send to those suppliers who have trouble keeping up thier end of the deal

Sparky,

Do you submit your lists to individual suppliers or to a common service like we have here?
Do you only deal with local suppliers?

Bill

I do almost all CAD distribution / receiving on-line, via E-Mail attachments, or secure server sites upload/downloads.

Still mail out Blackline hard copies of finish plots [typical distribution to PMs, client's sites, plancheck and Contractors], but of course, these are [hopefully ] the working sets. As-Builts are mostly Blackline copies of finished set vellums I plot, and only 2 contacts receive CAD files plus Blackline sets. The CAD sets get E-Mailed [until I FINALLY buy a CD burner!].
Blacklines vs Bluelines is just a personal preference.
Of course, I send the typical request for CAD set to the Architect[s] for As-Builts, as would for any other project.

I like the E-Mail/online CAD file transfers, since it's much simpler to obtain revision baseplans and such this way - plus Cc'ing RFIs with CAD file attached to multi vendors, or suppliers, is great!

Outside the EE aspect, transferring information between the GC's office and me via E-Mail attachments has great benifits. This way we can retain application formats, which eliminates redundant manual data entry!

Our largest Client wants all their GC's to create password protected websites for each project, which is multi vendor/supplier/consultant/architect/engineer/contractor/platform usable [thru passwords].
It's for project status [photos being used with text] and the usual RFI/SK revisions, 10,000 questions all in a common area.
This, of course, is my project for our company.
Question: Who do I send a request for a 9 day week, 42 hour day, in place of the current 24/7 format???

So, I guess this might fit the subject to some degree.

Any suggestions for applications to view/print CAD files [plans] as Bill mentioned???

Scott SET

Bill;
i don't know what U mean by a 'common service' am i missing out on something?

Bill, I'm out of the buying end of it now, due to a job change about 3 mos. ago.
Last job, we dealt with our same old suppliers (GE Supply, Rexel, CED) and never put material quotes out to bid on the net.
We got great customer support from our suppliers (company doing business with them for >30 yrs). Due to the enormous supply of materials in this area, almost anything could be will-called if we needed it in a hurry. Could this be done with an e-company as well?

Plotting is done in house. Taking diskettes to the printers gets expensive. We try to keep the plotting to a minimum and work with just the files as much as possible. Almost everything is either R14 or 2000 Autocad, so all the different formats haven't seemed to be a problem.

It seems like most of the contractors we deal with are still in the "Stone Age". Lots and lots of business is still done via massive amounts of paperwork, FAX & phone. The customers seem to be much more high tech & willing to work the "modern" way.

Sparky,

You fell into my trap!

What I meant was if you use a service like We have here that lets you put in your request for quote into a pool and anyone looking to sell can look into it and respond to you.

We also collect contracts and jobs up for bid (including Gov't and Community stuff) via many other 'partner' sites and add them to the pool. This pool has about $10 Billion worth of RFQ's in it at all times. It covers materials and services from all phases of construction.

Sorry for the commercial, if you want more info let me know. Also, you can check out the following:


https://www.electrical-contractor.net/RFP_about.htm
https://www.electrical-contractor.net/RFP_Sales_Leads.htm

Bill

BTW,

It looks like there is a FREE promotion going on right now where you can check out the sales leads for free.

Just go to the page and click the "Register Now" button.

To submit a Request for Quote click the "Enter Business Request" button on top

Bill

Bill,
that's a very nice looking service

I think so, too.
If I was in a position to use it, I really think I would. It looks good.

I just want to mention something because it is a bit confusing.

If you just want to use it for submitting a RFQ (request for quote) it is free, but unless you deselect the other options when registering it thinks that you want to subscribe to the sales leads and will try to charge you. See below:



If you have any questions about anything, including the free sales lead trial there is an 888 # there.

(If you are ever looking for the service in the future it is under the 'Power Tools' link on the left side of the page here)

Bill

[This message has been edited by Bill Addiss (edited 08-05-2001).]

this site does almost the same you can put in an RFQ (request for quote) and whatever quote you pick thats all you EVER pay. No shipping No charges to belong or for any of the service. You just pay for what you buy and also these things will be shipped directly anywhere you like even to the job. www.contractersoffice.net