Project Management & Technology

In any construction project, big or small, there is always an abundance of moving parts that require effective project management and problem solving. Whether it’s coordinating logistics, installation teams or project schedules, seamless project management is needed every step of the way to ensure success. At Inside Edge, we leverage our technology to keep us updated on the status of all current projects, allowing us to manage all projects effectively and provide visibility to our customers with daily updates and job notes, ensuring our work is up to their standards.

Keys to Successful Project Management

The fundamental key to successful project management is effective communication between all parties involved. It is essential that this communication is useful and meaningful, in real-time, to ensure projects go smoothly. This involves the entire team from on-site installers to in-office project managers constantly communicating to make sure their project information is up-to-date. In addition, when scaling projects on a national level, there are similarities and things to be learned from every project, so it is important to have a place to store historical data to go back to. This historical data can be used on current and future projects for that customer to continuously improve the level of service provided. Another key to successful project management is to be proactive and stay ahead of the curve by using past experiences and expertise to be prepared for situations that might come up. As important as that preparation is, in any construction project something can change at the drop of a hat, so it is crucial to be dynamic and adjust your plans if something comes up that you didn’t predict.

Our Project Management Technology

Inside Edge has a proprietary, web-based project management system that follows projects from A-Z, all in one central system. The system is called IEX for Inside Edge eXchange – because this technology allows Inside Edge to exchange crucial information throughout the whole project process. It is designed around setting, meeting, and exceeding customer expectations for quality flooring installations. Inside Edge has been using IEX for nearly all their 14-year history and they have ensured that it has grown and evolved with the company.

A unique aspect of IEX is that it allows Inside Edge to be incredibly agile. Employees are working in the system every day and they are empowered to come up with their own suggestions on how to improve processes. Drew Skiers-Koballa, Director of IT, said “One of the most rewarding things about my role is delivering a technology solution or improvement based on an employee’s suggestion and hearing about how the solution is put into action to enable the organization to better serve our customers.”

IEX in Day-to-Day Operations

IEX participates in all key areas of projects, from estimating, to quoting, to execution, to billing. Every project is immediately associated with a physical location, the scope of work, and a project team. Each member of the project team has tools in IEX that assist them through actionable insights and efficient workflows.

For example:

The estimating team has direct access to all work we’ve done previously for a specific customer or location – including materials lists, post-install reports and project managers’ notes.

The purchasing and logistics team is provided with suppliers near to the jobsite that carry the necessary products, to be sure that we’re giving our customers the best price possible.

The labor scheduling team has a comprehensive view of all upcoming work, which enables them to plan for projects weeks and months ahead and respond to changes in the immediate future.

Bridging the Communication Gap

One of the biggest challenges in the construction industry is the information gap between project managers and the dispersed on-site labor workforce. A key component of IEX is a mobile app that bridges that divide. This mobile app makes key pieces of information immediately accessible in the field, such as plan changes, on-site contacts and best practices for a specific project. It allows for real-time communication and information sharing between installers and project managers, thereby allowing Inside Edge to increase our response time to customers, providing them with updates on their projects. Inside Edge takes pride in setting up our partners to be successful regardless of any nuances or difficulties that may come up over the course of a project.

What’s ahead?

Inside Edge looks forward to continuing to adapt and grow our IEX technology as we find new and better processes. At Inside Edge, our vision is to “Reshape the Industry through Passion, Service and Technology, to maximize value for our Customers.” IEX has and will continue to enable Inside Edge to reshape our Industry through the innovation of technology.