NEWSLETTER

SpecLink Data to Provide Manufacturer Lead Service

Building Systems Design will be launching a new lead service to building product manufacturers in January 2006. This service will provide more specific information to participating manufacturers about SpecLink usage than the statistical reports that are already being generated.

Currently, BSD gathers data automatically from the computers of SpecLink subscribers that enable us to compile reports on the frequency of use of specific sections and the number of times particular manufacturers have been specified. This statistical data does not identify particular users or projects, so it is of interest primarily as a trend indicator and a tool to determine the relative popularity of specific products. BSD also uses this data to help determine which sections should receive more maintenance attention.

Figure 1

With the winter 2005-06 release of BSD SpecLink, our customers will have the option to release specific project information to BSD for use in a more detailed lead service. The reports that will be generated will be similar in scope to those produced by Reed Construction Data and McGraw-Hill’s Dodge Reports. Data for these more detailed reports will be provided voluntarily by SpecLink users on the revised project data tab of the Summary Info dialog box (Figure 1), now named Report Cover Sheet. The type of information that will be gathered includes project name and location; owner’s name; architect/engineer’s name; and facility type, size, approximate cost, and approximate completion date. In conjunction, as the tab name suggests, BSD has created a new optional cover sheet for the administrative reports that displays this information. If the project information is not entered on the Report Cover Sheet tab, the resulting cover sheets will display default entries or blanks.

A checkbox at the bottom of the dialog box allows BSD to publish and release the specific project data to participating building product manufacturers. Clicking to remove the checkmark will prevent the specific project data from being included in the lead service reports until the box is rechecked.

At BSD, we believe activation of this new capability will work to the advantage of all parties. Timely release of project data will ultimately result in greater competition between specified manufacturers, benefiting both the project owner and the architect/engineer. Manufacturers will be able to obtain better and timelier data on projects for which they have been specified, allowing them to prepare more competitive proposals. And BSD will be able to tap into a new revenue source that will allow us to keep product costs down and ultimately to lower the cost to our users. We anticipate and welcome your feedback on this new feature.