Making a case for Buzzsaw in a slowing housing market
In 2004/2005 when homebuilders couldn't build fast enough in some parts of the US. Plans were distributed faster, changes were relayed faster, we got away from doing takeoffs from paper plans and elevations (by learning to use Autodesk Design Review). Using Buzzsaw made so much sense.
Fast forward to 2008. It's no secret that the market has turned. Some saw it coming, some hoped it wouldn't. It's a reality now.
So where does the value lie in Buzzsaw now? We've all heard the saying, "Things change, but nothing changes". It holds true in this case.
By using Buzzsaw now.........homebuilders can keep a very tight hold on their bid process. Having instant access to bid numbers.......perhaps being more selective in the trade partner selection because the numbers are at their fingertips. We aren't chasing the paper any more.
Maybe the person who served as your "Document control" is no longer in that position. Or maybe there never was a person who was "officially" in charge of distributing and accounting for paper-based plans, and all of the changes that occur during the life of a project. Or the people who managed bid collection with paper are now performing other duties, or no longer with the company.
We're still realizing tremendous gains by leveraging the functions of Buzzsaw. Only now they're even more valuable than they were a few years ago:
Business processes - What's the value of RFIs running their course, and closing out an average 2 or 3 days earlier than they used to? No longer paying couriers and losing the day or two for the recipient to respond. The more savvy Buzzsaw users have even had other paper-based processes turned into "Buzzsaw Business Processes". You know, those forms we fill out, send through inter-office mail.........never knowing where they are, who has seen it, when should you expect to get a response from it? We have these capabilities with Buzzsaw.
Groups - For whatever reason, ABC Framing (fictional framing company in Anytown, USA) is no longer doing your framing. Now......we remove them from a group in Buzzsaw and plug in the new Framing Company, and they're off an running. They have access to all the plans that ABC Framing did. They have a bid deposit folder, just like ABC did. And the best part, 3 or 4 clicks of the mouse did it!
Cloning - No, not livestock. Projects. You just closed out a community. You were pleased with all (or most) of your trade partners. Want to use them for your next community? We'll clone the community that just closed, thus creating your new community. All of the players from the closed community are now here in the new one........all folders, files, permissions, business processes, ready for use. No reinventing the wheel here.
Corporate Offices and the Satellite Office - The standard requirements: An internet connection and a PC. Now, everyone is one the same page. With Buzzsaw as the centralized location for all project activity, Corporate Offices, Satellite Offices, Field Crews, and all other project members to have access to the latest electronic documents regardless of their geographic location.
Electronic Review - Trade partners have questions about plans, or find discrepancies in the field. They no longer markup paper and figure out a way to get it into your hands. They make notes and markup using Autodesk Design Review (Free for everyone), and relay the markups to you via Buzzsaw. They don't wait for hours or days to get a response, and work doesn't stop while waiting for the paper to reach you so that you can reply.
We're just scratching the surface here. By using the basic Buzzsaw tools and following a "Best Practices" protocol, Buzzsaw stands tall even when the housing market has weakened.
