The Phone Call

Imagine my delight when I received the call asking, "How can MySmartPlans help us get a loan?"  The banker has always been in the dark. What happened to the day when the motto "He who holds the gold makes the rules?" still rang true.  In the past there has not been a solution for the banker to be in the mix of information. Now, with MySmartPlans, just the push a button produces meeting minutes, plans, specs, emails...ANSWERS.  Button-pushing has changed the role of the banker. Now we are offered from the bank down.  New conversations, real questions based on facts. Imagine the world with transparency. 

The moral to the story: new policy has created another safety net for the banker. 

Contact us for a real transparent solution! www.mysmartplans.com

The As-Builts...Where Are They?

While sitting in my office focused on my mission - my phone rings. "I have someone here to see you," states the receptionist. I cleared my schedule for an on-demand meeting.  I watched the fear in the eyes that sat across from me, as the man said, "Can you help us?"  Before I could answer, I had to know the problem, of course. Was it charity? No! It was much worse. The man states he is in charge of the documents at a "large" project and they can not get their as-builts together.  The owner was pushing for the information (amidst all the finger pointing) and trying to gather information. Here is the great news: MySmartPlans builds a complete closeout from day one!! Click a button and there are your as-builts. Imagine a world of button-pushing instead of finger-pointing? 

This project was in the middle of construction. We were brought to the owner and he hired us on the spot. I feel like a super hero; one more project saved and one more family that now has their family time uninterrupted by thoughts of disorganization!  Ahh, the cape I will get to wear one day!

Audit Does Not Have To Equal Nightmare

Imagine a world of transparency with third party managers pushing and pulling information.  In this world everyone would be on the same page, budgets would stand, and project managers would have documentation to support any changes.  This world does exist! MySmartPlans is changing the audit process!

What Is The "Cut" Costing You?

Can you believe 18% of all cuts on a drawing go to the land of the unknown?  Cuts that are lost create chaos in the marketplace via phone calls, finger pointing, incomplete bids, etc.  Imagine a world that is linked, bookmarked and ready to build?  MySmartPlans creates this environment. All stakeholders are on the same page.

Check us out: www.mysmartplans.com

Courage...Courage...Courage!

This is the word of the year. It takes courage to be transparent; to see truth, and the rewards are the end result. MySmartPlans is on a mission to change the world with courage! The Project Manager and Owner need to be on the same page at the same time. With that said, even the painter needs to be 'in the know'. Project communication and the audit trail are the two most important components. 

Old business and old technology did not involve this process. A handshake was the best to be had. With MySmartPlans, being on the same page involves the same hand shake; however it opens doors to true and unending relationships.  Lawsuits and litigation are a thing of the past. Best Practice voices facts and transparency.  Check us out!

Zurich and Richard Andrews!

I just met with Richard Andrews of Zurich in Phoenix, AZ. He said, "I want to introduce you to some of our clients," as Zurich is calling us one of their 'Best Practices'! Bill Vandroves and his team met also met with us. They were great and were so excited to learn about MySmartPlans. We are in the process of the startup with Kitchell, customizing a dashboard specifically for their group. 

MySmartPlans is the ONLY company that manages all the information for a construction project. We eliminate 80% of all paper, push the float out of the schedule and create a village that allows everyone to be on the same page!  Our motto is "even the painter needs to know," 

The only sad part, I am now on my way back to the cold, dreary weather of Missouri...the weather was amazing in Phoenix!

Never Say No....

