Business is changing at an unprecedented pace, and the construction industry is no exception to this trend. Forward thinking contractors need to be challenging both themselves and the owners they work with to think outside the box about issues like safety, employee recruiting and retention, field production, project controls, etc. Innovators will lead our industry in the future.
Performance Contracting Inc. (PCI) has a strong commitment to innovation. At our May leadership conference in Colorado Springs, all levels of management from around the country came together and were challenged on the topic of innovation. Innovation generally comes about in two ways: The first is problem-prompted innovation, which is the result of reactive thinking. The second is forward-thinking innovation, which is a strategic process. Forward-thinking innovation happens best when an awareness of real and anticipated needs — both internal and external to an organization — are coupled with the humility to partner and share ideas. This is the birthplace of innovation. Further, people must be empowered to experiment strategically so these innovative ideas can be tested and ultimately become actionable.
The construction industry has traditionally utilized a siloed approach to digital information management — having different systems for payroll, production, project controls, etc. This siloed approach has inherent pitfalls and fails to fully utilize related information that could enhance other data collection methods and systems. In contrast, digital continuity seeks to integrate these same processes. This provides numerous benefits to contractors and owners:
• Predictability of likely outcomes. Integrated data that includes near real-time field performance data can be effectively utilized to better predict events ranging from safety incidents and schedule shortfalls to budget impacts. These predictive results can be used to manage project impacts.
• Information is reusable. Administration, field supervision, engineering and management all have access to a common reference, which improves efficiency. As a result, time spent entering employee information during the employee setup is not repeated when that employee’s time is later needed for payroll or production tracking.
• Data entry errors are reduced. Errors are eliminated that often creep into the process when duplication is maintained in a more traditional, nonintegrated process of data collection.
Systems that promote this level of digital continuity capture timely information in a single system that better positions contractors and owners to make informed decisions, shorten the information cycle, and save time and money.
Innovation is a priority to PCI. We are committed to providing a service to our customers that is on the cutting edge of the digital revolution. In pursuit of managing digital continuity, PCI has moved our field workforce to mobile electronic platforms over the past two years. The purpose of our mobile electronic platform, called Mobility, is to enable multiple sources to operate accountably, effectively and efficiently. This allows for more informed decisions, cost reduction and a better end-service to our customers.
If you are looking for an innovative partner, we urge you to consider PCI. Never heard of us? We might be the biggest company you’ve never heard of. PCI, formed in 1987, is a national, diversified specialty contractor with a reputation of “raising the bar” on performance. As an employee- owned company with over 950 salaried employees and 7,000 craftsmen self-performing revenues exceeding $1.3 billion, PCI currently ranks as the No. 10 top specialty contractor in the U.S. If innovation is a priority for your company, PCI will raise the bar on what you expect out of your specialty contractor.
For more information, visit www.PerformanceContracting.com or contact Steve Grillo at steve.grillo@pcg.com or (714) 404-7062.
