Construction Technology Podcast

Episode 5: Wendy Rogers eSUB Founder

Power To The Trades 5 Wendy Rogers eSUB Founder

On this weeks episode of the #PowerToTheTrades Podcast, our host Rob McKinney continues his conversation with eSUB founder Wendy Rogers.  

This is the second part of the interview with Wendy that began in the first episode. Wendy was kind enough to share a few thoughts, from her nearly 20 years of experience working with in the construction industrywhy the need for transparency in operations, and how new technology and software can help Trade Contractors get paid faster. 

eSUB Podcast Fifth Episode Recap 

Rob continued the conversation by asking Wendy what here thoughts were regarding why should a Trade Contractor document their work in a platform that is their own. It has been well documented that many Subcontractors are required to use the software of the General Contractor managing a project.  

00:35 –  00:53 Wendy “Ultimately we need to empower our field to be more transparent and accountable to the way that we get paid. 

00:55 – 01:27 Wendy “What I mean by that phrase specifically, is that the way contracts are written in the industry risk is passed down in contracts today. And so as a result of that, the only way that we can combat that risk that is handed down to us as the skilled trades and the contracts that we are signing is to give our field the tools to be able to effectively show what is happening in the field. The delta between what we did and what we bid.” 

01:26 – 01:52 Wendy “So that we can get paid for the extra work that we are being asked to do and that we are more than happy to do that. But we need to own that information, we cannot have it put into another partners platform that assists their interests, and that is wonderful for them, but at the end of the day, we’re here to facilitate the progress of the project in general and to protect our profits.”  

01:53 – 02:15 Wendy “And the only way that we can do that effectively is to have a purpose built platform that effectively encourages the workflows that we need as to as the skilled Trade Contractors to be able to capture the work that we are doing in the field easily, by using mobile devices.” 

Construction Podcast

How can we improve the industry?

Next, Rob asked what Wendy thinks about how why there still a resistance to using collaborative software by Contractors going into the new year. 

03:35 – 03:50 Wendy “The flipside of risk mitigation is truth and transparency, their both the same, their both exactly the same thing, there just in two contractual environments.” 

04:19 – 05:03 Wendy “You need to have truth and transparency from the Trades as well as the General Contractor. The way to do that is by utilizing the same techniques that you use in a risker contractual environment, a what they call a more robust contractual environment, where are protecting ourselves by documenting everything that we are doing because everything is stacked against us, with regards to our profits.” 

05:18 – 00:00 Wendy “At the end of the day, we need to have our platform, that allows our people to be connected and tracking the labor on a project and anything that is effecting the health of the project or the adherence to the budget or the schedule or anything like that, we need to be doing that on our platform that aligns our interest together with the health of the project.” 

Let’s continue to bring #PowerToTheTrades!

eSUB’s cloud-based project management solution was designed specifically for construction subcontractors, giving them a real-time view and account of their workers, enabling efficient work management within an easy-to-use platform.

If you would like to improve your management processes so you don’t experience construction labor shortages, schedule a demo to learn how eSUB can help.

If you found this podcast insightful, please share it on social media.