If you are reading this, right now, your mind is probably wondering, "Where I am going to go with this?"  The call came in on Friday afternoon. I was sitting in a meeting. The caller ID shows it's my son who's stationed in Norfolk, VA, so I pick up the call.  "Mom," he says, "I have some bad news. I am being deployed to Libya as an emergency on Tuesday. I won't be home for the wedding in July." He had just returned from a seven month deployment, now to leave again.  He said he was coming home in the morning and getting married on Sunday.  Ok!? My mind was racing. How do we get a license? A venue? A cake? Photographer, dress, suit, flowers, caterer? I shifted into high gear and went! Here are the results:

First, an enormous thank you to Kathy Dusenbury for getting us in front of the Recorder of Deeds in Platte County. Thank you Ms, Recorder for meeting us on Sunday morning at 9:00am to get the license. Second, thank you John and Mary Barth and Karen Salas for the venue, it was amazing! Thank you Mike Berry for officiating the wedding. Thank you Costco for the flowers. Thank you Jenny Frazee for being the photographer. Thank you to so many unsung heroes and our family for jumping in and making this happen.  My son and his wife experienced all the events of a traditional wedding; from walking down the isle to the first dance to the leaving in the decorated car! We are a make-it-happen family, which is why I am writing this, but we are also a
make-it-happen company!!!

Live planholders list...

Sounds simple?  Not really, here in Kansas City for an owner to get an accurate count of who is bidding his project, he would have 14 locations to find a plan holders list. Mysmartplans has a live planholders list, with a click of a button. The power in the planholders list..Here is a true story...

Hosptial project bidding, the owner sees that only one bidder has his documents to bid the glass, instead of calling his GC or Architect, he searches the spec book and finds that a warranty for 50 years that  was inserted for the glass.  He said,"remove the warranty and replace with a standard warranty, push back out for bids."  The result, many more opportunity for him to get an accurate bid.

What is it costing you only getting 1/2 of the story?  Call today to see a live demo! http://www.mysmartplans.com/

MySmartPlans New Project Announcement

Today we announced engagement on a new healthcare project - Children's Mercy Clinics on Broadway-Laboratory and Radiology - located in Kansas City, Missouri. The construction budget is $700,000. The client is Children’s Mercy Hospital. Their website is www.childrens-mercy.org.  The architect is WSKF Architects. Their website is www.wskfarch.com.

MySmartPlans New Project Announcement

Today, we announced the engagement on a new healthcare project  - Research Belton Hospital - located in Belton, Missouri. The construction budget is $21 million. The client is Hospital Corporation of America (HCA). Their website is www.hcahealthcare.com. The GC is JE Dunn Construction. Their website is http://www.jedunn.com/. The architect is Perkins & Will. Their website is www.perkinswill.com.  

MySmartPlans New Project Announcement

Today, we announced the engagement on a new educational project - College of Holy Cross Synthetic Track and Field Hockey Turf Renovation - located in Worcester, Massachusetts. The construction budget is $2 million. The architect and client is JJA Sports of Westford, Massachusetts. Their website is www.jjasports.com. Congratulations to our reseller Bob Kesten!

Business Like It's 1999...

1999 new technology was online plan rooms...the wave of information. Today it's MySmartPlans! In 1999 everyone said, "Oh, I have to have paper. This is never going to work." Today, the same thing rings true in regards to the excuses some people have for NOT using MySmartPlans. Here's what hear and how we prove them wrong:

1. "The SubContractor will never use this"::  We currently have over 10,000 subs using our system. They demand us.
2. "Architects will chose their own system":  Currently we have 2 of the largest Architectural firms using our system, one firm alone has 22 projects with us.
3. "It is not in the budget":  MySmartPlans advances the schedule as much as 30%, enough said!
4. "We have our own system":  Everyone that works with us has their own system. We fill in where theirs fails.
5. "The owner will never pay for this":  Invite us in to share with your owner. Be a leader not a follower. We have an 86% closing rate for owners. They see us and hire us on the spot.
6.  Attorneys: "You just put our paralegals out of work".  Priceless!
7. "We get electronic closeout now":  We are an organized, archived, electronic closeout that is started from day one!
8. "We can build our own system";  Really? We interviewed over 700,000 contractors to build our system. It's a basic concept - make it look simple on the outside and simple to use. However, there are over 200 steps the drawings go through before they reach the dashboard.
9. "We like burning CD's": Now, we are talking to the person who's family member is in the office burning CD's. We eliminate that process...we like to call that repositioning.
10. "We don't have room on our server":  We are a local application. We have our own servers that store all information. Or, if you prefer, we can reside on your servers as we do with the GSA. ,
Check us out:
http://www.mysmartplans.com/
www.mysmartplans.gsa.gov

Most Important Piece On A Toy?

