Technical Update – Finding Solutions

By Vernon Thomas, Executive Director of ASA Georgia

So what happened at the July 19^th meeting?  Well, the biggest thing that happened was the presentation of a very insightful view of where the construction industry is headed when it comes to advances in technology.  This meeting was held at the offices of Kahua and as mentioned before they have been working on some very cutting-edge Apps for the construction industry.

This meeting really emphasized the need for the subcontract community to be involved in the development of this software.  Without our input the software being developed will not be nearly as effective as it should be when it comes to serving the interests of the construction industry!

The presentation also included information on an App that Kahua has developed and one that is being developed.  The “Qualify” App allows a subcontractor to update their business profile to a multitude of GC’s without having to duplicate efforts.  The App that is being developed is a way to profile general contractors.  The “GC Profile” App is similar to the Business Partners Interchange, or BPI, but it will be much more sophisticated and provide a much larger database to draw from.  This App will allow subcontractors to rate GC’s and provide specific information on how a GC conducts their business.  Other areas that Kahua is lending their expertise centers on more efficient ways to insure and check on payments which is something that is very near and dear to every subcontractor.

An interesting side note to this meeting is the involvement of ASA National concerning the progress that is being made by Kahua and how it will impact subcontractors and the construction industry.  I met with Richard Bright, who is the Chief Operating Officer for ASA National, on July 26^th.  He had come down to visit with Kahua and we met for lunch after his meeting with them.  ASA National sees the value in what is being done and also sees the opportunity that the Georgia Chapter has in helping to lead an effort to give input into the technology that can make our business more efficient and profitable.

We are going to have more meetings that will center on the development of technology and how we can help shape the future progress of these software Apps.  I hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity and come to these meetings prepared to share your ideas!