Welcome to The Mobile Workforce Podcast, where we provide insights and knowledge into the world of remote work and business process optimization. In this episode, we have Josh Mullins, the managing director and founder of Automized. He shares his expertise on how companies can find business tools to optimize their processes and accomplish their goals more efficiently. Discover the biggest opportunities for optimization and how to drive adoption of new technologies through change management. Learn about common processes companies do backwards, the importance of integration and interoperability, and how companies can support new technologies to be the winners. With Josh's focus on trade-based industries, he shares how his company helps owners build sustainable and resilient businesses. Don't miss out on this valuable information and insights.    Key Takeaways:   - Business process optimization - Repetitive processes are opportunities - Subjectivity in process optimization - Integration and interoperability - Preparing for new technologies - Cost benefit analysis and ROI - Low code app builders for paper processes - Tooling for smaller companies - Trade based industry focus - Improved growth after assistance  

Looking for strategies to boost your business's productivity and profitability? Look no further than The Mobile Workforce Podcast! In this episode, host Mike Merrill speaks with Josh Fuller, CEO and founder of Matic Digital, about how to be more strategic with your teams and resources. Learn from Fuller's experience of expanding his own business and the importance of hiring the right people to shape your company's direction. Discover a unique approach to staffing and project engagements, and how it can benefit your business. Plus, hear from Matic Teams about their project-focused teams and how they can help you solve problems and provide solutions for short-term projects. Don't miss out on this valuable episode filled with expert insights and practical advice. Tune in now and take your business to the next level! Key Takeaways:  - Expanding business & failing fast - Importance of finding the right people - Maddox teams & embedding staff - Talent pairing model - Consulting agency's unique approach - Benefits of hiring independent contractors - Matic Teams' business offering - Teams as the best solution - Supplementing the labor force  

Looking to expand your business? Join us on The Mobile Workforce Podcast as we chat with Josh Fuller, CEO and founder of Matic Digital, about the right time and place to take the leap. Learn from his experiences, from embracing risk to being nimble and pivoting quickly. Discover how to strategically share resources with other businesses and how to cultivate strong relationships with partners. Get insights into making the right decisions for the future of your company. Join us next week as we continue the discussion with Josh, this time focusing on sharing your team and resources with others. Don't miss out on this opportunity to grow and scale your business. Tune in now and take away the power to take risks and make a difference in your business. Key Takeaways:  - Expanding into new opportunities - Learning from mistakes - Cultivating relationships - Setting a course for your company - Making better decisions - Remembering  the big picture - Taking risks  

Are you prepared for retirement? Join the Mobile Workforce Podcast as Mike Merrill interviews Jason Parker, president of Parker Financial, about retirement planning for business owners. Discover why retirement for business owners is different from employees and how to navigate the complexities of a liquidity event. Learn about tax implications and investment strategies for business owners transitioning to retirement. The podcast emphasizes the importance of planning personal finances before and after selling a business and the potential pitfalls of sudden wealth. Advice on how to avoid exposure to lawsuits, reduce tax liability, and create certainty for buyers. Discover the importance of having a plan for the next phase of life and learn exercises and resources to design a fulfilling retirement. Key Takeaways: - Retirement planning for business owners  - Importance of planning personal finances  - Pitfalls of sudden wealth  - Challenges of liquidating assets  - Designing a fulfilling retirement  - Leaving an inheritance for children  - Importance of estate planning  - Budgeting and stewardship  - Discipline in managing finances  - Importance of diversification  - Preparation for inflation  

"Secure your financial future with the latest episode of The Mobile Workforce Podcast. In this informative session, financial expert Jason Parker emphasizes the importance of retirement planning and investing early. Discover how compounding can significantly grow your wealth over time and why it's crucial to differentiate between speculation and investing. Our financial experts highlight the significance of saving for retirement and offer practical advice for individuals nearing retirement age. Learn to determine your life expectancy and create different models to stress test your plan for retirement with our exclusive Retirement Budget Calculator. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take control of your financial future and live your best life. Tune in to the latest episode of The Mobile Workforce Podcast now."   Key Takeaways: - Retirement planning and investing for a secure financial future - Emphasis on starting early and investing consistently, even during volatile times - Compounding and low-cost index funds can significantly grow wealth over time - Retirement budget calculator helps determine if enough savings have been accumulated - Importance of controlling spending and taking advantage of employer-provided retirement benefits - Financial education and mentorship is crucial for personal and professional development - Focus on investing in people and empowering them for success - Planning for retirement leads to freedom from fear and greed and allows people to make a difference in the world.  

