Technology has proven to be a game-changer for contractors, but making the wrong investment can be costly. The construction industry suffers significant losses due to inaccurate or poor-quality data. According to an FMI report, bad data contributed to $1.8 trillion in global losses, approximately $88 billion in rework alone. Using the wrong technology has a direct impact on your data hygiene and bottom line.
That’s why forward-thinking construction companies run pilot programs before committing to a full-scale software rollout. A well-executed pilot helps identify the right tools, minimize risk, and ensure adoption by the teams who will use the technology in the field and office.
Here’s how to make the most of your ConTech pilot—what to do, what to avoid, why it matters, and how STACK’s pilot program helps contractors experience the value of our platform.
Do: Define Clear Goals and Metrics
A successful pilot starts with knowing what you want to achieve. Are you looking to speed up your preconstruction process, improve team collaboration, or reduce errors in estimates (or all three!)? Establish clear success metrics to measure the impact of the software.
✅ Best Practice: Set measurable goals and develop a clear outline of what you’re testing – inputs, outputs, and workflows. Ex: reducing takeoff time by 30% or cutting material waste by 10%.
❌ Don’t: Go into the pilot without a plan or measurable benchmarks. A vague “let’s try it out” approach makes it hard to evaluate success.
Do: Involve the Right Team Members
A construction tech pilot isn’t just for the IT department. It should involve estimators, project managers, and field teams—anyone who will use or be affected by the technology. Feedback is critical to understanding how the software fits into daily workflows.
✅ Best Practice: Assign a pilot team that includes key stakeholders and end users to get input from decision-makers and frontline workers. Ensure there is a process for who signs off on what with the pilot.
❌ Don’t: Leave the decision solely to executives or a single department without involving the people who will use the software day-to-day.
Do: Start with a Real-World Project
Testing software in a vacuum won’t give you an accurate sense of its value. The best pilots use real projects with real data to see how the technology performs under actual working conditions.
✅ Best Practice: Run the pilot on an active project to evaluate performance under real job constraints.
❌ Don’t: Rely on sample test cases that don’t reflect the complexity of actual work.
Do: Set a Timeline and Review Period
Pilots shouldn’t drag on indefinitely. Define a clear start and end date, typically 30-90 days, and schedule a structured review to assess outcomes.
✅ Best Practice: Set a firm timeline with checkpoints to evaluate progress and use clearly defined milestones to help you make a final decision.
❌ Don’t: Let the pilot run without clear decision points.
Do: Get Vendor Support
Your software provider should be an active partner in the pilot process. A supportive vendor provides training and resources to help users quickly understand how to leverage the technology effectively.
✅ Best Practice: Engage with your vendor for training, troubleshooting, and best practices.
❌ Don’t: Try to figure everything out on your own—leverage the expertise of your software provider so you don’t get frustrated, leading to underutilization.
The Benefits of Running a ConTech Pilot
A pilot program is your safety net before making a major tech investment. It helps you:
-Avoid costly mistakes by ensuring the software fits your business needs and long-term goals.
-Gain buy-in from employees by involving them early in the process.
-Measure ROI before committing to a long-term contract.
-Minimize disruption by working out any issues before a full rollout.
"STACK is the best estimating software I have used. The learning curve is super short – my estimators were using STACK within 10 minutes of getting them logged in. STACK even has plenty of training videos and a dedicated helpline." - R3 Painting, Hampstead, NC
At STACK, we work closely with contractors on our pilot program to provide an implementation plan with training, support, and resources to ensure a smooth evaluation. Our pilot program allows contractors to test our platform in real-world conditions, ensuring it’s the right fit before committing.
Want to see if STACK is the right solution for your business? Connect with our team to learn more!