What is the most important piece on a toy? The answer might be the directions. Perhaps it's the toy itself.

But I see it differently. I see it as the picture on the box that tells me what my toy is going to look like.  MySmartPlans is the picture: this is how construction should look.  From pre-con to closeout, everyone is on the same page and all information is available for everyone to see. Silo behavior is not effective.  Today you can change the picture of your project...it is the most important part!

What Does It Cost?

We hear this all the time, "What does your service cost?"

Great question. Before I answer, I want to know what your old  behavior is costing you now?  What is it costing with everyone NOT being on the same page?  What is your liability to risk, to safety?  What does the misinformation and fingerpointing cost?  We touch the docuemnt several hundred times before the dashboard sees the information.  Our solution moves the schedule ahead as much as 30%. We identify an 18% variation in the budget from day one.

Our solution is .0015 of the construction budget. How can you afford not to hire us? 

Visit our website http://www.mysmartplans.com/

24 Hours Is All It Could Take...

Yesterday, this call came in, "We just viewed a demo of MySmartPlans yesterday and would like to start a project." This is a true story. One of our newest reseller's in Virginia presented a MySmartPlans demo to a nearby architecture firm who was previously unaware of our solution. This took place on Monday, February 7th, at 9am. By 8am Tuesday, the 8th, the architecture firm had our proposal in hand, and by 5pm that SAME DAY, our MySmartPlans dashboard was up and running for the new project.

From presentation to sale in less than 24 hours! That's how powerful MySmartPlans is!

One call says it all..Integrated Project Delivery

The call comes in. "We would like a demo. We heard about your software and while we researched you we realized that your company has been built on grass roots...little advertising, just big results!"  The demo was 30 minutes. Mouse-driven, time capsule technology. The end of the call they ask, "How do we get started?"  Our closing rate is 85%! When you see what we do...it is easy to say yes!

Today..Today Was The Day...

The call came in. "We are bringing you to Dallas to meet with a large insurance provider." They want to mandate MySmartPlans to manage their documents. Transparency, time capsule technology, mouse-driven, Integrated Project Delivery. Need I say more?  MySmartPlans to the rescue!!

Integrated Project Delivery

MySmartPlans allows everyone to be on the same page, eliminating 80% of all paper, advancing the schedule up to 30 %, eliminate admin cost, we bring 15 people to the team to manage all documents. Time Capsule technology, building the closeout as you go, allowing access to all stakeholders, unlimited seats, project specific.  Check out our website, www.mysmartplans.com

What?? Subcontractors Are Asking For Mysmartplans!?

Dear Mysmartplans,

I had to share with you that your software is helping me get more opportunity!  Here is why:


1. Convenience of the information at my fingertips...it couldn’t be any easier.

2. Easy exporting of the organized and bookmarked pdf’s to import into my estimating software.

3. Knowing that I have all the information i.e. calendar of upcoming bid information, addenda, site information, bidders, schedule, photos and much more.

4. Time. The speed of using MySmartPlans allows me to do my takeoff in half the time of conventional methods, i.e. paper or online planrooms.

The four points that I have mentioned above allow me more accurate information which allows me to give the GC/Owner a more accurate bid. Convenience and time are the most important factors to me as a subcontractor and time equals money.

Who Has My Documents..

Such a familiar question. "Who has the document?" "Did we approve that to be done?"  "Where is the change order?" "Lawsuit? Why? I will send you the document as soon as my staff finds it."  These sayings ring true even on Wall Street. Mr. Madoff was the master of this game.

