Red River Electric Case Study

Industry
Electrical – Commercial, Industrial & Residential
Company Overview
Operating in Minnesota since 1977
Jonas Partner Since
2015
Company Size
40 Employees
Headquarters
Moorhead, MN
Previous System
Maxwell

Problem

Red River Electric was hindered by outdated, inefficient accounting software that lacked integration—resulting in duplicate data entry, manual processes, and discouraged project managers. Their previous system offered limited reporting and service billing capabilities, which slowed down operations and decision-making.

Strategy

To modernize their workflow, Red River Electric implemented Jonas Construction Software’s fully integrated platform, enabling seamless project management, real-time reporting, and streamlined service billing. With a user-friendly interface and exceptional support, the transition from their legacy system was smooth and successful.

Results

Jonas helped the company save 300 hours annually in service billing alone, eliminated redundant entries, and empowered project managers with the tools and visibility they needed to manage projects more effectively. Red River now benefits from faster billing, accurate job tracking, and a scalable solution aligned with their growth goals.

Background

Red River Electric has been exceeding their client’s expectations in the electrical construction business since it was formed in 1977. Their services include a wide range of work including residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural projects. A third of their business is service-based, while the rest of their work is in new commercial construction.

As Red River began to grow and change as a company, they started to realize that their software system, Maxwell, was lacking in terms of a fully integrated software solution. Red River came to the conclusion that if they wanted to streamline and optimize their business processes, they would require a complete construction management software solution that could meet their specific needs and requirements. The solution they ended up selecting was Jonas Construction Software.

RECOGNIZING THE PROBLEM

Before transitioning to Jonas Construction Software, Red River was using Maxwell as their software system. While Maxwell was able to work for them originally, as their needs changed and their requirements grew, they started to realize the deficiencies in Maxwell. “The biggest issue with Maxwell was that it was not fully integrated, especially with the service module, which led to a lot of duplicate entries and was just not very efficient,” stated Jackie Peterson, Controller at Red River Electric.

Another concern with Maxwell was that they stopped updating the software, which made the software antiquated with regards to keeping up with the latest technology. Maxwell was also quite cumbersome to use, so much so, that the project managers at Red River refused to use the system. It quickly became apparent to Red River, that if they wanted to continue to grow and improve as a business, they would require a more automated and integrated construction management software solution.

JONAS CONSTRUCTION SOFTWARE TO THE RESCUE

Since transitioning to Jonas Construction Software, Red River has truly been able to streamline and enhance their business from all aspects. One of the biggest areas of improvement has been in their service department. “The Jonas service module is far and away better than any of the competing software systems we looked at,” stated Jackie Peterson. “With Jonas, we are able to complete service billing a lot faster, as we no longer have to re-enter hours, and our service department saves about 300 hours per year, allowing them to be much more productive in the process.”

Another area of improvement has been with their project managers. Since implementing Jonas, their project managers are now actually using the software, as opposed to when they had Maxwell. The project managers enjoy the ability to drill down into the details and access real-time information, which has provided them with greater visibility and improved management capabilities overall. The Project Scheduler from Jonas was also a big factor in selecting Jonas, as this was something other software vendors were unable to offer.

BENEFITS

In selecting Jonas Construction Software, Red River Electric now has a fully integrated construction management software solution to run their business. With a smooth and seamless transition, Red River was up and running quickly, leveraging the internal training and support from Jonas. With regards to the support specifically, Red River has been very pleased. “Jonas is always there for us and truly care about our needs, which is something that really stands out to us,” stated Jackie. “The heart and personalities at Jonas are truly genuine and we just love the support overall.”

Red River was also able to export their data from Maxwell and easily import it into Jonas, which also contributed to the smooth transition process. The user-friendly nature of Jonas has provided both staff and management with the confidence to effectively use the software. For management, the Executive Dashboard within Jonas allows them to view a quick snapshot of how the business is doing at any time, allowing them to make better, more informed decisions in the process.

CONCLUSION

Since partnering with Jonas Construction Software, Red River Electric has been able to improve integration, become more productive, and enhance communication and collaboration throughout the business. With a fully integrated construction software solution, Red River has been able to improve the overall productivity of their service operation, while reducing duplicate entries and completing service billings much quicker.

The project managers at Red River are now using Jonas to better schedule and manage each project, providing them with greater visibility into project performance. With a software solution that is both user-friendly and robust, the staff at Red River is able to easily use the software to perform daily tasks and management is able to generate reports leveraging real-time, accurate information. The initial training put Red River Electric in a position to succeed from the outset, and the continued support gives them the confidence knowing they are backed by an industry-leading, fully integrated solution in Jonas Construction Software.