Do you struggle with building and retaining top talent within your company? Are you tired of losing your best performers and seeing a loss in revenue? Look no further than the Mobile Workforce Podcast's latest episode, where author and speaker Helen Fanucci shares her insights on the importance of retaining top talent in the tech world and beyond. With a focus on accommodating the needs and motivators of employees, Fanucci offers strategies for building a positive work environment and reputation, while also acknowledging the importance of recognizing when it's time to let go. This episode also delves into the construction industry's unique challenges in retaining subcontractor talent and keeping workers engaged and motivated. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and strategies for building and retaining top talent in your organization. Tune in to the Mobile Workforce Podcast today and start building a stronger, more successful team. Key Takeaways: -The importance of building and retaining top talent in companies. - Losing top performers can impact overall revenue and requires time and resources to replace and train them. - Companies should find out what matters to each individual employee and accommodate them accordingly. - Becoming known as a great developer of talent can attract new employees and retain existing ones. - Employers should create an enjoyable and satisfying work environment beyond just maximizing income for employees. - The power shift has changed to employees, and employers need to be flexible to retain their talented workforce. - The construction industry highlights the significance of considering employees' personal goals and life situations to make work work for them. - Controlling the environment in which workers operate, creating a predictable schedule, ensuring materials are available, and identifying signs of engagement are essential. - Factors such as distractions from phone use and life events should be handled with compassion. - Reputation matters for subcontractors who should have predictable schedules. - Companies should hold frequent conversations to find out what matters to their employees and figure out how to assist them.  

Attention all sales managers and business leaders! Are you struggling to build and manage effective sales teams in a hybrid work environment? Look no further than the latest episode of The Mobile Workforce Podcast, where host Mike Merrill interviews Helen Finucci, former Microsoft Customer Success Sales Lead and author of "Love Your Team: A Survival Guide for Sales Managers in a Hybrid World." Finucci emphasizes the importance of clarity of goals and outcomes, effective communication, and fostering teamwork and collaboration, particularly in the construction industry.    Key Takeaways:   - Building and managing effective sales teams in the construction industry - The importance of clarity of goals and outcomes, effective communication, and teamwork is emphasized - Retaining top talent  - Managing and empowering teams involves understanding what matters to them and removing obstacles - Transparency and communication within the team is crucial - Focusing on the value and relationship in sales, rather than just the features of the product - Optimizing the performance of existing sellers is more important than adding new sellers - Trustworthiness and delivering what is promised are major factors in building and maintaining customer relationships  

Attention business leaders and decision-makers! Are you looking to drive growth and success for your company? Then this episode of The Mobile Workforce Podcast is for you. Our expert guest, Stuart Burgess, dives into the importance of market intelligence in making well-informed decisions about marketing and sales efforts. With modern technology, companies are using various tools such as AI or mineralocity aggregates platform to gather and analyze data, moving past traditional methods like the fax machine. This podcast emphasizes the significance of understanding market competition, indicators, and drivers for businesses. It also highlights the increasing use of technology, particularly AI, in the mining industry to prevent accidents and improve efficiency. Our guest shares personal insights into his love for cars, unique bucket list item, and his long-time friend, making for a casual and enjoyable conversation. Don't miss out on this episode, where you'll learn the importance of collecting relevant data to improve operations and gain valuable market intelligence. Start small and start now! Subscribe to The Mobile Workforce Podcast today.   Key Takeaways:   - The podcast discusses the importance of market intelligence in driving growth and success for businesses - Companies are using various tools like AI or mineralocity aggregates platform to gather data for analysis - The importance of market intelligence in different industries, particularly in construction, mining, and oil and gas sectors - The shortage of skilled workers in the mining industry and the need to attract more young people to trades - The benefits and potential downsides of adopting green technologies in the mining industry - The increasing use of technology, particularly AI, in the mining industry to prevent accidents and improve efficiency - The takeaway for listeners is to start small and collect relevant data to improve operations - Personal questions for the guest, including his love for cars and unique item on his bucket list.  

