The dust has settled and the terrain of the Contractor Services & Software category ofThe NEWS’fourth annual Dealer Design Awards has been claimed. In the heat of battle, a triumvirate emerged as victors.

Jonas Software bested the competition for the gold spot with its Jonas Mobile/Jonas e-Service. Wrightsoft Corp. gained silver, placing it in the halls of honor, with the product Right-Suite Universal, while FastEST Inc. eliminated the rest of the field with its FastDUCT Sheet Metal Estimating Software, to be worthy of the bronze award.

GOLD: Jonas Mobile and Jonas e-Service, by Jonas Software, are two software products designed to help streamline service management, working in conjunction with the company’s core dispatch and service management system.

GOLD WINNER

Jonas Software’s Jonas Mobile and Jonas e-Service are two software products designed to help streamline service management, working in conjunction with the company’s core dispatch and service management system to give service contractors an automated service delivery system.

A judge liked this aspect of the software and called it an “impressive product that will improve dispatch and billing.” Another judge commented that this is “an outstanding client management and dispatch system utilizing advanced technology to maximize productivity and increase efficiency.”

Jonas e-Service allows the service provider’s customers to ask for work orders over the Web and review account information such as equipment lists, historical work orders, and accounts receivables.

The Jonas Mobile allows the contractor to have work orders sent directly to a technician’s PDA. The technician can complete the work, take a signature, and print a copy for the customer before leaving. Once the work order is completed, the system at the office is automatically updated.

This feature was something one of the judges liked, remarking it is a “new wave in wireless” and that the software has “great operation from the Blackberry.”

One judge wrapped up the judging panel’s thoughts by saying that it is a “good concept.”

SILVER: The Right-Suite Universal (RSU), from Wrightsoft Corp., is a software package that combines all North American residential and commercial load and design calculation methods into one program.

SILVER WINNER

The Right-Suite Universal (RSU), from Wrightsoft Corp., is a software package that combines all North American residential and commercial load and design calculation methods into one program. One of the judges liked this facet of it enough to remark that it’s “great to draw and run the load all in the same software.”

The RSU produces system designs for small and large HVAC projects and allows the designer to switch between the 11 different Air Conditioning Contractors of America, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, and Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada load and duct design methods for optimal calculation results.

A judge remarked, “This is an excellent product, having more features than probably anything else on the market.” A second said that it is an “excellent program to combine all of the design and sales packages.” Another called the Right-Suite Universal a “great package,” and went on to say that it “will help the contractor who wants to help themselves.” And the highest of all praises, and the one ultimately that a company wants to hear is the comment one judge made, “I would buy this.”

BRONZE: The FastDUCT sheet metal estimating software, by FastEST Inc., is designed for use in estimating material costs, fabrication labor, and installation labor of HVAC projects.

BRONZE WINNER

The FastDUCT Sheet Metal Estimating Software by FastEST Inc., is designed for use in estimating material costs, fabrication labor, and installation labor of HVAC projects. A judge said “Once it’s set up, you could save estimating time. The layout is user-friendly.”

Another feature of the software is the ability of specs to be set up to match the user’s construction standards, whether they build their own ductwork or purchase it from another source. The sheet metal estimating software includes data for rectangular, round, and oval ductwork; bare, internally lined or externally insulated ductwork; sheet metal equipment, duct accessories, and miscellaneous products required for duct assembly. It operates on Microsoft Windows®.

A judge said that the product has “outstanding technical documentation and applications that are easy to learn.” Yet another noted that “the product looks like it would be usable once all of the proper items are ‘installed’ into it.” One judge summed up all the other judges’ comments by saying that the software “looks like a good program.”

HONOREES: SERVICES & SOFTWARE

GOLD
Jonas Software
www.jonasconstruction.com
Jonas Mobile/Jonas e-Service

SILVER
Wrightsoft Corp.
www.wrightsoft.com
Right-Suite Universal

BRONZE
FastEST Inc.
www.fastest-inc.com
FastDUCT Sheet Metal Estimating Software

Publication date:07/16/2007