Is HCSS User Group Meeting worth it?
I get asked frequently in my travels if the HCSS User Group Meeting (UGM) is worth the investment. My take is that UGM is an exceptional value but for reasons that might not be so obvious. You will learn A LOT. Let me give you my reasons why you should attend and I am going to approach this from an estimator’s viewpoint but it will the same holds true for any user of one or more of HCSS products. Here is my list:
- It is important to know who HCSS is. You can’t do that without attending a UGM and meeting HCSS employees including its leadership. I know companies that do a billion dollars in volume a year and don’t have a clue who anybody is at HCSS and yet a company in Indiana doing $8 million a year owner can call up a HCSS Vice President on the phone and they know each other. Why? Because the latter attends UGM. It is complete nuts to use a software that is so critical to the success of your company without knowing who is behind it.
- When you rub shoulders with 900 other people it is inspiring and mind expanding. It communicates to the estimator that estimating is important (or any other of the HCSS products they are there for). An intangible for sure but it goes a long way. They will meet estimators that are at the top of their game - superstars in our world. The estimator will value his or her role so much more in your company after attending a UGM.
- You will meet others that do what you do. It is not too far fetched that one word of advice from someone at lunch or dinner can have a domino effect on your company in terms of improving a workflow. Attending the Town Meeting on the last day can again lead to rethinking workflows to bring about noticeable improvements that will only benefit the profitability of your company. I sit in them and always get a new idea, a new concept that I have not considered before.
So is it worth it? My opinion is that HCSS could charge a lot more for UGM (hope they don't read this). The benefits of attending far exceed the expense. Hats off to the men and women at HCSS who organize this event. You do an amazing job.
Hope to see you there.
Here is the link to sign up. (It says 2019, but it's for 2020)
Agree with Arthur and John.? Learning what others do outside of your office, or even your region of the country or North America, can spark new ideas on how to approach your work and make your operation better!
I would add this caveat, UGM is what you make of it. If you go there with an intent to improve your process then it will. I know UGM and even some of your classes helped shape my skills at UGM to where they are today. The other important note is that a lot of attendees do not have an effective implementation plan of the new ideas and processes they learn so a plan after UGM is a MUST!!!!