Customizable Demolition Safety Surveys
Initially, Bacon and his teams were using older software to track progress and construction safety checklists on site, but they ran into a difficult situation with important pieces of information going missing. "We had issues with previous software where things disappeared," notes Bacon, "The guys in the field would upload stuff and if the upload was canceled or interrupted it was just gone." In a business where safety is always a priority, missing information becomes a more serious matter than just lost time or resources. After implementing Raken, the first thing Green Circle did was to build their safety processes right into their daily reports in the form of Raken's customizable survey.
"The survey for demolition is very safety focused," says Bacon, "we customize the survey in Raken to include a pre-task plan, and now the survey functionality is part of the daily job set up, and we haven't had any issues from Raken's end with things disappearing." Not only has Green Circle been able to ensure that their safety checklist is completed every day, but their daily reports are less of a time commitment from their guys in the field. "The end product, generated with very little time in the field, is excellent," says Bacon, "so we're making Raken the new standard for what we are doing."
“The end product, generated with very little time in the field, is excellent. We're making Raken the new standard for what we are doing.”
Labor-Tracking Time Cards
In addition to standardizing their safety surveys, Green Circle uses Raken for real-time notifications on time tracking in the field. Time tracking is especially valuable for them because, according to Bacon, demolition is a particularly labor-intensive process. "Our biggest cost is labor," notes Bacon, "and Raken's labor tracking is the best thing out there." Specifically, Bacon uses Raken as another layer of accuracy when it comes to tracking time in the field. "It's nice to have your time cards in the same place as the work logs so we can check those against when the trucks were turned off, we can compare it quickly and easily," says Bacon, further noting that the real-time features of Raken's construction time tracking app have allowed him to keep closer track of the budgets and make crucial decisions in the moment rather than waiting until the end of the week. "You have the information that day, and it helps you keep tabs on overtime on a midweek basis," says Bacon, "if I know some of these jobs are tight I can make that call on Wednesday."
Resolving Disputes with Daily Reports
Bacon explains that in demolition delays are critical, as their ability to do their jobs is often dependent on another company clearing the way or getting their work done first (like disconnecting utilities, for example.) When disputes arise between Green Circle and their collaborators Bacon and his team are frequently called upon to prove their position. "In this business, he who has the best information always wins," observes Bacon, "and Raken provides me with the best information." Using Raken's daily construction report app with photos built into the work logs, Green Circle has proof of the work they do. "If there's a dispute all I have to do is forward them the report with the photo proving it. There are no ten phone calls going back and forth, it's all right there in the report. It provides you with the ability to prove you're in the right and come to the conversation with the back up you need" says Bacon.
“Customers feel plugged into the projects and they get a report that's very professional. Raken has the best thing going.”
Transparency for Owners
Part of what Green Circle does is environmental remediation, which is usually done in containment, i.e. a closed site with no external visitors due to the sensitive nature of removing the contaminants involved. "Because we are in containment almost always our customers don't really know what we're doing," says Bacon, "there are times when our guys get there at 4:30 in the morning and work until 2:00. So when the owner shows up after they leave they can question the work." Such miscommunications were a pain point for Green Circle in that they were constantly having to explain the work they were doing behind what were necessarily closed doors.
Bacon used Raken's automatic emailing feature to make sure that the owners always know what's happening on site. "With Raken they get that report emailed to them. It prevents questions, and it's great to have everyone getting the same information," he states, "it prevents the need for calls and emails. Customers feel plugged into the projects and they get a report that's very professional. Raken has the best thing going."
Customizable survey ensures safety checklists are done every day.
Time card feature keeps projects on-budget with updated information.
Photo-enriched daily reports help solve disputes.
Automatic emails keep owners and stakeholders informed.
Streamlined Processes
Whether it's customizing a survey to meet the needs of a safety-focused demolition process, updating budgets with updated time card information, using a photo to solve a dispute, or sending a daily report to owners to keep them in the loop Green Circle has used Raken's features to streamline multiple processes and run a more efficient business. And the success they've achieved as an organization shows that whatever they're doing is working. They operate multiple stand-alone services like waste hauling, concrete crushing, and material recycling in addition to their full suite of demolition, environmental remediation, and abatement services. With a partner list that includes Delta, Coca-Cola, and Chevrolet, Green Circle has become one of the most trusted demolition companies in the South, and we couldn't be prouder to play a part in their success. For more information be sure to check out their full-service demolition projects or call 770-458-8662.