Bob Hahn, the representative for Cogent Analytics spent five weeks with our company and trained me as well as a few other employees in regards to making decisions to manage the business. Time was spent learning a new quote system, Bidmaster which would allow us to know what the potential profit is on each quote prepared for our customers. We are currently gathering labor data in order to put the Bidmaster program to work.
The project took a turn towards accounting, which I was not expecting, however it was an area that needed attention. Much time was spent on cleaning up the accounting program as it had not been set up correctly and therefore the reports generated from it did not provide accurate information. I feel the accounting system has been corrected and we can now accumulate information that will provide accurate cost of goods sold, expenses and profit. This information will allow the business to operate more efficiently and allow for better decisions to be made based on that data. Bob spent time training me on specific financial reports in order to analyze the status of the business which would allow me to make appropriate decisions. Should the business be sold, a potential buyer could better evaluate the company based on the corrected accounting information.
The primary purpose of bringing in Cogent was to increase sales and find more sales representatives. Bob spent time training us on sales methods and how to present our product to the customer in order to enhance sales. At this point we have not been able to find more sales representatives or increase sales but we will continue to use the sales methods we were trained in. With persistence and the skills we have learned I am sure we will see positive results in the near future.
Bob was easy to work with and very conscientious. His teaching methods were effective and he was thorough in explaining the tools he gave us to work with. I feel that his presence at our facility has caused a spark in many of the employees. In summary, Bob was very professional and it was a pleasure to have him working with us for the duration of this project.
