Onboarding project | BEAM

IBEAM.AI is revolutionizing how construction professionals handle preconstruction challenges. It’s not just a takeoff tool — it’s your AI-powered estimating assistant designed to help you:

• Win more bids with faster, more accurate takeoffs.
• Save hours by automating manual tasks.
• Avoid costly omissions with precise estimates.
• Build trust with branded, shareable outputs that make your results stand out.

Whether you're a solo contractor managing multiple site visits, a mid-level estimator juggling up to 4 bids per week, or a preconstruction leader overseeing an entire estimating team — IBEAM.AI acts as your second brain in preconstruction, optimizing your workflow and ensuring more efficient, profitable results.

📊 Company Stage

IBEAM.AI is currently in its early growth and onboarding optimization phase. While the product is fully developed, functional, and delivering value, refining user adoption depth and enhancing the onboarding experience are critical for scaling effectively.

At this stage, the company is:

• Post-Product-Market Fit, Pre-Scale
• Focused on building repeatable onboarding processes, feature-led habit loops, and upsell pathways to sustain growth.

🔍 User Research Summary

• Participants:
• • 2 long-term users (10+ months)
  • 2 new users who were guided through the onboarding journey live
• Research Goals:
• • Identify aspects of the product that delight users and encourage continued use.
  • Pinpoint friction points in the onboarding journey and usage experience.
  • Map user behavior to key activation moments to refine the path toward user success.

Ground Reality — What Do Customers Actually Experience?

We’re in the early stages of onboarding improvement. Before designing flows or nudges, we need to internalize the customer voice and assess what’s truly working and what’s not.

A strategic comparison of Beam AI user feedback (esp. from landscaping & estimating segments)

🧭 Summary

BEAM by Attentive.ai is receiving strong praise from landscaping and property service businesses for its speed, accuracy, and time-saving impact, particularly in scaling up bid operations. The mobile functionality and onboarding experience stand out as differentiators.

However, there’s room to grow with more robust integrations, deeper editing capabilities, and expanded support for less common property types. Addressing these could help unlock further efficiency and satisfaction across mid- to large-sized teams.

Beam-AI-How-to-Win-the-Estimators-Trust-by-Nailing-the-Right-Job-To-Be-Done.pdf

User Research

ICP 1: Ryan (General Contractor, Florida)

Demographics & Background:

• Age: 42, Male, Married
• Role: Owner of a GC firm handling residential and light commercial jobs
• Income: ~$110K/year
• Tech Comfort: Moderate — uses Procore and Bluebeam, but still relies on Excel for budget tracking

Early Usage & Experience:
Frequency: Ryan started using Beam AI weekly for new project bids and during scope finalization.
Key Feature Loved: Fully downloadable takeoff sheets with labor + material separation.
Anecdote:

“Before Beam, I was either chasing subs for takeoffs or paying my team overtime to finish estimates. Now I get 80% of it done in one shot — just need to validate key trades.”

Insight:

“Speed is great, but I still need to keep my GC margin tight. I want better visibility into where the tool might miss or undercount.”

Pain Points Addressed:

• Fewer delays waiting on subs to send scope details
• Reduced reliance on part-time estimators
• Gained control over scope and pricing for early client conversations

Willingness to Spend for Enhanced Functionality:

• Open to paying $75–$100/month more for a bundled scope-check + risk zone report
• Would invest more for tools that help catch missed scope items early

Enhanced Features (Proposal):

Overall Experience:
Ryan sees Beam AI as a key edge in winning more jobs faster. It fills a gap where smaller GCs lack estimating staff but still want precision and speed.

🎯 ICP 2: Sarah (Estimator at Mid-Sized Firm, North Carolina)

Demographics & Background:

• Age: 31, Female, Single
• Role: Estimator in a 50-person commercial contracting firm
• Income: ~$75K/year
• Tech Comfort: High — heavy user of PlanSwift, Excel macros, and pre-con tools

Early Usage & Experience:
Frequency: Sarah uses Beam AI daily during peak bid periods (2–4 bids per week).
Key Feature Loved: Export-ready CSV formats and the AI-generated scope outlines.
Anecdote:

“I ran a side-by-side with my manual PlanSwift takeoff. Beam was faster, and surprisingly accurate on concrete and framing. I still cross-check, but it’s 90% there.”

Insight:

“It’s like having an assistant that never sleeps. But I need the outputs to plug smoothly into our internal estimating sheets.”

Pain Points Addressed:

• Reduced burnout from repeated manual takeoffs
• Accelerated early budget estimates for leadership
• Improved speed without compromising internal QA processes

Willingness to Spend for Enhanced Functionality:

• Would pay an extra $100/month for seamless PlanSwift & Excel integrations
• Wants custom tagging options to align with firm’s internal categories

Enhanced Features (Proposal):

Overall Experience:
Sarah values Beam AI for its speed, but needs deeper workflow integration and QA control. With custom mapping and plan version handling, it becomes indispensable.

🎯 ICP 3: Miguel (Drywall Subcontractor, California)

Demographics & Background:

• Age: 36, Male, Married
• Role: Owner of a 12-person drywall subcontracting firm
• Income: ~$80K/year
• Tech Comfort: Low to Moderate — uses PDF viewers and WhatsApp more than advanced takeoff tools

Early Usage & Experience:
Frequency: Miguel uses Beam AI 1–2 times per week, especially during bid season.
Key Feature Loved: Pre-highlighted drywall areas and linear footage detection.
Anecdote:

“I used to spend Sundays counting every wall, checking twice. Now Beam gives me a full list — it’s saved me 8–10 hours a week.”

Insight:

“I don't have a full-time estimator, so Beam helps me quote faster. If it misses something though, I eat the cost — that's the scary part.”

Pain Points Addressed:

• Eliminated manual counting of gypsum boards and linear trims
• More consistent estimates even when juggling multiple jobs
• Enabled him to send bids to GCs 2–3 days faster

Willingness to Spend for Enhanced Functionality:

• Would pay $30–$50/month for voice notes or markup tools to explain complex scope
• Wants accuracy alerts for complicated curved/angled surfaces

Enhanced Features (Proposal):

Overall Experience:
Miguel sees Beam AI as a “second brain” that lets him punch above his size — he just wants a little more assurance when the stakes are high.

ICP 4: James (Preconstruction Director, New York)

Demographics & Background:

• Age: 45, Male, Married
• Role: Preconstruction Director at a national commercial contractor
• Income: ~$150K/year
• Tech Comfort: High — strong background in digital transformation and process automation

Early Usage & Experience:
Frequency: James oversees Beam AI usage across a 6-person estimating team, with 10+ takeoffs/week.
Key Feature Loved: Batch upload + multi-trade scope breakdowns
Anecdote:

“We ran Beam for a 120,000 sq. ft. mixed-use project. It handled 6 scopes and gave us a full base bid draft in a day. Normally that’s a week-long sprint.”

Insight:

“Our competitive edge is speed without compromise. Beam fits that model — but it needs to scale with our systems, not sit in a silo.”

Pain Points Addressed:

• Reduced bid prep time from 7 days to 2–3 days
• Improved win rates by getting in earlier on design-build RFQs
• Allowed team to reallocate focus to high-value scope analysis

Willingness to Spend for Enhanced Functionality:

• Open to enterprise pricing for role-based access, audit logs, and API-level integrations
• Would pay more for historical bid data integration or cost benchmarking features

Enhanced Features (Proposal):

Overall Experience:
James calls Beam AI “a critical tool in our modernization stack.” To stay, it needs to scale — in controls, integrations, and intelligence. Beam becomes not just a tool, but a strategic enabler.

