How Element13 streamlined operations and boosted profitability

The Challenge

Element13’s full service model means there must be effective communication and coordination throughout the lifecycle of the project to deliver on the quality they pride themselves on. Before implementing Procore, Element13’s method for managing this process meant navigating through multiple folders in local servers and sifting through various Excel spreadsheets. The team was often frustrated with the amount of time wasted and effort required to get the information they needed.

The Solution

After evaluating other softwares, such as eSUB and Foundation, the company President, Jason Nimmo and Vice President, Brad Holt, came to the conclusion that "Procore does everything that we need it to do." After implementing Procore, their teams were able to reduce the time they spent looking for information and focus on more important tasks that allowed them to live up to their core values: R.I.S.E. U.P. (Responsiveness, Innovation, Safety, Execution, Unparalleled Service, and Perseverance). The standardization and efficiency that resulted drove an increase in productivity––and profitability––for the whole company.

The Results

• 50% reduction of wasted time and lost communication
• 30% more accuracy in project financial reporting and forecasting
• 45% increase in effective field communication and coordination

Thinking Outside the Box

As a people-centric business, Element13 has created a company culture that encourages their teams to innovate. "Any glazing contractor can come to the table and say, ‘I can give you some glass and aluminum,’" says Element13 President, Jason Nimmo. "But the innovation comes from thinking outside the box to help save the client money."

With digitization being the new standard in construction, the leadership team at Element13 knew they needed to enable their teams with the best digital tools to increase efficiency for every project and productivity on every jobsite. "If there’s a way to more effectively organize, communicate, coordinate, and collaborate, it drives home more opportunity for project success."

The Solution Above the Rest

From building robust file structures on local servers and linking them out in Excel spreadsheets to evaluating other construction software in the market, Nimmo and Vice President, Brad Holt, finally came to the conclusion that "Procore does everything that we need it to do." 

Having had some familiarity with the Procore platform through their various clients' accounts, Element13’s team realized quickly that they would spend more time and money trying to make other solutions work. "Anything other systems do, Procore does 50x. It’s unbelievable what people try to do to get systems to work when there are systems out there like Procore," says Nimmo. "It’s not a big cost relative to the time it saves in executing our daily work. The dramatic increase in communication and coordination efficiencies is priceless."

Making Everyone's Life Easier

The primary goal for investing in technology was to ensure their teams were set up for success in their roles and with their projects. Procore did just that. Procore reduced headaches for each individual and increased productivity across the board. "It takes two minutes to fill out a Daily Log versus filling out paper copies, uploading the data into a digital copy, and filing it away," says Nimmo. "We knocked out 10 steps by using Procore. It’s just simple."

Not only were steps eliminated with internal processes but also with engagements with their clients. When their field foreman is done for the day and submits their daily report, it’s as easy as a click of a button for their general contractor to receive a copy. "That would have been just another step that someone would have had to do in an email. Now it’s all done in Procore."

Lessons Learned and Words of Wisdom

The leadership team at Element13 knew that change was not going to happen overnight. The transition from paper to fully digital processes would be a process, but they were committed to making it work. Nimmo shares, "It all starts from the top down. If you’re nervous, be nervous at home because change scares just about everyone. Especially if it's someone that’s been doing what they’ve been doing for 20-30 years. Encourage them along the way." 

Nimmo and Holt drew a line in the sand that separated the old way of doing things and the new way. The entire company agreed that some projects will finish the old way, but all new projects are done the new way, in Procore. By starting with the adoption of simple yet robust tools like the Daily Log, the team was able to quickly see the value of these digital tools, thus driving momentum to eventually hearing it weekly if not bi-weekly "how amazing Procore is."

"Anything you change is going to take time, but if you’re passionate about it and you can pass that passion onto your employees then it’s actually going to be something life changing."