Earthmover gains award-winning ROI after dumping spreadsheet estimating

Earthmover/site developer Feller Enterprises automated tracking project performance and estimating with B2W software modules to improve estimating. (Photo: B2W)

Earthmoving contractor Feller Enterprises faced two problems familiar to contractors relying on spreadsheets for estimating:

1. To assess daily field performance, estimator and project manager Travis Snow had to retrieve production quantities from foremen, labor hours from a payroll system and equipment hours from Vision Link. He then entered this data into a custom spreadsheet that showed profitability for the whole job, but not for individual tracking accounts.
2. Estimating with Excel also meant he could not review past performance according to those production accounts to improve the accuracy of future bids.

“We implemented B2W Track first, and it was a game-changer for us,” says Snow.

The application for performance tracking replaced the manual process of combining production, labor and equipment data from three different sources. Now, all of that information is recorded on electronic field logs daily and can be reported on immediately.

“We can see daily, not only how each job is

Feller's Travis Snow accepted B2W’s 2023 Innovation Award for ROI results. (Photo: B2W)

performing, but also how each line item or production account for each job is performing,” Snow says.

Motivation for the field

Foremen at Feller use the B2W Track mobile app every day to compare progress on tracking accounts against quantities that were bid.

When a project owner asks for anything outside of the original scope, that time and materials work is added to the field log on the spot. Owners sign the tablet, providing the documentation for billing.

The mobile app also inspires foremen to take more responsibility for profitability.

“They like to look at the summary reporting in B2W Track and make sure that they are staying at or as close as they can to estimated cost,” Snow explains. “We even set goals and award bonuses based on their actual in-field performance versus what we estimated.”

Based in St. George, Utah, Feller also has experience in flood control, soil stabilization, quarrying and custom crushing. (Photo: B2W)

About Feller

Allen Feller and his son, Tyson, founded Feller Enterprises in 2003. The company is based in St. George, Utah, and specializes in excavation and site development. Feller Enterprises also has extensive experience in flood control, soil stabilization, rock quarrying and custom crushing.