In February 2019, a PE acquired a company with vast potential and a considerable risk of obsolescence at the same time. Indeed, it was an organization specializing in workers’ access control and data analysis software for the vertical construction industry (such as buildings or stadiums). It provided a combination of tech-enabled products and services to minimize risk, increase productivity, improve reporting and even reduce employee-related costs. Many companies base their payroll management on the reports received.

The construction industry presents many labor-related challenges: from health and hygiene issues to the provision of access to ensure the physical safety of employees to training management, background checks, overtime, and project participation. With all this in mind, this organization managed to make its way into the market and gain experience to deliver a precise solution to optimize all the processes that enable workers to perform efficiently and get the necessary training and physical credentials for authorized entry.

The company helps site owners and project managers save money by having personnel available in record time for on-site integration while mitigating the risk and liability associated with unauthorized access to job sites.

Laying the foundations

The acquisition had set goals of increasing market share and achieving very aggressive growth targets. After two decades, the company began to suffer from its legacy systems. The same systems that had offered the robustness that supported the business all that time showed signs of obsolescence and prevented the organization from moving forward at the right pace.

There was no alternative: it was time for updating. With Making Sense’s help, a fact-finding process was launched: knowing why we are moving in one particular direction and where we are starting to plan the road is essential. Making a diagnosis allows us to verify that the processes are correctly structured, that the data are being used correctly, and that we leverage the opportunities to optimize operations, improve costs, access new customers, define the strategy or design the solution.

Technology, business, and design experts were involved in this analysis, which led to a digital asset inventory creation. The aim was to update applications and lay the foundations for technology to support business growth.

This valuable discovery resulted in a roadmap that was key to moving forward. The team comprised a Product Designer, a UX Researcher, a Product Analyst, and a Solution Architect. For execution purposes, there were Devs, QA, UX Designers, Product Analyst, PM Tech Lead, and Solution Architects involved.

Different domains were taken into account at all times: the company’s business needs, the service offering, its value proposition, the customers’ requirements and habits, and, of course, the available technologies and development services needed to turn ideas into tangible results. The main KPI was time to market.

Time to refurbish

Today, the company has a flexible and adaptable platform that allows it to scale in line with the business demand. The user experience remains the same regardless of how many people use the platform. The primary objective continues to be supporting growth.

Distancing oneself from the competition is a positive side effect of this exercise because it enables gaining a larger market share, improving profitability, and increasing the organization’s value.

But not only that: flexibility also allows you to expand the business and incorporate solutions for new markets, including horizontal construction sites, the provision of payroll services, or the creation of employee profiles.

In short: the updating process will empower this organization to meet its goals for the next decade in a scalable way.