Attention all construction industry professionals! Are you struggling with the challenges of adopting technology and streamlining communication and processes between the office and job site? Look no further than The Mobile Workforce Podcast's latest episode on "undefined". Our guest, Jeffrey Nesbitt, discusses the cultural factors and manual processes that have slowed down technology adoption in the industry, as well as the need for tailored technological solutions. With the COVID-19 pandemic expediting the implementation of technology, the younger workforce is pushing for more efficient methods.   Key Takeaways   - Construction industry faces challenges in adopting technology and streamlining communication and processes. - Cultural factors and manual processes slow down technology adoption in the industry. - COVID-19 pandemic has expedited implementation of technology in the construction industry. - Lack of proper data utilization causes rework and project delays. - AI has the potential to transform the industry by eliminating silos and integrating point solutions. - Construction platform allows for connectivity and sharing of information, breaking down data silos.  

Are you looking for ways to improve your leadership and communication skills in the construction industry? Look no further than The Mobile Workforce Podcast! Our latest episode features Todd Miller, President of Isaiah Industries and co-host of the Construction Disruption Podcast, discussing the current state of the supply chain in the construction industry and the importance of communication and planning during these challenging times.   Key Takeaways:   -The importance of leadership and communication in the construction industry. - Current state of the supply chain in the construction industry. - The challenges faced by the metal industry due to global supply chain disruptions. - Shortages and delays have led to a shortage of raw materials in the building materials industry. - Business resilience amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Mihaela Berciu is an architect of leaders, author of two bestselling books, and host of a national TV show. In this podcast, she discusses how to gain respect, inspire others, and remove false beliefs within an organization. The most important thing for people to understand is that no matter how hard they try to pretend they are something they are not, people will always be able to tell. It is important to be authentic and true to yourself in order to be undefined. Key topics Mike and Mihaela discuss: The importance of having confidence in oneself and not letting ego get in the way. The importance of empathy and understanding different perspective. The importance of leaders having empathy and compassion. The false belief that leaders have to be manly, strong, and powerful to be respected. The importance of understanding that the "you can't do"s from our past do not have to dictate our future.

The Mobile Workforce Podcast discusses the process of implementation and how it impacts construction companies out on their job site. Mike sits down with Daniel Collins, the President of Strategies Group. Daniel is an expert in construction technologies. They discuss how the implementation process should be started in the sales process in order to ensure that the product  fits what the company is trying to do. They discuss the importance to get the right parties involved in the process. The podcast discusses the importance of having the right people involved: • How important it is to get the right parties involved when implementing a new software. • The importance of finding a champion when implementing a new solution. • The most important point of the podcast is that you need to show the win to the experts in order to get them on board with your project. • The importance of having as few system errors as possible in order to ensure user adoption of the app. • How to ensure that a company's employees are using a new system efficiently.

Listen to the latest episode of The Mobile Workforce Podcast with Erika Carosi to learn the five remaining steps to helping businesses adopt new technology solutions. As a construction expert with the Strategies Group, Erika offers a wealth of knowledge on technology solutions and construction services. Don't miss out on this informative episode! 1. The importance of understanding your motivation for wanting to adopt new technology. 2. The importance of learning your "must have" features versus your "nice to have" features. 3. The importance of evaluating your current tech stack and making sure you are using what you have. 4. The importance of having a key person to help keep you on track with your new technology. 5. The importance of giving yourself homework to help with the implementation process.

Don't miss this episode of The Mobile Workforce Podcast with Erica Carosi! She's a construction expert with the Strategies Group and she focuses primarily on construction technology. In this episode, she'll be discussing the first three things she likes to explore with customers. This is a must-listen for anyone in the construction industry who wants to stay ahead of the curve! - What is digital transformation? - What are the three things that businesses need to consider when undergoing digital transformation? - What is the difference between a "must have" and a "nice to have" when it comes to technology? - How important is it to have an experienced software partner when undergoing digital transformation?

This week on The Mobile Workforce Podcast, Mike Merrill sits down with Elevate Construction owner Jason Schrader to talk about collaboration and productivity in construction. Jason shares his insights on how to use a proper baseline to compare results from a business perspective, and how to reduce non-value add work to increase production. They also discuss the importance of training and human development in the construction industry. This is a must-listen for anyone in construction or interested in learning more about the industry   Key Takeaways: The importance of collaboration The importance of a proper baseline The importance of looking forward How to use math and science to be productive The importance of training The need for widespread investment in human development  

