{"id":835,"date":"2016-12-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-12-06T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/innovators-pinnaclecsg-delivers-technology-advantage-to-its-clients\/"},"modified":"2024-09-26T07:28:33","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T11:28:33","slug":"innovators-pinnaclecsg-delivers-technology-advantage-to-its-clients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/innovators-pinnaclecsg-delivers-technology-advantage-to-its-clients\/","title":{"rendered":"Innovators: Pinnacle\/CSG delivers technology advantage to its clients"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTechnology & Innovation<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tInnovators: Pinnacle\/CSG delivers technology advantage to its clients\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"CRE\t\t\t\tDeb Carpenter-Beck<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nAt Pinnacle\/CSG, innovative use of information technology is not just an aspirational goal; it\u2019s a core part of the company\u2019s fiber. Visit this Florida-based construction management firm and you won\u2019t see a lot of paper. Every area of the company, whether in the office or the field, is automated and connected by a well-oiled, integrated computer system.\r\n\r\nTrue to the company\u2019s focus on innovation and learning, advancement of its IT system is never at a standstill. \u201cWe\u2019re constantly re-examining our processes and keeping a watch out for the latest technology developments that will help us do things even faster and better,\u201d says chief visionary and president Cory McFarlane.\r\n\r\nCase in point: Pinnacle\/CSG was among the first contractors to use mobile tablets to improve communication on the job site. It also was an early adopter of building information modeling (BIM) as a way to identify potential construction issues. And the company recognized early on the importance of having a best-in-class accounting and job costing system to keep costs in check and serve as the core of its IT technology set.\r\n\r\nThat kind of IT commitment takes a team that is open to getting the most out of technology. McFarlane admits that finding the right people is one of his biggest challenges. \u201cThere are a lot of great construction people out there, but not many who also know how to use IT,\u201d he says.\r\n\r\nContrary to what some might believe, it\u2019s not necessarily the oldest workers who are slow to adopt technology. \u201cI have some 60 plus year olds who can run circles around some younger workers when it comes to IT because they choose to embrace it,\u201d he explains. \u201cPeople who\u2019ve been around awhile understand that technology can help them.\u201d\r\n\r\nPinnacle\/CSG also gains technology knowledge by recruiting at several colleges. Students fresh from school know a lot about IT, however, they usually know little about construction. The company helps these students bridge the gap by investing in the right amount of construction training. \u201cWe want them to be successful and the training helps us uncover what they do and don\u2019t know, so we can help shore things up,\u201d says McFarlane.\r\n\r\nYoung or old. Experienced or not. One thing is clear when talking with McFarlane: Anyone who wants to be part of the Pinnacle\/CSG team has to want to learn and use technology.\r\n\r\nThe company also wants its clients to be open to new advancements. \u201cWe are IT heavy,\u201d explains McFarlane. \u201cWe want clients that are going to take advantage of that and be part of the process.\u201d\r\n\r\nToday there are many project owners who expect and want a GC who uses technology. And for Pinnacle\/CSG that\u2019s where its IT infrastructure becomes a key part of their value as well as its bid strategy. Take, for example, how the company creates its estimates. The first pass is based on what a typical GC would need in terms of project engineers, superintendents, and support staff to complete a project. That provides a good understanding of what other GCs would bid. Then Pinnacle\/CSG \u201csharpens its pencils\u201d using its IT competitive edge. \u201cWe go through the estimate and cut what we don\u2019t need because of the efficiencies we get from our IT,\u201d explains McFarlane. \u201cThen we submit the bid.\u201d\u00a0 It\u2019s just one of the reasons the company wins about one-third of the projects it bids on.\r\n\r\nSo will Pinnacle\/CSG consider working with a client that isn\u2019t open to technology? McFarlane\u2019s answer is underscored by the wasteful steps and mistakes he knows a client\u2019s manual processes can bring to a project: \u201cSometimes the best jobs are the ones you don\u2019t take.\u201d\n<\/div>
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