ABOUT JONAS CONSTRUCTION SOFTWARE

Jonas Construction Software provides industry-leading business management and accounting software to our clients. Our fully-integrated solutions provide all of the tools that you need to increase productivity and improve your bottom line. At Jonas, we make it easier for companies to focus on what is important – their customers, their projects and their employees. We do this by streamlining their operations and giving better visibility to the entire organization. This gives your employees the tools to do their jobs better, support your customers and achieve your company goals. Over 25 years ago, we made a promise called ‘Software for Life’. This is our commitment to never phase out any of our products and to continue to invest in improving them, so you’ll never have to implement a new system. Jonas Construction Software is backed by Constellation Software Inc. (CSI), a global software company that acquires and builds high market share, mission-critical vertical market software companies. CSI consistently maintains profitable growth and is entirely debt-free.

Overview

Red River Electric, a reputable electrical contractor based in Moorhead, Minnesota, and since 1977 has been offering residential new construction, commercial construction, light industrial projects, and electrical services. As the company expanded its operations and continued to evolve, Red River Electric realized that their existing construction accounting software was not meeting their growing needs. They were looking for something that would connect their field and back office operations in such a way that would reduce their manual workload and improve efficiency across their business.

Before Jonas Construction Software:

1. Inefficient accounting software.

2. Time-consuming manual processes.

3. Limited reporting capabilities.

4. Outdated software.

5. Discouraged Project Managers.

6. Inefficient service billing.

After Jonas Construction Software:

1. Integrated accounting software.

2. Streamlined project management.

3. Advanced reporting capabilities.

4. Regular software updates.

5. User-friendly system.

6. Efficient service billing.

The Challenge: Inefficient Construction Accounting Software and Limited Reporting Capabilities

Jackie Peterson, the Controller at Red River Electric, stated, “The biggest issue with our system prior to Jonas Construction Software was that it was not fully integrated, especially with the service module, which led to a lot of duplicate entries and was just not very efficient.” The system lacked seamless integration, leading to duplicate entries and inefficiencies across the company. Additionally, Maxwell was not updated regularly, which was a cause for reflection as it did not align with Red River’s plans for improving their business. Project managers were also hesitant to use Maxwell due to, what Red River assessed to be,  its cumbersome nature, which limited their ability to manage projects effectively.

The Solution: Jonas Construction Software’s Fully Integrated Solution for Construction Operations

Determined to address these issues, Red River Electric turned to Jonas Construction Software. They found that Jonas provided a fully integrated, user-friendly solution that would help them improve their operational efficiency. Jackie Peterson, in the video case study, explained their decision, “When we were looking for software, …we were looking for something that was more integrated, and less Excel spreadsheets that we had to keep up on the side or digital files on the side. And Jonas seemed to be the best fit for that so the project managers can look at their jobs, look at their reports.”

Jonas Construction Software offered numerous features tailored to Red River Electric’s needs, such as streamlined project management, efficient service billing, real-time data, and effective construction reporting. With continuous updates and improvements, the software remained up-to-date and relevant to the industry’s ever-changing landscape.

A Seamless Transition and Exceptional Support

Red River Electric experienced a smooth transition to Jonas Construction Software, thanks to the exceptional support provided by the Jonas team. Jackie recalled the process,

One thing that pleasantly surprised me during the conversion, and what I was most apprehensive about, was extracting the data from the old software and moving it into the new one. That process was pretty seamless overall, even with a few hiccups, for the most part, it went very well. 

The Impact: Streamlined Service Billing and Enhanced Project Management

With Jonas Construction Software, Red River Electric saw significant improvements in their operations. The increased efficiency in service billing saved the service department 300 hours per year, allowing them to allocate resources more effectively. Jackie Peterson praised the Jonas service module, “With Jonas, we are able to complete service billing a lot faster, as we no longer have to re-enter hours, and our service department saves about 300 hours per year, allowing them to be much more productive in the process.”

Enhanced project management capabilities provided better visibility and control over projects, enabling project managers to make well-informed decisions and optimize resource allocation.

Conclusion: A Successful Partnership for Continued Growth

Red River Electric’s partnership with Jonas Construction Software has created more efficiency in their operations, enhanced the timeliness and accuracy of their data, and improved their construction reporting. The fully integrated solution has allowed them to optimize their service operation, reduce duplicate entries, and speed up service billing. Project managers now utilize Jonas Construction Software for better scheduling and project management, leading to increased visibility and improved project performance. Jackie expressed her satisfaction with the partnership, “Jonas is always there for us and truly cares about our needs, which is something that really stands out to us.”