MySmartPlans is eliminating this process. Mr. Madoff no longer has the ability to hide the information.  In construction the documents hold so much information. Third party management is the wave of the future. Jump on our ship today!

CEO Who Knows The Pain....

Can you imagine starting a software company on accident?  That is exactly what happened in 2006. My husband and I purchased reprographic equipment contained in a 700 sq. foot garage with the intent to change the world of construction.  The questions came and the eyes rolled as we proclaimed our intent: to change an industry from the inside out. 
The change started with the pain of the past. For 36 years my husband ran and managed the largest painting contractor in our city. We spent our Saturdays at the job site. He called it breakfast, however, we always landed at the job site...in the job trailer...asking a series of questions...watching the project managers cut and paste changes to the drawing from the week before. To fix this, we focused on current delivery of information then transformed that process - by eliminating the online plan rooms, making the drawings 'smart', and allowing everyone to see all information regarding the job.  Every facet of information from as-builts to job photos is deposited in a living archive from day one. This piece is priceless! Big dreams equal big results! Today we manage over $3.5 billion dollars in live construction projects.  Our owners are mandating us and insurance companies push us.  The accident became real. The words spoken became true: revolutionizing construciton one project at a time!

Driven by the Mouse..

Technology today is so complicated for the end-user. What should I push? Where should I go? What is my password?  MySmartPlans is designed to be driven by the mouse; one click and there is your document. Can you imagine a subcontractor searching for documents? Yikes! Transparency is the key. Silo behavior is gone and the door to communication is now open. 

Safety Lives...

Finally the wave is catching on with the banking industry. The meeting went like this:  Mr. Banker, can you imagine complete transparency when lending your money?  Quiet..I do now?  MySmartPlans to the rescue. Can you click a button and read meeting minutes?  Do you have the ability to see changes, pictures, and videos of the project?  Quiet..then out comes the pen. Where do I sign?  I have a 100 million dollar loan in process and you will be written in the conditions.

One more opportunity to save the day!

Everyone is Talking..

MySmartPlans loves to hear from the cheerleaders of our service. Yesterday at lunch I was stopped by a large subcontractor who asked, "Are you with MySmartPlans?" I answered, "Yes". The subcontractors response, "We love your product! MySmartPlans has changed the way we manage our projects. Our team is all on the same page, how did you come up with this?!" 

I have to say, they must not read much because every chance I get to tell the story about how we started I do.  Here it goes again. We founded MySmartPlans from the pain of a commercial painting subcontractor. We focused on his challenges and came up with a new forward-thinking solution.

Change the chaos in your life. Create transparency and profit with the time capsule and time given back to the project.

http://www.mysmartplans.com/

I Can Only Imagine..,.

It's the end of a construction project. You're ready to move onto your next project and so much of your life has gone into this work. You're excited to closeout this project when it occurs to you, "How am I going to manage this project from here on out? Where where I store all of these documents?"  Electronically?!  That is how! Then you realize your electronic documents are not able to be found. Now what to do?  MySmartPlans to the rescue! Our closeout process starts day one and is available for everyone to see project photos, videos, owners training videos, smart rooms, plans, specs, etc. Plus, it's organized and easily retrieved.  MySmartPlans changes the dynamics of the project; everyone is on the same page!

Easy, Easy, Easy..We Get This All The Time...

When MySmartPlans was in development, our philosophy was "even the painter needs to know".  Easy was the word, so our thought was make it look easy on the outside but build it smart from the inside.  Documents go through a vigorous process before they make it on the MySmartPlans dashboard. 143 items are addressed before the dashboard sees them and before they go public.  Even the painter can print on demand.  Even the engineer knows what is going on with the painter. We eliminate silo behavior. We build a village armed with information.

Everyone is talking! We are performing the task to walk the walk and talk the talk. There are no more SURPRISES! Imagine your life today knowing that everyone has the documents and the risk is mitigated? 

Talk to me!