Construction Monthly Magazine | Tampa 2023 Build Expo Show Edition

THE SUPPLIER
DILEMMA
design choices. This helps companies save
money in the short and long term.
3. DigiBuild monitors and procures
subcontractors and suppliers to ensure that
materials are ordered on time and within budget
for specification. DigiBuild tailors the needs
of each customer, depending on whether the
general contractor self-performs and selfprocures
or has subs that do the ordering.
4. DigiBuild provides workflow management
for all project development and construction
workflows, including contracts, field reports,
payments, and RFIs.
How many suppliers should you have?
One … two … more? It’s a question
you can’t avoid and one that directly
impacts your bottom line.
Suppliers play a central role in the success of
your construction business and your ability to
grow profits. So, finding ways to establish and
manage those relationships is vital.
A good supplier will provide high-quality
products at a good price and at the right time.
They will be a partner to help find better options
when supply chain disruptions occur or when
product availability changes. In other words, they
can either make or break your business.
Because of that, you need a supplier
management process that gives you the ability
to reliably partner with the best sources for your
construction needs. Your supplier management
process goes further than just choosing the
right vendor. It outlines the process of building
trust with suppliers and improving on the
services they provide. It means establishing and
maintaining good relationships. It helps the
supplier, who exists outside your business,
to feel like they’re part of the team and that
your business values them. It helps you have a
seamless, trusted relationship that motivates the
supplier to provide excellent service.
Having a single supplier for each category for
each item on your project would make that goal
much easier.
A single-supplier strategy means you are making
a commitment to purchase a given resource
from just one supplier. If the supplier is wellmatched
and reliable, it can make establishing
relationships and trust easier. It can also help
bring down costs through economies of scale.
It can make selections and deliveries more
efficient through familiarity.
But relying on a single source also exposes you
to risk. If your supplier doesn’t have a strong
cash flow, they may not be able to deliver what
you want, when you need it … or be able to
14 CONSTRUCTIONMONTHLY.COM
keep up with the pace of your supply needs.
Worse, they could go out of business putting
your whole project in jeopardy. They could also
fail to bring in critical supplies in the event of a
disaster, like a major storm or a fire, that disrupts
their operations.
So, when crafting an optimal supply chain
strategy, it’s important to balance the benefits
and efficiencies that come with single suppliers
with the need to reduce risk with multiple
suppliers. That means buying from a carefully
targeted, select group. With a smaller group of
suppliers, you’ll be able to have more control
over your supply process. Your company will
become more valuable to the suppliers because
of the amount of business you give them. And
you’ll be more likely to make deals that give you
an extra competitive advantage.
Your portfolio of suppliers should be large
enough to ensure the supply chain has the
capacity and flexibility to easily furnish the
needs of your project, while not having so
many that the complexity impairs tracking,
communication, or quality control.
That’s where DigiBuild can give you the right
balance. DigiBuild is a software solution built
from the ground up by people who know the
construction industry to specifically meet the
needs of the construction industry. DigiBuild’s
software suite helps solve the industry’s biggest
pain points, including supply chain and material
management, payments, and risk management.
There are five major ways
that DigiBuild can help you:
1. DigiBuild helps companies find, order, and
track materials for their construction projects.
They also aid in managing budgets and tracking
materials to ensure that projects are completed
on time and within budget. DigiBuild’s software
also captures data to provide insights to improve
processes.
2. DigiBuild provides visibility into material
pricing and lead times to make ideal
development and
5. DigiBuild can also provide turnkey furniture,
fixtures, and equipment (FFE) solutions. This
involves ordering and installing FFE for owners,
particularly for hotel builders who require the
service.
DigiBuild’s services are designed to help
companies increase their profits and achieve
better project outcomes. Their software
solutions are tailored to meet the unique needs
of each customer, and they offer a range of
services that can assist companies throughout
the entire construction project lifecycle.
DigiBuild is a minority and woman-led company
and was founded by Robert Salvador and April
Moss, who are experienced builders, project
managers, and construction technologists.
DigiBuild was just names one of the Top 50
Smart Jobsite Technologies by BuiltWorlds.
Rob Salvador is the CEO and Co-Founder of DigiBuild
and the visionary driving force behind the company.
He has managed over $500M in construction projects
and was recently named to the list of “25 Rising Stars
in Tech” by Crain’s Chicago Business. He is a frequent
speaker and educator for groups like BuiltWorlds and
the Construction Institute
April Moss is the Chief Operating Officer and Co-
Founder of DigiBuild, with over 20 years of experience
developing sales teams with some of the largest
global companies, including Procter & Gamble and
Starbucks. Prior to her career with P&G, she was a
Realtor and worked for the Construction Specification
Institute in Washington D.C., fueling her interest in
real estate development. She is a market and retail
strategy expert who has a passion for making sure that
DigiBuild helps to relieve the burden on construction
people and their families as it works to improve the
construction process.
Together, Rob and April lead DigiBuild in achieving
their mission of revolutionizing the global construction
industry by building solutions and connected platforms
that create a healthier and more efficient industry.