General Contractor - Utah

This large GC/CM firm provides commercial building services for their public and private customers throughout the West. They perform both large and small projects ranging in size from a few thousand dollars to over a hundred million dollars. Several remote offices and nearly a dozen job sites have been linked into the central computers through a wide area network.

The Situation

The company had been using one computer system for about 10 years and was wondering whether it was time for a change. Recent developments in client/server software had left them uncertain whether significant benefits could be obtained with a new system.

The Challenge

The company had wide ranging needs in its different divisions. The accounting department was happy with the system but operations people were feeling that a lack of integration with the field systems was resulting in lost efficiency and redundant work. Procedures in the company had not been seriously addressed in some time.

Solution

BCG met with members of different departments and facilitated interdepartmental discussions that helped the client realize that their issues were not, chiefly, with the software vendor, though there were some items that needed addressing. Specific approaches and objectives were set forth to improve procedures and a list of open items was submitted to the vendor to ensure that those items that were uncovered were addressed appropriately.

Result

The client saved a large investment in a new system and training. The vendor is saving a good client. The client is investing in improvements to a system that works and plans to improve productivity as a result of incremental changes to its system.