We asked Tom about what he has learned along the way, if you want to hear more you can listen to a podcast or watch a longer video below

Tom was keen to increase efficiency by helping his staff focus on what they did best, and getting rid of as much of the repetitive processes and standard paperwork as he could. Having used technology extensively in previous roles in the printing industry, he knew software could provide a solution

When AllSaved first invested in their project management system, the onboarding costs were a month of Tom's wages. He didn't get paid that month but looking back at years of expansion and scalable growth he knows that was a risk that was worth taking. It took courage, but Tom felt confident that it was the kind of radical change which could help set his business up for success

Tom had two main objectives when he started looking at options. Firstly he wanted something modular and scalable, which could grow with the business, adding new features as they went. Secondly he wanted something that could help his team focus on what they were best at. He also knew that he might want to integrate the system with other products further down the line, so he insisted on a system with an open API, which made it easier for them to make it their own.

This clarity his meant that rather than trawl a long list of solutions, AllSaved were able to focus on a handful which were most appropriate.

Tom thinks about all project management software as 80% right out of the box. AllSaved used a standard, off the shelf product for the 80% of their business which was similar to other firms, such as leads, quotes, sales, scheduling work, invoicing etc. For the other 20%, which is specific to their industry and their business, they decided to build their own software, because they felt they needed something which fitted them perfectly. This meant building a document management system which could make 30-40 page fire risk assessment documents, whereas an off-the-shelf product could do 3-4 pages. They then integrated the two products so they had a solution fully tailored to their needs.

When they first implemented their management system, Tom and his team cut some corners and didn't do it properly. It ended up needing to be rebuilt. Tom looks back now and knows that was their mistake. The systems don't make mistakes, it's all about putting the time into getting things set up properly so you can succeed

Keeping his team motivated and happy was a crucial part of why Tom decided to invest in technology in the first place. He wanted to help his staff operate at the top of their skillsets and take away the mundane tasks which were taking up too much of their time.Yet even with clear benefits to staff there can be challenges. When it was first introduced the system accelerated some organisational changes, creating greater ownership and accountability and a bit of tension along with that. The new visibility even scared Tom a little at first, suddenly everyone could see his diary!

For AllSaved this has been an ongoing learning process. Tom sees getting your fingers burned is part of the journey, but appreciates the lessons he has learned along the way. For him a large part of what will make you successful with software is how much you put into it. Ultimately the technology won't do it for you, you have to absolutely commit

We carried on our discussion with Tom once the cameras stopped rolling. You can listen to the rest of the discussion here.