Like many industries that have been around for a long time, the construction business has been a little slow to catch up to modern practices. Not only is it challenging for companies to adapt in the digital age, but it’s also becoming a tough task to find workers for the future. Many companies are stuck in old ways of thinking, with the potential of getting left behind.
President and CEO of The Pavement Group, Brian Hess is working hard to meet those challenges head on. His company is shaking up the normal practices by relying heavily on technology and digital marketing, something Hess says is not always welcomed by veterans of the industry.
“The construction industry is going through a massive change with technology and digital marketing being new to most people in construction, and in some cases, not welcomed,” Hess said. “We also face a challenge with having enough people interested in working in our industry in the future.”
Ushering in the Future of Construction
Instead of sticking to old ways of the business, Brain Hess is going above and beyond to meet new needs. Hess launched The Pavement Group in March 2018 with two things in mind: to create a company that solved the biggest challenges clients face and to foster a company culture that every employee in the industry would want to be part of.
When the company first launched, it had to face many typical challenges that befall a new business. The company had to overcome issues, such as lack of funding, while also developing a recognizable brand. Hess says they have jumped over those hurdles “by being a leader in both technology and digital marketing, while also creating an undeniable social media presence.”
The company has been very conservative with the profits made. But most importantly, they have addressed a challenge that clients face in receiving updates throughout a construction project. They’ve seen the value in building an online presence and are reinvesting every dollar into that, Hess said. The Pavement Group has prioritized building a technology-driven customer experience that separates them from every other contractor.
Leveraging the Power of Social Media
But the online presence doesn’t stop there. Social media is proving to be a valuable tool to help fill shoes in the future. Getting people interested requires new recruitment approaches, and that means reaching people online. Instead of running away from something new, Hess is embracing all the possibilities that social media has to offer. He says that the online presence has made more people interested in not only working for the company, but also in the construction industry in general.
Hess has shown that he can overcome challenges within his own company, while tackling even bigger ones in the industry. The Pavement Group continues to grow and rise above challenges. The goal is for the company to be in 15 cities in the next 10 years, with expansion to several more cities over the next 2-3 years.
