BBB touts itself as the “Online Business Tool for Construction.” According to the founders, it’s “a resource that uses the power of the Internet to provide tools and applications for contractors and manufacturers to communicate and conduct business online.”
“We have tried to develop a system that is easy to use and understand,” said developer Gerald Metcalf. “You can [use the website] to control your sales activities and prioritize your projects — like a day planner.”
Here are some of the whys and hows behind this website:
- Metcalf pointed out that business-to-business e-commerce will increase from $145 billion in 1999 to $7.2 trillion in 2005.
- The tide of business-to-business trading will increase the need for speed and effortless handling, at the same time increasing sales and lowering costs.
- Requests for quotes, proposals, e-mail, and purchase-orders can be handled more efficiently. “Just look at the reduced cost of having to send overnight mail,” Metcalf said.
How it works
Jerry Lieberg explained how the BBB process works.“Every user will have their own homepage,” he said. “They can build a project online by adding equipment and manufacturers to the list.”
Manufacturers can receive requests for bids from contractors once the necessary equipment has been identified. They, in turn, respond to the requests via the homepage at BBB. Within a matter of moments, contractors can receive bids according to the specifications they created on their BBB-created homepage.
The developers claim that using their website is like using the bidding process contractors use now, only with greater speed, ease, and efficiency.
A lot of time can be saved using this method and, according to Lieberg, “One resource we cannot multiply is time. We all have 24 hours.”