ICP Table for Beam AI

ICP Prioritization Table

ICP 1: Ryan (GC Owner at Small Construction Firm)

📍 Needs: Scale bidding ops without expanding team

ICP 2: Sarah (Junior Estimator at Mid-Market GC)

📍 Needs: Accuracy, faster takeoffs, reduce manual work

ICP 3: Miguel (Independent Subcontractor)

📍 Needs: Win more bids solo, save time on takeoffs

ICP 4: James (Preconstruction Director at Large GC)

📍 Needs: Standardize takeoffs, speed up estimator productivity

Primary learnings

🔍 1. Onboarding ≠ Feature Exposure — It’s Role Validation

Each ICP isn’t looking to “see” your product; they want to see themselves succeed inside your product.

• Miguel (Solo Estimator): Wants autonomy without training — onboarding must feel intuitive, not educational.
• Lisa (High-Volume Estimator): Needs templates & shortcuts highlighted early — not just raw functionality.
• James (Director/Owner): Looks for ROI and control. Prioritize showcasing dashboard, team tracking, and results.

✅ Opportunity: Replace “feature tours” with goal-led first sessions (e.g., “Create your first accurate bid in 5 mins”).

💰 2. Perceived ROI Drives Retention — Not Just Speed

Time-saving alone doesn’t drive habit. What makes Beam stick is clear financial or status return.

• Users like Calvin and Ryan stay because they win more bids or impress stakeholders, not just because they move faster.
• For James, retention comes from seeing Beam’s effect across multiple estimators or offices.

✅ Opportunity: Weekly emails showing “Here’s what Beam saved you this week” — in hours, $$, and projects closed — will deepen product value.

🧠 3. Cognitive Biases Shape Conversion & Advocacy

Each ICP has different triggers that influence their decision to adopt, stick, or promote:

📈 4. ICP Maturity = Different Activation Metrics

Your activation metrics should vary per ICP’s maturity level:

• For Miguel: 1st exported takeoff = Activation
• For Lisa: Use of templates + second-day return
• For James: Team account invite + usage by 2+ users

✅ Opportunity: Segmented onboarding dashboards that push each ICP toward their first “Aha!” milestone.

🚪 5. Expansion Happens When Beam Enables Status

Advocacy doesn’t start when a user likes Beam—it starts when Beam makes them look good.

• “My manager was impressed I finished early” (Lisa)
• “Clients noticed the polish on my bid docs” (Ryan)
• “My team now asks how I do it so fast” (Calvin)

✅ Opportunity: Give users “shareable wins” — watermarked PDFs, stats dashboards, or branded outputs that reflect their excellence.

🎯 Onboarding & Retention Strategy by ICP

👷‍♂️ Ryan (General Contractor)

• Strengths 😊: Loves clean client exports + automation; values ROI in bids.
• Weaknesses 😟: May churn if client output or reports aren’t polished early.

✅ Onboarding Focus:

• “Start from recent bid” option
• Pre-filled demo with branded report
• Highlight ROI calculator early

🧠 Retention Boosters:

• Add a "bid health" dashboard
• Auto-suggest common bid templates
• Weekly success email with project stats

👩‍💼 Sarah (Estimator)

• Strengths 😊: Power user — wants speed, control, and integration.
• Weaknesses 😟: Will drop if Excel workflows or version control break.

✅ Onboarding Focus:

• “Import PlanSwift template” or “Mimic your Excel” mode
• Show auto-save + change history
• Plug-in tour for macro/Excel power tools

🧠 Retention Boosters:

• Beta tester group for new features
• Slack/HubSpot integrations
• Saved search filters and advanced audit trail

👨‍🔧 Miguel (Drywall Subcontractor)

• Strengths 😊: Loves time savings + simplicity
• Weaknesses 😟: Low tolerance for confusing UX; uses phone often

✅ Onboarding Focus:

• “One-tap mobile start” + sample plan loader
• Voice-to-scope onboarding
• No login/skip account setup (deferred sign-up)

🧠 Retention Boosters:

• WhatsApp-based help or chatbot
• Visual anomaly alerts
• Auto-notify when takeoff is ready

🧑‍💼 James (Preconstruction Director)

• Strengths 😊: Sees Beam AI as a scalable enterprise tool
• Weaknesses 😟: Will expect performance reports and team oversight

✅ Onboarding Focus:

