Why Contractors Should Never Send Techs to the Supply House in Colorado Springs

When you send a $50/hour technician to pick up a $15 part, you're creating a costly inefficiency that compounds throughout the day. Industry data shows that the average supply house run takes 45-60 minutes in Colorado Springs, factoring in travel time, waiting, and potential traffic delays. This means you're spending $37-75 in labor costs alone, not including vehicle expenses, fuel, and the opportunity cost of delayed customer appointments.

The math becomes even more problematic when you consider that many contractors report technicians making 2-3 supply house trips per day during busy seasons. At an average cost of $55 per trip (including all expenses), a single technician can generate $300-400 in weekly supply house costs. Multiply this across your entire team, and you're looking at thousands in unnecessary expenses monthly.

Colorado Springs' unique geography creates additional challenges for efficient parts pickup. The city stretches nearly 30 miles north to south, from Monument down to Fountain, with major supply houses scattered throughout different zones. A technician working on the north side might face a 25-minute drive to reach suppliers near Airport Road, while jobs on the Westside could require crossing the entire city to reach certain specialty suppliers.

Traffic patterns compound these distance challenges, particularly during rush hours on I-25 and Academy Boulevard. What should be a quick 15-minute trip can easily stretch to 45 minutes during peak times. Many contractors report that morning supply runs often conflict with the 7-9 AM window when customers expect technicians to arrive, creating scheduling conflicts that impact customer satisfaction.

The productivity impact extends far beyond simple travel time. When technicians leave job sites for parts runs, they lose mental focus and momentum on complex installations or repairs. Contractors report that returning technicians often need 10-15 minutes to refamiliarize themselves with the job status, especially on multi-day projects. This context-switching penalty can reduce overall job efficiency by 15-20%.

Customer perception also suffers when technicians repeatedly leave job sites. Homeowners and business owners expect continuous progress during scheduled service windows. Empty work trucks in driveways create negative impressions and can lead to customer complaints about 'slow progress' even when the actual work quality is excellent. Industry surveys show that jobs completed without supply house interruptions receive 25% higher customer satisfaction ratings.