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About Jonas Construction Software

Jonas Construction Software delivers industry-leading construction management and accounting software solutions. Our fully-integrated tools empower companies to enhance productivity and improve their bottom line. At Jonas, we simplify operations and provide better visibility throughout the organization, enabling companies to focus on their customers, projects, and employees. This equips your employees with the necessary tools to excel in their roles, support your customers, and achieve your company’s objectives.

Red River Electric has been exceeding their client’s expectations in the electrical construction business since it was formed in 1977. Their services include a wide range of work including residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural projects. A third of their business is service-based, while the rest of their work is in new commercial construction.

As Red River began to grow and change as a company, they started to realize that their software system, Maxwell, was lacking in terms of a fully integrated software solution. Red River came to the conclusion that if they wanted to streamline and optimize their business processes, they would require a complete construction management software solution that could meet their specific needs and requirements. The solution they ended up selecting was Jonas Construction Software.

RECOGNIZING THE PROBLEM

Before transitioning to Jonas Construction Software, Red River was using Maxwell as their software system. While Maxwell was able to work for them originally, as their needs changed and their requirements grew, they started to realize the deficiencies in Maxwell. “The biggest issue with Maxwell was that it was not fully integrated, especially with the service module, which led to a lot of duplicate entries and was just not very efficient,” stated Jackie Peterson, Controller at Red River Electric.

Another concern with Maxwell was that they stopped updating the software, which made the software antiquated with regards to keeping up with the latest technology. Maxwell was also quite cumbersome to use, so much so, that the project managers at Red River refused to use the system. It quickly became apparent to Red River, that if they wanted to continue to grow and improve as a business, they would require a more automated and integrated construction management software solution.

JONAS CONSTRUCTION SOFTWARE TO THE RESCUE

Since transitioning to Jonas Construction Software, Red River has truly been able to streamline and enhance their business from all aspects. One of the biggest areas of improvement has been in their service department. “The Jonas service module is far and away better than any of the competing software systems we looked at,” stated Jackie Peterson. “With Jonas, we are able to complete service billing a lot faster, as we no longer have to re-enter hours, and our service department saves about 300 hours per year, allowing them to be much more productive in the process.”

Another area of improvement has been with their project managers. Since implementing Jonas, their project managers are now actually using the software, as opposed to when they had Maxwell. The project managers enjoy the ability to drill down into the details and access real-time information, which has provided them with greater visibility and improved management capabilities overall. The Project Scheduler from Jonas was also a big factor in selecting Jonas, as this was something other software vendors were unable to offer.

BENEFITS

In selecting Jonas Construction Software, Red River Electric now has a fully integrated construction management software solution to run their business. With a smooth and seamless transition, Red River was up and running quickly, leveraging the internal training and support from Jonas. With regards to the support specifically, Red River has been very pleased. “Jonas is always there for us and truly care about our needs, which is something that really stands out to us,” stated Jackie. “The heart and personalities at Jonas are truly genuine and we just love the support overall.”

Red River was also able to export their data from Maxwell and easily import it into Jonas, which also contributed to the smooth transition process. The user-friendly nature of Jonas has provided both staff and management with the confidence to effectively use the software. For management, the Executive Dashboard within Jonas allows them to view a quick snapshot of how the business is doing at any time, allowing them to make better, more informed decisions in the process.

CONCLUSION

Since partnering with Jonas Construction Software, Red River Electric has been able to improve integration, become more productive, and enhance communication and collaboration throughout the business. With a fully integrated construction software solution, Red River has been able to improve the overall productivity of their service operation, while reducing duplicate entries and completing service billings much quicker.

The project managers at Red River are now using Jonas to better schedule and manage each project, providing them with greater visibility into project performance. With a software solution that is both user-friendly and robust, the staff at Red River is able to easily use the software to perform daily tasks and management is able to generate reports leveraging real-time, accurate information. The initial training put Red River Electric in a position to succeed from the outset, and the continued support gives them the confidence knowing they are backed by an industry-leading, fully integrated solution in Jonas Construction Software.

ABOUT JONAS CONSTRUCTION SOFTWARE

Jonas Construction Software provides industry-leading business management and accounting software to our clients. Our fully-integrated solutions provide all of the tools that you need to increase productivity and improve your bottom line. At Jonas, we make it easier for companies to focus on what is important – their customers, their projects and their employees. We do this by streamlining their operations and giving better visibility to the entire organization. This gives your employees the tools to do their jobs better, support your customers and achieve your company goals. Over 25 years ago, we made a promise called ‘Software for Life’. This is our commitment to never phase out any of our products and to continue to invest in improving them, so you’ll never have to implement a new system. Jonas Construction Software is backed by Constellation Software Inc. (CSI), a global software company that acquires and builds high market share, mission-critical vertical market software companies. CSI consistently maintains profitable growth and is entirely debt-free.

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