Managing construction for an expanding chain of stores is a difficult task even for the most experienced head of development. The constant flow of workers and materials in and out of multiple job sites create opportunities for mistakes to be made and time to be lost. However, these oversights can easily be rectified by adding camera technology to job sites. Our client, Cumberland Farms faced similar issues with 40 projects going at one time and a limited number of managers to oversee the cross country work. The company needed a method that tracked the project’s progress and identified areas for improvement when managers couldn’t be on site. Cumberland Farms chose OxBlue construction cameras to assist with the need for efficiency and accountability. They were pleased with the result.
Increased Efficiency
The cameras gave project managers an easy way to stay informed at all times with technology that communicated with all their devices: computers, smartphones, and tablets. Anywhere in the world, they could update themselves on their projects’ statuses. The job site cameras also allowed project managers to quickly address and potentially prevent unforeseen expenses.
“OxBlue allows [project managers] to be on-site morning, noon, and night. It’s like having someone on site at all times.” – Rob Kavanagh
By using the images as reference materials, Cumberland Farms site managers determined if the job site needed extra materials or the schedule needed to change. As a result, the company reduced the overall cost of their projects. With photo documentation, change orders amounted to around $100,000 a project. This was a significant decrease from previous projects where unexpected expenses could cost a project between $200,000 and $300,000.
Enhanced Accountability
Employees used the cameras to assist with internal communications and collaborate on process improvement. No one needed to rely on third-party information for site updates. They developed plans to keep projects on schedule or get a derailed project back on track. The real-time-visualization kept everyone informed and provided additional insight.
“We can gut check each other and aren’t relying on word alone.” – Chris Ogonowski
The increased accuracy and accountability gave everyone control over the schedule and transparency in all active projects. Cumberland Farms’ use of photo documentation established a method to build quality storefronts quickly. Job site imagery enabled Cumberland Farms to make intelligent decisions about project scheduling and ensured accuracy and accountability for each project. The consistency created with the use of OxBlue time-lapse cameras gave Cumberland Farms’ employees a new way to conduct business, as well as time back in their work week. Watch the video from Cumberland Farms employees to hear how OxBlue changed the way they do business and download the case study to share with your company.
