How One Specialty Contractor Created a Tech Adoption Strategy That Works

As a specialty contractor Advanced Cable Solutions, Inc. (ACS) was beginning to stretch the capacity of its internal processes.

“We needed a solution that would grow right alongside the company,” recalled Richard Bernot, Operations Coordinator for ACS. After some shopping around, they discovered Procore, and the rest is history. 

“We wanted something better. We were using antiquated processes and we needed something more robust. We needed a solution that was mobile, integrated, and structured to support some of our less defined workflows.” 

ACS took to Procore right away, jumping into adoption “with both feet,” using it to streamline processes and increase collaboration. 

A ‘Procore Nursery’

“We are a small shop, some of our processes and workflows were not well-defined. Procore had instructions for virtually every process, and we started adopting these processes. It became apparent that Procore was purpose-built to accommodate the needs of construction professionals. In short order, ACS became a Procore shop,” Bernot recalled. 

Advanced Cable Solutions adopted best practices for Procore, refined its internal workflows, created SOPs, and launched a Procore Training Center. We are creating a cohesive unit operating from a single source of project truth; it is a beautiful thing, said Bernot. 

Like any other tool, Procore’s effectiveness is directly proportional to the effort put into it. ACS took a highly methodical approach to implementing Procore, nurturing it within the company from early stages, and giving it room to develop and grow. ACS decided that a dedicated Procore administrator was necessary to ensure Procore’s continued success within the company.

“A dedicated Procore administrator seemed to be the best way to ensure rapid and consistent support for our project teams,” said Bernot.

Ultimately, their approach paid off, and Procore has become the framework upon which ACS’ most important processes are built. Bernot calls the environment in which ACS “raised” Procore the “Procore Nursery.” 

Key Things to Consider Before Implementation

Bernot says businesses need to ask some of these questions if they want a successful implementation outcome:

Will your company utilize a full-time Procore administrator and/or implementation team? Will this administrator or team return to normal duties after Procore implementation? What historical data (if any) do you want to input to Procore? Who will be the primary actors in each tool (RFIs, Submittals, Punch Lists, COs, Contracts, Drawings, etc.)? Will your company offer paid time for training sessions? What type of program (if any) will be in place for continued Procore education and exposure?” 

“These questions are not rhetorical”, Bernot explained. “Answering these questions will supplement your implementation roadmap, granting insight into the role Procore will play within your company.” 

“Procore is not an automated system. It does require administration. The platform itself has changed dramatically over the last few years. ACS has made a conscious effort to stay up to date”, Bernot said. “You have to have someone in place who knows the system and is able to keep it on the rails.” 

Successful Implementation = Revenue Growth

The care and effort ACS put into its Procore implementation paid bottom-line dividends almost immediately, with revenue growth of 218% in the three years since adopting the platform. ACS was just above $10 million revenue in 2018, in 2020 ACS’ revenue was over $20 million. 

Procore was also instrumental in helping ACS weather the COVID-19 pandemic, which the company made it through without a single layoff. 

“We were slammed during the pandemic, and Procore helped us work right through it. Everything was primed to work and collaborate remotely, so the real challenge was making sure our people were protected in the field,” said Bernot. 

ACS already had Procore in place when the pandemic hit. The preparation prevented any work stoppages as teams got up to speed. ACS experienced a relatively seamless transition to remote work that other, less-prepared companies, may have struggled with. 

“I imagine a few companies found themselves working remotely with no idea how to get their teams access to the information they needed; it can become a literal stopping point. If you don’t have a system in place to disseminate information on a large scale, your business stops,” Bernot said. 

“We had no such challenges. We were already disseminating information on a large scale in real time across the entire company. Working remotely was a smooth transition.” 

Given the nursery analogy, it is no surprise that Bernot describes his Procore like a proud parent. 

To see our teams working and collaborating in real time with documents, going back and forth, asking and answering questions within a few minutes. We’ve never seen that type of collaboration before, so it was exciting, said Bernot. 

Of course, successfully implementing Procore doesn’t end once you start using it. It’s a continuous process that requires attention and patience. ACS was able to address any hiccups along the way by taking advantage of the available support resources, and Bernot encourages all Procore users to do the same.