When it comes to construction project management, adoption of the right software can significantly enhance operational efficiency and project oversight. This was exactly the experience of Monarch Mechanical. Based in the Bay Area, Monarch Mechanical had traditionally been a plumbing contractor. When the company started an HVAC side of the business, their newly hired Director of Operations knew a much-needed process transformation was needed; and they turned to eSUB in order to accomplish more jobs with fewer resources and grow the business.

When Jason Yano (Director of Operations) and Jared Seitzer (Senior Project Manager) joined Monarch Mechanical to manage the firm’s HVAC business, they quickly recognized a need to streamline many aspects of the project management processes that were in place.

They had previously used an earlier version of eSUB at another company and knew the limitations of traditional methods employed at Monarch, such as reliance on Word and Excel for project documentation.

“When I came here, they were working out of Microsoft Word and Excel for everything, and putting it all on a server,” Yano recalled. “Everything would just get dumped in there with no organization.”

From previous experience, Yano knew what to expect with eSUB.
“I knew eSUB was great for smaller companies especially,” he said. “It really fits our needs now and we’ll be able to grow together without a $100,000 price tag or whatever it might be [with other software].”

“When I came here, they were working out of Microsoft Word and Excel for everything … with no organization.”

Jason Yano, Director of Operations at Monarch Mechanical

The company’s growth trajectory necessitated a more robust solution to manage their expanding project portfolio, which included a significant increase in HVAC projects.

“We’re very much in the growing stages still, but we want to be on pace to triple our business,” Yano related. “eSUB is saving us a lot of time on these projects, getting them up and going [so we can meet those goals].”

Before transitioning to eSUB, Monarch Mechanical was entrenched in outdated project management practices, heavily relying on manual documentation and tracking methods. This approach was not only time-consuming but also prone to errors, leading to inefficiencies and a lack of real-time project visibility. The HVAC division, in particular, faced unique challenges due to the intricate nature of their work, which demanded meticulous tracking of RFIs, change orders, and purchase orders.

“A mechanical system has a lot more Ts to cross “I”s to dot than plumbing,” Yano explained. “[Plumbing is] installing hot water, cold water and waste lines. That is the majority of their job. it’s the same way every time.”

But HVAC tends to be more complex, every job tends to be different.

“We have a lot more RFIs, a lot more change orders, and a lot more purchase orders,” Yano said.

“When I got here, not a single job was in line … it was chaos. We needed organization.”

Jason Yano, Director of Operations at Monarch Mechanical

With so much different documentation in play for HVAC jobs, a more robust system was needed than Monarch had previously used. Their outdated methods simply wouldn’t cut it, as Yano realized.

“They used to just dump all their sent emails for a job onto the server with no labeling,” he said. “So it just was basically the same file labeled with a 1234 or 5 at the end … sometimes 100 different pieces of communication.”

There was little emphasis on organization and no processes for document management, either.

“When I got here, not a single job was in line … it was chaos,” Yano explained. “We needed organization. That was number one for me. You can’t have 15 sub folders that have 30 other sub folders and 500 folders for one job.”

The decision to adopt eSUB as their project management platform marked a pivotal moment for Monarch Mechanical. The software’s ease of use, coupled with its comprehensive features tailored for subcontractor, made it an ideal choice. eSUB facilitated a vital transition from the fragmented and manual processes to a centralized, automated system. This shift was instrumental in streamlining operations, enhancing communication, and improving project tracking.

“[eSUB] tracks us sending our files like submittals out,” Yano said. “The tracking numbers are great. We know this is sent out and the field knows this was sent out. You can see when things have been emailed over.”

The implementation of eSUB transformed Monarch Mechanical’s project management capabilities. The software’s intuitive interface and specialized features, such as advanced tracking of RFIs, change orders, and submittals, significantly improved the team’s efficiency. Notably, the ability to manage and track numerous change orders effectively allowed the company to navigate the complexities of their projects with greater precision and confidence even with fewer people managing more projects.

