Case Studies KLB Construction: How Apps Make Digital Transformation a Reality

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	KLB Construction: How Apps Make Digital Transformation a Reality

KLB Construction: How Apps Make Digital Transformation a Reality

Technology Category	Functional Applications - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP) Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms
Applicable Industries	Construction & Infrastructure
Applicable Functions	Business Operation Field Services
Use Cases	Predictive Maintenance Remote Asset Management
Services	Software Design & Engineering Services System Integration
Challenge	Going from paper to a digitally-driven environment is never easy but the benefits are clear: a more productive, innovative and empowered workforce, streamlined business processes and lower costs. Companies in the construction sector struggle with a number of specific challenges. Projects are complex and unique, requiring different teams, equipment, planning and so on. There is also a growing demand for environmentally sensitive construction, more and more safety regulations to adhere to and an ever-increasing mountain of paperwork to manage, track and deal with as issues arise. Rolling out software solutions for multiple sites that are geographically dispersed is not easy. But there are good, cost effective solutions available. What is the most important decision a construction company must make as it pursues its digital future? Buy versus build. On the surface, buy might seem the obvious solution. There are a number of construction management software solutions that address project and employee management, field operations, logistics, quality control and safety. But this can be a pricey endeavor since a construction company’s work flow and processes are as unique as the job sites they work on. More often than not, out-of-the-box solutions must be customized to meet specific requirements. Read More
About Customer	KLB Construction is a Seattle-based heavy-highway civil contractor that serves the Pacific Northwest. Founded by Kelly Lynn Bosa in 1984, KLB remains family-owned and operated, having grown to over 250 employees. The company is committed to meeting the strictest standards of safety, integrity, and fairness, and has been recognized for its safety performance by various organizations, including the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Washington and WSDOT. KLB is at the forefront of leveraging technology to manage and enforce safety guidelines and regulations, as well as to digitize workflow and processes. The company’s dedication to safety and on-time project completion has been a cornerstone of its success. Read More
Solution	KLB’s digitization journey started with a simple goal: reduce the mountains of paperwork. Richard Glass, Director of Information Services, led the charge on the digitization effort. His first decision was whether to buy or build the necessary software. After surveying available construction management software solutions and finding them lacking in features and functions, Glass decided to build custom apps using the no-code development platform AppSheet. Within a month, Glass deployed the first app, Field Management, which provides centralized access to KLB-specific data and acts as the hub for all of KLB’s construction apps. User adoption was critical, and Glass ensured that each app was easier to use than paper. This approach led to increased adoption and productivity. Today, all information is collected, managed, and updated digitally, providing a tremendous productivity boost for KLB app users. Users can now access real-time information and proactively address issues as they arise at job sites or at corporate. The apps have made managers more efficient by eliminating the need for manual paperwork and providing all necessary information at their fingertips. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP)

Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems

Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms

Applicable Industries

Construction & Infrastructure

Applicable Functions

Business Operation

Field Services

Use Cases

Predictive Maintenance

Remote Asset Management

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services

System Integration

Challenge

Going from paper to a digitally-driven environment is never easy but the benefits are clear: a more productive, innovative and empowered workforce, streamlined business processes and lower costs. Companies in the construction sector struggle with a number of specific challenges. Projects are complex and unique, requiring different teams, equipment, planning and so on. There is also a growing demand for environmentally sensitive construction, more and more safety regulations to adhere to and an ever-increasing mountain of paperwork to manage, track and deal with as issues arise. Rolling out software solutions for multiple sites that are geographically dispersed is not easy. But there are good, cost effective solutions available. What is the most important decision a construction company must make as it pursues its digital future? Buy versus build. On the surface, buy might seem the obvious solution. There are a number of construction management software solutions that address project and employee management, field operations, logistics, quality control and safety. But this can be a pricey endeavor since a construction company’s work flow and processes are as unique as the job sites they work on. More often than not, out-of-the-box solutions must be customized to meet specific requirements.

About Customer

KLB Construction is a Seattle-based heavy-highway civil contractor that serves the Pacific Northwest. Founded by Kelly Lynn Bosa in 1984, KLB remains family-owned and operated, having grown to over 250 employees. The company is committed to meeting the strictest standards of safety, integrity, and fairness, and has been recognized for its safety performance by various organizations, including the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Washington and WSDOT. KLB is at the forefront of leveraging technology to manage and enforce safety guidelines and regulations, as well as to digitize workflow and processes. The company’s dedication to safety and on-time project completion has been a cornerstone of its success.

Solution

KLB’s digitization journey started with a simple goal: reduce the mountains of paperwork. Richard Glass, Director of Information Services, led the charge on the digitization effort. His first decision was whether to buy or build the necessary software. After surveying available construction management software solutions and finding them lacking in features and functions, Glass decided to build custom apps using the no-code development platform AppSheet. Within a month, Glass deployed the first app, Field Management, which provides centralized access to KLB-specific data and acts as the hub for all of KLB’s construction apps. User adoption was critical, and Glass ensured that each app was easier to use than paper. This approach led to increased adoption and productivity. Today, all information is collected, managed, and updated digitally, providing a tremendous productivity boost for KLB app users. Users can now access real-time information and proactively address issues as they arise at job sites or at corporate. The apps have made managers more efficient by eliminating the need for manual paperwork and providing all necessary information at their fingertips.

Impact #1	All information is collected, managed, and updated digitally, providing a tremendous productivity boost for KLB app users.
Impact #2	Users can now access real-time information and proactively address issues as they arise at job sites or at corporate.
Impact #3	The apps have made managers more efficient by eliminating the need for manual paperwork and providing all necessary information at their fingertips.

Impact #1

All information is collected, managed, and updated digitally, providing a tremendous productivity boost for KLB app users.

Impact #2

Users can now access real-time information and proactively address issues as they arise at job sites or at corporate.

Impact #3

The apps have made managers more efficient by eliminating the need for manual paperwork and providing all necessary information at their fingertips.

Benefit #1	Development and support costs are typically much lower (approximately 20% compared to out-of-box solutions).
Benefit #2	Time-to-full-deployment is significantly reduced (two months compared to eight to twelve months).
Benefit #3	Instead of sometimes spending more than an hour per day on paperwork, users have all the information they need at their fingertips.

Benefit #1

Development and support costs are typically much lower (approximately 20% compared to out-of-box solutions).

Benefit #2

Time-to-full-deployment is significantly reduced (two months compared to eight to twelve months).

Benefit #3

Instead of sometimes spending more than an hour per day on paperwork, users have all the information they need at their fingertips.

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Overview

KLB Construction: How Apps Make Digital Transformation a Reality

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit