There’s plenty to worry about in 2010, from whatever Ben Bernanke is thinking about doing next to how many competitors you’ll end up bidding against on the next run-of-the-mill job.
You could definitely look at your March calendar right now, and enter the letters W-O-R-R-Y on the five days of that week. But – wait! Perhaps you could put that time to much better use.

Come to McCormick Systems’ 28^th Annual User’s Conference – a proven benefit to our customers over almost three decades.

We promise that you’ll come away RICHER. OK, we’re not going to directly put cash in your pocket! But you’ll learn something – if not from our instructors during the formal sessions, then from your fellow attendees (other contacting company owners, estimators, and project managers).

See the at-a-glance schedule further below. Here are details on our scheduled events.

1.      Version 9.2 is the latest update to McCormick Systems’ software. You no doubt have an email on it, as we’ve been sending out info for some time now.. We’ll cover V9.2 in full in the conference sessions. What’s more, you’ll have time in our well-equipped on-site computer lab to “play with” V9.2 – with a McCormick staff member sitting at your elbow, helping to iron out any kinks.

For more on V9.2, see the release that's in the media (below).  

2.      Tra-Ser SX and Supplier Xchange – these two separate products from Trade Service are enabled by V9.2. They are relatively new offerings from Trade Service. Are you up-to-date on what they can do for you in saving time and boosting your estimating productivity? Learn more at the conference.

3.      OnScreen Take-Off – it was the hit of the 2009 User’s Conference. Perhaps you missed that? Or perhaps you’re not yet using OST to speed your estimating work with drawings received from architects/engineers in the form of PDFs or other types of graphics? You’ll be able to “play with” the software in our lab and see if it can work for you.

4.      Estimating Checks & Balances – this is a don’t-miss session. Of course you prepare estimates, and check them over. But you’ll pick up two golden arrows in this session that you might not yet have in your quiver: (1) a look at the checks/balances built-in to the McCormick estimating software (stuff you might be overlooking); and (2) some tips and hints on what you should be looking for in your final look-see, from a veteran estimator.

5.      Setting Up Your Estimate as a Project Management Tool – we promote McCormick’s estimating software as a project management tool as well. If that’s true, and you’re not using the software you’ve paid for in setting up PM work, you’re overlooking benefits that you can put to work immediately. See how your estimators can set up “pre-bid” takeoffs to be fully functioning project management tools!

3.      How to use BIM – a special session in the conference will give attendees who are not familiar with Building Information Modeling a look at how it is being used in the electrical construction industry today. Learn how one Midwestern electrical contractor is successfully putting BIM to use on real-world projects.

4.      Review of What's On Your System –this is one of each year’s most popular sessions. There are many, many functions and capabilities built-in to your McCormick estimating system . . . some of which you could put to use . . . some of which you might not know all about. This session brings you up to speed with what’s already available. THIS IS NOT A SALES SESSION . . . this stuff is already on your computers!

5.      Enhancing Your System – this may sound like baloney, but veterans will tell you it isn’t. McCormick will spend some time asking conference attendees what you’d like to see improved or enhanced in future versions of the system software. As you would imagine, we’ve budgeted funds for future tweaks and improvements. This is your chance to put a bug in our ear about what should be worked on to help you down the line.

As you may know, these customer suggestions are one way that the system’s capabilities have been upgraded year after year . . . it’s how today’s McCormick software got to be as good as it is!

And There’s More!

There’s much more on tap during the third week of March. Here’s a look at what else you can do and enjoy in Tempe AZ when the McCormick customers come to town:

Training Classes – there are separate “Standard” and “Advanced” training classes that begin on Monday the 15^th. These optional classes can serve as introductions or refreshers to new and veteran estimators.

Masters Golf Tournament – to be held Weds. March 17.

Opening Reception – to be held the evening of Weds., March 17.

Closing Dinner – Friday night, March 19.

Extra Laboratory Time – we’ve learned from many previous User’s Conferences that not everyone catches a flight out of town at the crack of dawn. On Saturday, March 20, our computer laboratory will be open – with McCormick staff on-hand to help – from 7 a.m. ‘til noon. This is one last chance to try things you’ve heard about during the conference, ask our people for help or insight with specific items, and even get input on general (non-electrical) computer issues and decisions.

You know the old saying about cockroaches -- if you see one, you know there are more . . . it probably applies here.

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A story from the Whig-Standard in Ontario, Canada goes into the travails of a family that received a $985 electric bill as the result of some sort of smart-meter malfunction.

Hey, that's for ONE MONTH. Here's the lead on the story:

The Kingston family feuding with Hydro One over high electricity bills -- including one that reached a whopping $985.15 for a single month -- has received a rebate of $63.93.

A letter from the publicly owned utility referred to the payment as a "gesture of good will."

"It's also kind of insulting," said Heather Wilkins. "I think if they were buying me off, it would be more than $63.93."

Wilkins and her husband, Dave, still suspect the smart meter that was installed on their house last spring gave inaccurate readings that led to their exorbitant bills.

What this proves: Utilities may be automating, but they still behave in the same old (Ty-Rex-like) way. It's hard to shake your DNA, and most power companies are, well, dinosaurs.

Here are the (slim) details provided on the whopping error:

On Aug. 6, for example, from 11 a. m. to midnight, consumption was recorded at 44.5 kilowatt hours. During one hour, from 11 p. m. to midnight, the draw was nine kilowatt hours -- three times the base load -- even though no one was in the house at the time because the family was at their cottage.

Yes, it's 5 months later. Still, this seems worth reporting.

NECA is run by something called a "Board of Governors." This board, with representatives from each of the org's 120 chapters, votes on things once a year in an annual meeting timed to coincide with NECA's convention. In Seattle in September, they considered Ordinary Proposal #4.

Here's the concluding paragraph:

Therefore, be it RESOLVED that the National Electrical Contractors Association promotes and endorses revising the National Electrical Code on a five-year cycle rather than the existing three-year cycle.

I am told this resolution passed on a voice vote. What does it mean? Nothing, for the immediate future. But . . . it means something!