Visioneer Builders Boost Profitability with Digital Platform

Always focusing on design-oriented, high-end development projects since launch means the Visioneer team has had to harness fluid architectural design updates, intricate and detailed plans and variations, as well as track different luxury finishes within any project.

Visioneer knew it needed to improve and automate its construction management system. This new platform needed to be proven in the industry and show a commitment to continual development for the next 10 years.

Following a rigorous open review process, Visioneer today trusts Procore to standardise and centralise its construction management data for drawings, RFIs, quality and safety and instructions.

“Procore has created a new level of professional independence for the company,” said Tim. “Today, our people have access to professional construction management software and training support to ensure they know what to do all day, every day. We have set new performance benchmarks and are ahead of the game. This has freed us to focus on the strategic growth of the business.”

Its previous construction management system was based on stand-alone Excel spreadsheets, variable skill sets from individual team members and ad hoc updates from busy construction teams leading to a “horrific“ process according to Tim Callaghan, Construction Manager.

“There was significant difficulty in producing a transmittal for drawings. Every time you wanted to send a set of drawings, you would virtually have to do a new spreadsheet,“ he said.

The company’s safety system was paper-based and quite archaic, according to Tim. Different sites used different safety versions in siloed spreadsheets. Additionally, incorrect data entry of variations and an inability for site managers to easily see and understand design and construction updates put unnecessary pressure on the bottom line – in an industry facing constant margin erosion.

Visioneer has rationalised its operations by reducing the friction with automated software and setting new financial targets – with a sharp focus on maximising revenue opportunities.

Visioneer kicked off the Procore implementation with drawings, ensuring its full team of project and site managers were comfortable and proficient with it before they moved on to the next phase - RFIs and then quality and safety and instructions. Team members were onboarded with Procore’s user-friendly video tutorials, delivering a consistent user experience for everyone and ensuring testing and certification requirements are met and maintained. Safety systems were also standardised across the company.

“An unexpected benefit of Procore is its transparent trackability of individual team member’s use of the software. The director’s dashboard is configured to monitor the company’s compliance for quality and safety and measure responses to RFIs and defects. With a couple of clicks, we now know who is on time and who needs support,” he said.

Today everyone in the Visioneer team is equipped with an iPad for the electronic updating of information both on and offsite, guaranteeing the project drawings and data at hand is current and accurate. Digitising the reams of paper previously printed daily has seen a significant reduction in printing and associated electricity and printer cartridge costs.

“We have some construction projects that no longer print drawings … We have easily halved our printing and associated costs,” Tim said.

Apart from Procore’s inspirational development roadmap, Tim believes it is the entire Procore team’s approach to customer service and support that sets it apart from any vendor. “We have found right from the word go the follow-up, and genuine friendliness from everyone at Procore is unbelievable. They are excited by what we can achieve with Procore and really focused on how they can continue to help us achieve our goals in the future. It’s truly extraordinary,” Tim concluded.