ADVANTAGE vs. HCSS

In my opinion, UI is outdated, extra work to get simple test done and appears that they’re not investing in the platform. I’ve not seen ADVANTAGE invest in the platform, even since the acquisition. The integration of financial accounting with media billing and invoicing, makes it a unique product, but the cons are outweighing the positives for me.

Incentivized

Our operation uses several pieces of what we call specialty equipment (not used every day on every job). The foreman when finished will give a location of where this equipment is left, this many times can be very vague and lead to a lowboy driver trying to block around to find the piece or driving down a street he cannot get turned around in. With the GPS devices, the driver can pinpoint exactly where the unit is and if he has room to turn around at that location.

Incentivized

• Information from site visits is easily accessible.
• Workflow is easy to use

Incentivized

• #1 is support! HCSS is by far the best software support of any product we have ever used. Unlike most software companies HCSS utilizes their support calls to help upgrade their software. When you here them tell you that they will write down a particular issue you come across during a support call if they can't help you then and there they will research and get an answer to you extremely fast. If the software will not do it, you can bet there is a good chance it will be on the list of enhancements you will see come out in the near future.
• Estimating software is very extensive. Their software is capable of handling the smallest estimate all the way to the largest joint venture estimate. It has advanced features that make it extremely useful for analyzing job materials, subcontractors etc.
• HeavyJob is an extremely useful tool for the field to keep the office up to date with job costs. Everything is at the Foreman's fingertips on Tablets to allow the information from the field to get uploaded to HeavyJob manager which then can export to accounting. We are also able to give our Foreman the ability to deal with the Daily and weekly safety needs (Tailgate Meetings, incident Investigation, observations etc.) right on the Tablets thru HeavyJob.

• Advantage is hugely cumbersome. There are hundreds of functions I will never use, and that I'm not sure anyone else in the organization uses.
• The user interface could be better. Every time there's an update, there's a small but definitive learning curve.

Incentivized

• All their apps are on mobile devices. Although there is not a clear company policy on Android versus iPhone. Updates for features lag behind on Android. Some apps are exclusive to one platform making it hard to fully interconnect all programs.

As mentioned, user interface appears messy and complicated at initial onset. Training is necessary but becomes easy to maneuver through after solid daily use.

Incentivized

The people at HCSS who I interact with, whether it is a support technician, product manager, or the HCSS President, Mike Rydin, are as passionate at making construction management for heavy civil contractors a valuable experience as I am. They want to get us emphatic, project management addicted people in to tell them why their product is not working, and work with us to design the software to work for us. HCSS is good for the heavy civil contractor; it is going to help us to manage our projects with precision, accuracy, and accountability.

It is critical to select the right team to take to HCSS for implementation. They take very good care of you and your team and listen to all of your concerns. During implantation we often discuss wants and needs with VPs and Officers as they pass through to check on our progress.

I was not a member of the team that made the decision about whether to use Advantage, so I can't provide this level of context. I can say that I've evaluated other solutions in the past and Advantage is a far more robust product than any of the others. As a user, I can say that it's been very easy to use and I have not found a single function I needed that it couldn't deliver for me.

Incentivized

We researched other software companies but none provided the depth of support and knowledge that HCSS brought to the table. HCSS is also always growing and listening to its customers. Customer support seems to remain the backbone of the company that is always striving to grow with the industry.

• It keeps job time organized by job so we can bill properly for work
• It keeps POs organized by job so that we can track easier
• Provides reporting that gives insight into employee time and where it's spent

Incentivized

• The biggest ROI for us was the ease of adoption by field personnel.

Incentivized