Civalgo webinar presented by AEECQ

August 7, 2023
12 min read
Calcul de paie CCQ

Civalgo partners with AEÉCQ to deliver essential webinar on how construction industry leaders should adapt and embrace digital transformation.

We are pleased to share with you the recording of our latest webinar exploring how digital transformation is shaping the construction industry. This virtual conference features Alexandre Champoux (Civalgo CEO) and Boris Germanov (Civalgo VP Strategy) was produced on June 18th in collaboration with our partner AEÉCQ.

This video will be available to all for the next five days only.

Webinar FAQ

Are the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating or slowing down the digital shift of the construction industry?

The pandemic has highlighted the extent to which many companies are lagging behind not only in the adoption of new technologies but also in the training of their employees, who are increasingly called upon to interact and use these digital tools to increase their level of productivity and collaboration.

Several provincial government programs have been created since the beginning of this crisis to address the urgent need for upgrading the digital tools and skills of the workers in the industry:  

>> National Bank SME Growth Fund + MÉI to support the digital transformation of Quebec SMEs
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6688548811549351936

>> Parcours J'accélère mon virage numérique / Quebec Initiative for Construction 4.0
https://fr.civalgo.com/newsroom/quebec-government-initiative-to-accelerate-digital-transformation-quebec-construction-industry

In cases where companies have made the switch, do you find that collaboration between the client, professionals and contractors is faster and more flexible and eliminates delays in processing contract documents (change notices, payment requests, etc.)?

Absolutely. We are seeing substantial improvements in the collaboration between the various stakeholders, which also translates into significant efficiency gains. However, it is extremely important to establish clear collaborative project management processes prior to the start of work and to involve all the players involved in the contract. Thereafter, sound document management (electronic, structured) will need to be put in place and adopted by all project stakeholders to get through the execution of the work.

What do you think of platforms and software currently on the market such as Procore?

Technologies such as those offered by Procore and other well-known vendors exist because their solutions have been able to adapt to the vertical construction market and have arrived at the right time (first-mover advantage). These solutions require a lot of modules available in a marketplace to work and at a cost. Operationalizing and harmonizing this set of tools is often complex and constraining. At Civalgo, we have opted for design thinking and simplicity, the ultimate form of sophistication: one system, one cost, one standardized work method within a collaborative, scalable, intuitive workspace focused on operations (the sinews of war). Our users access all of this without breaking the bank. Our unparalleled technical support guides companies throughout the platform onboarding to accelerate tool adoption within teams and maximize its impact on the worksite. Our performance guarantee also allows us to quickly generate outcomes: 3 objectives in 4 weeks (FREE trial period for a limited time):

>> https://www.civalgo.com/newsroom/trial-program-accelerate-digital-transformation-of-construction-industry

What is the ideal percentage of technology investment in relation to a construction contractor's sales revenue?

Typically, you should invest between 3 and 5% of the company's annual revenues for the duration of the project (implementation). A detailed analysis of the short, medium and long term objective allows you to better evaluate the ideal investment within the mentioned thresholds.

What do you do when you are 100% digital and the technology is out of order (due to power failures, no WiFi networks available on job site, hacking, etc.)?

There is always a way to minimize greatly risks by opting for a cloud-based technology designed for the needs of construction teams such as the one developed by Civalgo. It is also important to make sure you deal with telecommunications providers that can offer satellite, LTE, Edge Computing or WiFi connections at all times. Today's telecommunication capacities are extremely robust and flexible. Our partners at Telus have been offering this type of services to construction contractors for several years now.

>> https://www.telus.com/en/business/medium-large/enterprise-solutions/internet-of-things/construction

What we have noticed over time is that companies have minimal internal IT resources and limited expertise to manage an internal network and application servers, and guarantee a trouble-free performance environnement.

Moreover, in-house IT resources are often scattered, not specialized and qualified to adequately manage cyber threats, which evolve rapidly over time. There are of course exceptions, such as large companies that can afford to have dedicated teams, but the majority of small and medium-sized businesses do not have the means to adequately protect their tangible and intangible IT assets against hackers.

Do you think that federal or provincial governments will recommend a reference framework for the use of BIM and develop tools to accompany us in this transition towards digital, as in Europe?

We don't have a crystal ball to guess the future intentions of our governments, however the trends we see on the market by talking associations, architectural firms, engineering firms and general contractors (major works) lead us to believe that there is a great demand for BIM integration in Quebec and Canada. This allows us to say that Quebec is road testing the process to make way for a coherent wide-range implementation of BIM. In terms of digital transition approaches, our provincial governments played a very dynamic role during the Covid-19 crisis, creating a portfolio of resources to accelerate the industry's movement toward greater tech maturity and proficiency.

In a digital shift, the priority is to develop technologies on the worksite (collaboration and data collection) and to continue by tying them to the office (estimation, management, accounting), or is it the other way around? How long can a (100%) digital turn take on average?

In a digital turn it is necessary to start by crafting the strategic vision of the company and put the right execution plan to achieve it. It is not enough to establish priorities and communicate them to the Field or Office. The sequence of deployment will depend on your strategy. A company's complete technological shift may vary depending on the effort and resources in place. Typically, a complete turnaround including staff re-education (implementation of new work methods, technologies, audit of the company's maturity) can take between 2 and 5 years, again, depending on the resources available and the intensity chosen to operate this transformation.

What type of work lends itself well to a digital transformation strategy?

We believe that looking at specific types of work to implement as a starting point could be misleading. You can of course make any project digital, but you have to define short- and long-term visions and make sure that your team reaches technological maturity and proficiency, within an harmonized process framework, in order to talk about a successful digital shift. In addition, an adequate change management game plan must be put in place, including training and continuous education for your staff, but also for your project partners. The first step to take is to understand your internal processes; map them to better understand your organization, their strengths and especially their shortcomings. It is also very important to explain to your teams that a digital shift is not just a job that falls in the backyard of the IT department; it's about building a culture of collaboration that incorporates new ways of doing things.

The entire organization must contribute to finding the best solutions to solve the challenges of adopting new technologies and improving business processes through digital technology.

Can we get a copy of your presentation deck?

Yes, no problem, just fill out this form and specify this request in the "Other" field. We can also take some time together, over the phone, to talk about your issues and answer your questions about implementing a successful digital transformation strategy within your construction organization. AEÉCQ members can have access to our entire webinar. We invite you to contact Isabelle Buisson (info@aeecq.org) for more details.

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