Are you looking to build a team of great leaders? In this episode of The Mobile Workforce Podcast, Charles Antis, CEO of Antis Roofing and Waterproofing, discusses the importance of attracting leaders who are community focused in order to create a successful and lasting company. This is an episode you don't want to miss!   Key Takeaways: The importance of focusing on undefined The benefits of having a community mindset The importance of emotional intelligence The importance of communication The importance of self-awareness The importance of authenticity The importance of having a purpose  

This episode of the Mobile Workforce Podcast is a must-listen for anyone who wants to learn from one of the most successful CEOs in the roofing industry. Charles Antis of Antis Roofing and Waterproofing shares his story of how he built his company from the ground up, and how he has been able to create a culture of respect and honor that benefits both the employees and the company. Charles Antis is the epitome of a hard-working, passionate entrepreneur who walks the walk and talks the talk. His commitment to his community and customers is evident in everything he does, and he is an inspiration to others in the industry. This episode is packed with valuable insights that any business owner can benefit   Key Takeaways: The importance of a company investing in its people The importance of listening to employees' stories The importance of having a positive impact on the world The importance of being a disruptor The importance of the roofing trade

If you're looking for a construction payroll solution that will set you up for long-term success, Josh Stearns, CEO of Constructionpayroll.com has some advice. He is here for our second episode exploring three more signs that it's time for your company to upgrade its construction payroll system:     Key Takeaways: If your payroll service doesn't have certified payroll, union reporting and workers comp, it might be time to upgrade. If you can't produce a single paycheck for multiple paygrades or locations its time to upgrade. The importance of certified payroll, union reporting and workers comp in a construction payroll system The importance of job costing in construction The importance of a payroll system that understands the construction industry

This episode of The Mobile Workforce Podcast discusses the importance of reviewing your payroll process and upgrading your solution if you're spending more than a couple of hours per week on payroll. This is according to our guest, Josh Stearns, CEO of Constructionpayroll.com. He recommends looking at your payroll process if it's taking up too much of your time. Time is money, after all.   It is important to always be doing some sort of continuous improvement and dedicating a certain amount of productivity time to working on the business and not just working in the business. This is especially true when things are going well, as it is easy to get complacent. Key Takeaways: The importance of focusing on undefined processes The importance of having a payroll system that is integrated with the timekeeping system The importance of having a system in place that can handle certified payroll reports How companies can increase efficiency by dedicating 10% of their capacity to continuous improvement projects Why it is important to make sure that the system is able to compile the construction-specific reports that are required How to take your payroll system more efficient by integrating it with other systems The need for compliance tracking software on prevailing wage projects  The importance of integrating third-party systems

Are you looking to have a more impactful sales team? Are you looking for that special sauce to crank up your revenue to the next level inside of your contracting business or personal sales? Today is your lucky day as our host, Mike Merrill is joined in this episode by Ryan Groth, the CEO of Sales Transformation Group, to discuss the importance of professionalism, coaching and creating value inside of your process and how it will benefit your workforce and increase productivity. Ryan Groth is passionate about sales training because he saw firsthand how it could transform lives and businesses. He believes that the need for a strong system and process prevents many companies from being successful in a more relational sales environment. His company provides sales training to help companies overcome this obstacle and achieve their full potential. 

Are you looking for ways to build a successful and sustainable business? Then this episode of the Mobile Workforce Podcast is for you! We are joined again by Eric Obremt, president and owner of D&M Roofing and Sighting and host of the Be Authentic or GTFO podcast. Our host, Mike Merrill discusses the importance of building up your employees and trusting them to do the right thing with Eric. Eric argues that if you do this, the money will come, the jobs will come, and the revenue will come. This is how you leave a legacy that keeps going even after you're gone. 

This week on the Mobile Workforce Podcast, Mike Merrill is joined by Eric Obremt, president and owner of D&M Roofing and Sighting and host of the Be Authentic or GTFO podcast. We're excited to have him on to discuss why authenticity is so important to him, both in his work and personal life. As Eric explains, he's authentically himself, which can be attractive or off-putting to people. But he believes it's important to always be authentic as it is the only way of building the business, and family, that you can truly be happy with.