• “Add 3 teammates” task as first CTA
• Team analytics in 48hr email
• Showcase API & integrations in a tour

🧠 Retention Boosters:

• Executive dashboard email weekly
• SSO integration
• Quarterly check-ins with Beam Success Manager

Key Activation Hypotheses for Beam AI

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✅ Conclusion

By combining psychological triggers (like social proof, loss aversion, and endowment) with high-leverage activation metrics, Beam AI can improve its onboarding flows and drive better product adoption. Tracking friction points in real time, optimizing for fast “Aha!” moments, and segmenting users by use frequency or acquisition source will ensure Beam AI becomes indispensable for estimators and subcontractors alike.

✅ What’s Working Well

• Emotional hooks in messaging: “Eat lunch on time” is simple, relatable, and powerful.
• No credit card required upfront = lowers signup friction.
• Multiple CTAs (Log in, Guided Tour, Book Demo) allow users to choose based on intent.
• Minimalist form with context (“why we ask for this”) enhances trust.
• Personalized onboarding by trade creates immediate relevance.

❌ What’s Not Working / Needs Improvement

🛠 Recommendations

1. Add social proof throughout: Real contractor names, logos, short quotes.
2. Show live metrics: “X contractors used BEAM this week to win $Y in projects.”
3. Make the chatbot proactive: Trigger helpful nudges based on page inactivity or scroll depth.
4. Reinforce value post-tour: Once users complete the tour, offer a short case study or real data snapshot.

Aha Moments

🧠 Cognitive Biases in Beam AI Onboarding — How to Influence User Decisions

1. 👥 Social Proof Bias

• What it is: People trust tools that others like them use.
• How to apply: Show logos of trusted general contractors (GCs), case studies, and testimonials from real estimators.
• 🎯 Impact: Builds credibility and drives more demo/trial signups.

2. 🖼️ Framing Effect

• What it is: The way a benefit is presented shapes user perception.
• How to apply: Use “before vs. after” messages — e.g., “Complete takeoffs 10x faster” or “Win 2 more bids a month with Beam.”
• 🎯 Impact: Appeals to efficiency-seeking users, boosting interest and conversions.

3. 🧑‍🏫 Authority Bias

• What it is: Users trust experts or industry leaders.
• How to apply: Highlight partnerships with construction associations or founders’ credentials.
• 🎯 Impact: Builds trust with traditional GCs who value expertise.

4. ⚠️ Loss Aversion

• What it is: People fear losing more than they value gaining.
• How to apply: Use CTAs like “Don’t miss another bid” or “Estimate delays cost you deals.”
• 🎯 Impact: Increases urgency and trial signups.

5. ✅ Default Bias

• What it is: Users tend to stick with pre-filled or suggested options.
• How to apply: Pre-load sample takeoffs, material libraries, and AI-suggested defaults.
• 🎯 Impact: Reduces decision fatigue and speeds up first success.

6. 🧩 Cognitive Load

• What it is: Too much complexity = friction.
• How to apply: Minimize input fields initially; reveal complexity only when needed.
• 🎯 Impact: Prevents early drop-offs and improves activation.

7. 🌟 Peak-End Rule

• What it is: Users remember standout and final moments.
• How to apply: Highlight “magic moments” like instant drywall detection or one-click Excel exports.
• 🎯 Impact: Boosts satisfaction and makes users more likely to return.

8. 🏗️ Endowment Effect

• What it is: People value what they’ve built.
• How to apply: Prompt users to upload a project or create a custom template early in the trial.
• 🎯 Impact: Increases perceived value and chances of conversion.

9. 🎛️ Choice Overload

• What it is: Too many options can overwhelm users.
• How to apply: Offer curated onboarding paths (e.g., “Drywall Sub? Start here”) and simplified pricing.
• 🎯 Impact: Increases ease of use and completion rates.

10. 🧮 Status Quo Bias

• What it is: People resist switching from familiar tools.
• How to apply: Show Excel-friendly outputs and integrations to ease the transition.
• 🎯 Impact: Lowers switching friction and boosts adoption.