Building the right tech stack for a trades business feels like a Sisyphean task. As quickly as you get it “figured out,” something changes — your team grows, costs change, or the tools you chose go unused — and it feels like you’re back at square one.
But there are a few things you can keep in mind to make software purchasing and adoption much less stressful for you and your team.
We spoke with Eric Weddle, co-founder and CFO of Weddle & Sons Inc., about how he evaluates and rolls out software across his multi-state roofing, exteriors, and solar company. He explained that once you have a clear business case for solving a specific problem, you should focus on a few key factors before making a decision.
1. Adoption Drives ROI
Your software is only valuable if your team actually uses it. Choose tools that people can pick up quickly. From day one, software should make the actual work easier for both the field and office teams.
In the past, teams expected a long learning curve. That is no longer the case. Your employees use apps every day on their phones. They expect the same experience from business software.
Eric points out that revenue is created in the field, not behind a desk. Sales reps close deals at kitchen tables. Crews complete work on roofs. That’s why their experience with tools should come first when you’re evaluating software. If a platform does not clearly improve their daily work, your field teams won’t buy in, and adoption will stall.
When you roll out new systems, focus on practical training, simple workflows, and early input from crew leaders so teams understand how the software helps them close jobs, document work, and avoid mistakes.
How to Introduce New Tools with Your Team
- Start with a demo or free trial. Walk through the core features yourself. Create a sample job, upload data, and test. If it feels confusing at this stage, your team will struggle later.
- Define the main problem you are solving. Be clear about what needs to improve. Faster documentation. Fewer pricing errors. Better communication. Keep the goal specific.
- Involve key leaders early. Bring in a branch manager, site supervisor, and sales manager. Give them access to a sandbox account and let them test real scenarios.
- Collect direct feedback. Ask what slows them down and what helps them move faster. Look for patterns in their responses before finalizing your decision.
- Set a clear rollout timeline. Give teams a short adjustment period. Provide structured training so expectations are clear from day one.
- Commit to full adoption. Remove the old system once the transition period ends. Even if the new tool does not replicate every feature, consistent use is what drives results.
Give your team a tool they’ll use.
See how CompanyCam supports field adoption, simplifies your tech stack, and helps you avoid costly errors.
2. Evaluate Tradeoffs Before You Switch
Every software change involves giving up some workflow or design that everyone’s grown accustomed to. Eric shared how teams can “fall in love” with certain features of their current tools, making change difficult. But the key is determining whether what you’re gaining significantly outweighs what you’re losing.
Eliminating overlap without hurting adoption
Two years ago, Weddle & Sons Inc. decided to replace their CRM. Their previous setup depended on heavy custom automations that connected their CRM with CompanyCam, Box, QuickBooks, and other tools. As the company grew, that system demanded constant maintenance from Eric just to keep it working.
After reviewing their needs, they moved to AccuLynx. The switch meant giving up some standalone tools, including a scheduling platform that one branch preferred.
What they gained was more important. Direct pricing integrations with key suppliers reduced costly estimating errors. Some of those mistakes had reached four and five figures because of outdated cost data.
The change also eliminated overlap. They no longer needed multiple file storage systems or several eSignature tools, which helped offset new subscription costs.
However, Eric cautions against cutting tools too quickly. User adoption should guide those decisions. He shared that they could have ditched CompanyCam as part of this move, but given the high adoption and usage of CompanyCam across his teams, they decided that the potential redundancy is more valuable than the line-item savings.
3. Review Annually, but Stay Current
The Weddle & Sons conducts an annual business and technology review at the end of every year. During this slower time of year, you should:
- Evaluate what worked this year but won’t scale to next year’s projected size
- Identify what didn’t work well and needs replacement
- Review all software expenses and decide on the need
- Check on pricing discounts you may be able to get
But that doesn’t stop their team from adding tools throughout the year to address tedious, time-consuming tasks. Eric shared that he’s always looking for something new and taking calls with various tech providers who reach out. Staying product-aware throughout the year helps him quickly address issues that arise from pain points he hears from the office, field, and sales teams.
Using AI to Simplify Process
One of the tedious tasks Eric handles is managing subcontractor certificates of insurance for their own business insurance audits. Each sub has their own agreements, expiration dates, and insurance information, and keeping this all straight is a chore.
Eric is evaluating tools like Claude Code to build a web interface that allows subs to share these documents securely and enables him and his team to parse them, collect all important information, and have it ready for audit season.
Keep Learning From Other Contractors
Are you adding or changing any tech in your business this year? Join the conversation in our community and see which CRM tools other contractors are using and recommending.
If you want more practical advice from business leaders like Eric, register for our free monthly webinars. We host them on the last Wednesday of every month and share real examples you can apply right away