In this episode of the Mobile Workforce Podcast, we learn about the importance of change management in technology companies. Kipp Sorensen defines change management as preparing the company for change, implementing the change, and then embedding the change into the company culture. He advises that any good change management strategy should include a review of the effectiveness of the change. In this podcast, Kipp Sorensen talks about the importance of proper adoption when it comes to SharePoint.   Key Takeaways: The importance of change management in technology companies How to properly adopt a new software system The importance of internal marketing within a company How to break the cycle of micromanagement The importance of gratefulness in personal life

In today's episode of the Mobile Workforce Podcast, we are talking all about your relationship with data. Our guest is Kipp Sorensen, the Practice Director at JourneyTEAM an expert in the field of data and its applications. We cover topics such as data design, organization, and what a healthy relationship with data looks like.  Kipp shares his insights on how to overcome the challenges that businesses face when it comes to data. He also explains how data can help businesses make better decisions and improve their revenue, and more importantly their profits. Key Takeaways: The importance of data design and organization How to overcome the challenges of data sprawl The benefits of data for businesses

Looking for an update on the state of the construction industry? In this episode of The Mobile Workforce Podcast, Ken Simonson, Chief Economist at the Associated General Contractors of America, shares his insights on the industry’s current state and what the future holds. Learn about the challenges the industry is facing, such as labor shortages and increased materials costs, as well as the opportunities present in 2023. This is a must-listen for anyone in construction. Key Takeaways: The current state of the economy and how it is impacting the construction industry The expected rebound of the economy in 2023 and the resulting growth in the construction industry The challenges the construction industry is facing in attracting workers and the measures being taken to address those challenges The importance of promoting women in construction and helping to fill the shortage of capable management and leadership resources The range of services, events and training offered by the AGC

In this episode, Mike Merrill interviews Cameron Cranford, the Director of Technology at BakerTriangle, an ENR Top 10 wall and ceiling company with a division specializing in a panelized, prefab approach to construction.  Mike and Cameron discuss prefab, the technology behind it, and why it is so important for construction. Cranford explains that Baker Triangle is a successful company because of its culture and its commitment to its employees.

Competition has changed forever due to improvements in communication and productivity. Nobody can hope to keep secrets or hide their processes from their competitors. Culture and the willingness to do things for the long haul will set leaders apart from the rest of the pack.  Our host, Mike Merrill, is joined by Keith Post and Steve Little from KPost for a second episode live in person to discuss how important it is to engage with your industry and at the same time learn from those around you. Keith and Steve are long-time friends of the show and if you haven’t seen their original interviews please listen to episodes seven and eight. 

Working and making a profit in a market plagued by shortages can be a challenging and almost insurmountable task. One of the key aspects of a company that helps them stand ahead of the crowd when the going is tough is the company’s culture and its people.  Our host, Mike Merrill, is joined by Keith Post and Steve Little from KPost on today’s episode live in person to discuss their company’s culture and how it has impacted their success. Keith and Steve are long-time friends of the show and if you haven’t seen their original interviews please listen to episodes seven and eight.

Ransomware is one of the most common forms of digital attack being used today against businesses. Even after paying the ransom 92% of businesses never get their data back and many of them end up having to close due to the loss.  Join us for part two of our special ransomware series with guest “Jimmy” who shares on this episode the top strategies for blocking and minimizing an attack. If you haven’t heard his story of successfully navigating two different attacks on his large sub-contractor firm please listen in here.

Ransomware is one of the most common forms of digital attack being used today against businesses. Even after paying the ransom 92% of businesses never get their data back and many of them end up having to close due to the loss.  Don’t become a victim of ransomware by listening to our special guest “Jimmy” who shares on this episode how his sub-contracting firm survived two different attacks and join us next week when we learn the top strategies to protect your business from an attack.

Good business owners are always looking for the best process to get the job done with the most profit and efficiency. The best business owners look for the best practices for ever aspect of their business including the relationships in the office and on the job site. Family businesses in the construction industry are very common and the best family-run contractors have the best practices for keeping their business and personal lives separated.  Our guests, Ethan and Brooke Redden owners at Redden Concrete share their best practices for family businesses, and every business looking to be as effective as possible, how to build a healthy culture for everyone at the company and how to keep lines of communication open. 

Taking over a family business can be a crazy process that is plagued by emotions, family expectations, undue stress and unexpected hurdles that the new owner has to manage. Make it double when the transition is unexpected and during an economic correction. It might seem like an impossible situation but our guests, Ethan and Brooke Redden owners at Redden Concrete, are going to walk us through their crazy experience of taking over the family business, managing it during difficult economic conditions and changing the direction the business was going to save it. 