“We’re fewer guys handling two-thirds of the work [compared to the plumbing side],” Yano explained. “We needed that efficiency.”

“Sending RFIs, submittals, or change orders through one system and keeping them consistent makes you look great.”

Jason Yano, Director of Operations at Monarch Mechanical

The transition to eSUB not only facilitated operational improvements but also contributed to a more professional and consistent presentation to clients.

“Having a consistent look for your client is important,” Yano related. “There’s nothing worse than a company that has 19 different email signatures for 14 people. Consistency to your client looks great. Sending RFIs, submittals, or change orders through one system and keeping them consistent makes you look great.”

Yano underscored the critical role of user-friendly software in facilitating adoption and maximizing utility. Monarch Mechanical’s experience highlights the challenges of introducing new technology within an organization and the importance of selecting a solution that aligns with the users’ needs and the company’s operational dynamics. The positive feedback from the team, particularly regarding eSUB’s ease of use and the tangible benefits observed, reinforces the value of choosing the right project management tool.

“Other software can be harder to use,” Yano said. “It’s a lot more complicated. But the eSUB platform is very user friendly. Which is great, especially when you’re bringing in new software to a company.”

“The easier you can make it, the more chances you have that people are going to pick it up and run with it.”

“Other software can be harder to use … a lot more complicated. But the eSUB platform is very user friendly.”

Jason Yano, Director of Operations at Monarch Mechanical

This is a sentiment Seitzer shares, even emphasizing the improvements made since the older platform he and Yano used at their previous company.

“2.0 [eSUB Cloud] is even friendlier than 1.0,” he said. “Comparing the features and how the visuals work on 2.0 is even easier than 1.0—which was already pretty easy.”

Monarch Mechanical’s journey with eSUB underscores the potential of adopting specialized project management software to streamline processes. The company’s ability to enhance project visibility, and improve efficiency underscores the strategic advantage of leveraging software like eSUB.

“Tracking RFIs and the visibility to see when they’re answered and stay on top of what’s going on … that turns into dollars.”

Jason Yano, Director of Operations at Monarch Mechanical

Yano also highlights the importance of aligning software capabilities with industry-specific requirements and user preferences.

“We’re looking at purchase orders, change orders, submittals, and RFIs,” he explained. “Those are our four corners for the HVAC side.”

Yano explained how, with more complex HVAC jobs, creating, tracking, and keeping organized records of these critical project documents can be a make-or-break point for many projects.

“Tracking RFIs and the visibility to see when they’re answered and stay on top of what’s going on … that turns into dollars,” Yano emphasized. “If you don’t have RFIs tracking accordingly, well, you’re not going to get an accurate change order. You’re going to miss something, and you’re going to lose money.”

“If you’re not tracking change orders, you’re leaving money on the table. Change orders will make or break a job.”

Jason Yano, Director of Operations at Monarch Mechanical

Likewise, change orders turn into dollars, too.

As Yano related: “If you’re not tracking change orders, you’re leaving money on the table. And sometimes you have four or five revisions on each change order. That adds up, and you can’t track it in random folders on a server.”

“Especially during a tight market like this,” Yano explained. “Change orders will make or break a job … basically makes your success or doesn’t.”

He related one recent job where profitability came down to those change orders “Again, without eSUB, we couldn’t have really gotten this far.”

“To be able to do this the old way with only one and a half people,” Yano explained, speaking of himself and Seitzer. “It just would not work. It just would be it would be physically impossible because of the restraint of time.”

“Without eSUB, we couldn’t have really gotten this far.”

Jason Yano, Director of Operations at Monarch Mechanical

Monarch Mechanical HVAC’s experience with eSUB highlights the significant benefits of transitioning to a specialized project management platform. Their case study showcases the importance of ease of use, tailored features, and the positive impact on operational efficiency, project management, and client relations. Monarch Mechanical’s story is a compelling example of how the right software can drive organizational growth and success for growing construction companies.