Boasting 35 years of Building the Awesome, hardison/downey construction, inc. opened in Phoenix, Arizona in the spring of 1985 as a solution for clients who need the expertise and financial stability of a large general contractor, but want the personal service and attention of a small one. h/d operates both Commercial (new & interior construction) and Community Living (multi-family, student housing, senior living & limited-service hotel) divisions.
In order to support h/d’s Commercial and Community Living groups and bolster the company’s self-perform capabilities, the company formed Civil (Wet/Dry Utilities & Limited Site Demolition) and Service (Renovation & Maintenance Services) Groups in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
Standing as a testament to the firm’s commitment to client satisfaction and relationship building, more than 80% of hardison/downey’s business is garnered through repeat customers and word-of-mouth referrals.
THE CHALLENGE
As previously highlighted, h/d has seen some significant changes in recent years, including the addition of two new self-perform business units – the Civil and Service Groups. Additional staffing needs for these business units has contributed to the company doubling in size within the same time frame.
This growth led to challenges with traditional construction manpower planning, prompting hardison/downey to seek a solution to improve personnel forecasting. “We want to utilize our staff to their fullest extent,” said Heather Marin, Vice President of Operations at the company and, “mitigate cost expenditures.”
Proper construction resource management is an imperative function for hardison/downey as it helps them to identify available personnel in advance to ensure they have the right people, for the right projects. This is a critical task since hiring suitable staff can be, “time-consuming” according to Marin.
THE SOLUTION
hardison/downey was predominately using Microsoft Excel for construction resource planning. Ultimately, Marin and her colleagues found its functionality was limited.
“Working in Excel was becoming daunting and time-consuming,” said Marin. At the firm, there are multiple individuals who edit staffing plans. Marin and her colleagues eventually came to the conclusion that Excel was not an efficient collaborative tool. “We wanted something that a multitude of people could easily get access to and update.”
The firm explored multiple options for a construction resource management tool but found that some of the available programs were not intuitive and didn’t have basic tracking. Then they found Bridgit Bench.
“Bridgit Bench is easy to use and navigate. We are not waiting for one person to enter in the necessary information anymore.”
Heather Marin, Vice President of Operations at hardison/downey
The simplicity has led to more usage of the system and more information flowing in, increasing its usefulness.
Bridgit Bench’s cloud-based functionality, “has been an exceptional resource,” noted Marin. “Our personnel are able to garner easy access to the site and its respective tools from anywhere.”
This feature has allowed hardison/downey to navigate through the challenges that have arisen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bridgit Bench has allotted h/d the ability to be malleable in uncertain times. The firm is now better able to manage and evaluate staffing and resource evolutions.
“It’s easy to shift projects in Bridgit Bench. This helps us evaluate and see what project team members are going to be available and if we have to make alternate staff decisions.”
Another important element of the construction resource management tool is the ability for multiple users to get access to information. At hardison/downey multiple departments utilize Bridgit Bench, including marketing, operations, finance, and human resources.
Forecasting resource needs in general have become simpler and less time-consuming. “We have more time to react and find the proper candidates,” said Marin. This aids the firm in finding the right individual and creating the most appropriately skilled team for the project.
hardison/downey is striving to maintain its recent growth. Construction resource allocation is the key to reaching those goals, “We need more staff for internal positions and tools to better manage positions,” said Marin. Knowing where people are and where they are going lets the company use its resources more productively.
“Bridgit Bench helps us properly manage our resources which is the key to overall profitability.”
Heather Marin, Vice President of Operations at hardison/downey
Marin appreciates working with Bridgit, which she views as a growing hands-on company, which encourages communication and is open to change. “The team we have worked with has been extremely helpful, and is always willing to answer questions,” said Marin.
“Bridgit is on the forefront and provides helpful feedback, and we’re excited to see what they will potentially add.”
Heather Marin, Vice President of Operations at hardison/downey
Bridgit Bench has proven to be an invaluable tool to h/d as the firm continues to grow and offer its clients the personal and quality service they have become known for.