It’s not every day that you hit a major milestone. It’s important that when you do you take a moment and process what it took to get that and what you have learned along the way. As we reach our 100th episode of the Mobile Workforce Podcast our Host Mike Merrill takes the time to reflect on the construction industry and what has changed over the years, for better or for worse. To make the episode even more special we will have Ron Babich one of our original guests on episode 4 where he discussed how to become a job site hero and a long-time friend of the show taking a turn as a special host, putting Mike in the spotlight and hot seat. Ron and Mike discuss the evolution of construction technology, the common thread pulling at construction innovation today and the experiences that Mike has learned the most from.

Small and medium-sized contractors face a unique set of challenges when competing against larger companies. It seems like every issue the construction industry is facing today is magnified for smaller businesses when compared to their direct larger competitors. With labor and material shortages as well as inflation and price increases it can be easy to feel like you can’t compete.  Fortunately, that isn’t the case. In this episode of the Mobile Workforce Podcast, we welcome Melissa Kastle, Office Manager at Executive Elevator, a multigenerational construction company providing routine monthly service, repairs, and modernization to electric or hydraulic elevators, onto the show for her second interview to share the importance of digitization as an equalizer, how to best differentiate yourself from your competitors and how to fight back against big businesses in your industry.

A digital workforce has been a focus of the construction industry for years now. Removing paper from your workflow and processes is paramount to getting in front of your competition and increase your profits across the board. Rarely do digital forms come up in conversation and few contractors are able to wipe out their physical forms. The good news is digital forms exist, but how can they be used to increase your business?   In this episode of the Mobile Workforce Podcast, we welcome Melissa Kastle, Office Manager at Executive Elevator, a multigenerational construction company providing routine monthly service, repairs, and modernization to electric or hydraulic elevators, onto the show to share the importance of digital forms for today’s construction companies, how forms save time and money and increase customer confidence and retention.

Most people would agree that our military veterans deserve our respect and honor but it can be confusing and intimidating to work with someone that has come out of years in the military into civilian life. The good news is Vets are hard-working, loyal and skilled employees who, when supported, can be your best workers. But how can you be the best support to your employees? In this episode of the Mobile Workforce Podcast, we welcome Halsey Filbin, Operations Officer of USEFUZE onto the show to share the best strategies for vets to use as they are getting out of the military, the best ways to engage your veteran employees and what organizations are available to support contractors and their employees.

There has never been a better time in the construction industry to step out on your own and become the master of your own business and future. That doesn’t mean becoming a solopreneur is an easy or risk-free venture. Quite the opposite in fact. Being mindful of the pitfalls that you will face and knowing the tools that will help along the way is a big step forward in ensuring your success.  In this episode of the Mobile Workforce Podcast, we welcome Rawley Filbin, CEO of USEFUZE onto the show to share how to prepare to leave your employer and go out on your own, the tools you’ll need to successfully navigate business ownership and how to build a company that will bring your dreams to life.

Project development in the construction industry is an extremely complex undertaking that requires a large breadth of skills to get right. Home building has some of the industry’s most complicated moving parts and can be intimidating for those looking to get into home building and development. Instead of looking at it one piece at a time contractors can get lost in all of the requirements and demands and never take steps to become a developer.   In this episode of the Mobile Workforce Podcast, we welcome Dominique Main - Director at Epcon Communities onto the show to share 6-10 of the top ten challenges contractors will face when building homes and how to best overcome them. Today’s Episode is number two in a two-part series with Dominique if you haven’t listened to her first episode you can catch it here.

Project development in the construction industry is an extremely complex undertaking that requires a large breadth of skills to get right. Home building has some of the most complicated moving parts in the industry and it can be intimidating for those looking to get into home building and development. Instead of looking at it one piece at a time contractors can get lost in all of the requirements and demands and never take the steps to become a developer.  In this episode of the Mobile Workforce Podcast, we welcome Dominique Main - Director at Epcon Communities onto the show to share the top ten challenges contractors will face when building homes and how to best overcome them.

Communication from the job site back to the office and to the customer can become a real bottleneck that impedes the speed at which a project move and it also can dramatically impact the happiness of the client, impacting future projects and referrals. The good news is that new trends are showing that increasing communication across all groups on a construction project can increase productivity but up to 35%.   But what is the best way to go about increasing your communication and what tools are at our disposal? Our Host Mike Merrill invites Ron Nussbaum Founder and CEO of Nuttnest to discuss how communication can make or break your customer’s happiness and project productivity, the perceptions that need to be changed inside of construction and the technology you can use to increase communication without increasing everyone’s workload.   

Gamification in construction is a powerful tool that can drive the highest productivity out of your employees and subcontractors. But gamification can be a tricky and confusing process, and requires that the contract take on the role of head coach for their teams. But what does it mean to be the head coach and what does it take to gamify your job site and at the same time ensure you are keeping a successful and healthy workforce on task?  Our Host Mike Merrill invites gamification and HR expert Joe Rotella, Chief Value Officer at Delphia Consulting to discuss what gamification is, what it can do on your job site, the role of coach and how you can increase your overall productivity while making the job site a little more fun for everyone.  

Investment into construction technology is at an all time high. The question is how does that investment translate on the job site. Fortunately we had Dennis Stejskal, the director at Sage Construction and Real Estate, stick around for another episode. Dennis was originally on the show for episode #3 where he discussed the value of construction data and we also discussed the newest development sin technology last week on episode #90.  Dennis and our host Mike Merrill discuss the investment we are seeing in construction, the surprising areas in construction benefiting from new automation and software and how to take advantage of it for your own business.

Productivity in construction is a huge problem that economists and other business leaders point to as one of the reasons for the cost of homes has not kept up with the rest of the economy. Regularly technology and software is lifted up as the golden opportunity to increase productivity and drive construction to catch up and even overtake the historical loss in productivity. But not done correctly and with the right processes and planning software can just become part of the problem. In this episode of the Mobile Workforce Podcast, we welcome back one the original guests on the podcast; Dennis Stejskal the director at Sage Construction and Real Estate,he was originally on the show for episode #3 where he discussed the value of construction data. Dennis uses his 40 years of experience in the construction field to share the new developments in software technology, the need for purpose-based software, and how implementation matters.

There is no doubt that construction can benefit from technology, but with margins as tight as they are, contractors are wise to take the time to understand how each option will affect their bottom line. Most of the time technology is there to alleviate risk and avoid unseen issues but with the right technology contractors can not only avoid losing profits but actually actively increase their margins and put more money in the bank.  Bobby Rios, CFO of Bartlett Cocke sat down with Mike Merrill during the annual Brayn Architectural Engineering Construction Summit 2022 to share the best strategies for building your construction firm’s tech stack, how to keep your options open with new and old employees, and how the job site has changed forever.

Customer Experience (CX) is not new but has become one of the most important parts of any business’s client development and retention strategy. And the numbers don’t lie, 7% of your clients right now are actively looking for a new vendor, 2% in client retention is the same thing as reducing costs by 10% and it is four to five times more expensive to go and find a new client than it is to keep an existing one satisfied. But what is CX and how can you use it to your advantage? Blake Godwin, president and partner at Client Savvy sat down with Mike Merrill during the annual Brayn Architectural Engineering Construction Summit 2022 to share how important CX is, what it means to be client centric and how to create your own CX strategy.

The economy isn’t a stagnant thing and we all know that it flows from bull to bear over time. Thankfully over the past 200 years we have seen that every time the economy slows down it is a correction and it always comes back stronger and with more opportunities than before. The key is being able to ride the wave and survive the correction. Most businesses just flounder about and hope to survive, fortunately there are actions you can take to solidify your business to not only survive but thrive during economic uncertainty. Brady Bryan CEO of Brayn Consulting joins Mike Merrill during the annual Brayn Architectural Engineering Construction Summit 2022 to break down the best practices for contractors as the economy goes soft and indicates a correction.

No matter what market we are in, a healthy construction business is built on building a happy and consistent client list that will return for new projects, suggest new clients and give good endorsements. The question is how do you build that client list in today’s crazy market?    This episode features Josh Edwards, the President of Expedition Contracting. Josh shares his secrets to successfully maintaining loyal clients. Including: how to find your niche, how to attract highly skilled labor that matches the challenges in your field, and how to engage with your clients.

Low tech construction is still functional in today’s market but we all know that the days of analog processes and the contractors that stick to them are numbered. If we want to thrive in the future construction industry we need to now take the steps to digitize our processes and teams and drive productivity and transparency to new heights.   This episode features Craig Hurst, Director of Client Success at The Net Effect. Craig is going to explain technology’s role in construction today and how it will impact it’s future, We also discuss how Canada is making sure that their businesses are up to speed, why paperwork kills new employee prospects and how to eliminate unnecessary processes and increase productivity through technology.