The Challenge

Family-Centric Electrical Contractor Seeks Transparency

From its humble beginnings in a family garage, Central Electric has been providing electrical services to the San Antonio, Texas area since 1975. Now a well-respected second generation family-owned company, Central Electric is steered by Chris Martinez, who continues to champion a focus on “growing people through lasting relationships.” 

Central Electric was scheduling their entire team on a large whiteboard and smartsheets, but only one dedicated employee had visibility. This lack of transparency resulted in confusing meetings and challenging communication. Personal calls had to be made to each employee in the field to ensure they were on the correct job. With a mission of providing the best professional, reliable and dedicated service available, Central Electric looked for a way to better manage their own people to ensure they had the right team members assigned to the right jobs — and found LaborChart.

The Solution

Outdated Practices Are Now Streamlined Processes

After trying to fill the gap of workforce management in every way possible, from whiteboards and magnetic boards to spreadsheets, Central Electric enjoys up-to-date information at the click of a button with the WFM platform. Scheduling is no longer a time-wasting headache since the implementation of WFM software. Now, the right stakeholders have visibility into current labor availability and assignment at a moment’s notice. Martinez and his team have seen improvement in communication, thanks to digital WFM that breaks down the barriers between the field and office. Now, a simple text message alerts skilled workers of assignment updates and everyone can stay aligned with cloud-based real-time information.

The Result

Developing a Well-Rounded Workforce

Central Electric has been able to shift their focus to the development of their valued team. Previously, Central Electric had discovered inefficiencies in their apprenticeship program and tracking certifications. Cloud-based WFM solved this issue with instant insight into current certifications and which team members have the opportunity to become more equipped and trained. Each stakeholder’s visibility, with the right permissions, lets them see where they’ll be assigned moving forward, ensuring a steady stream of communication and skill growth. This transparency allows Central Electric to continuously improve their team and live out their mission on every project, every day.

Watch Central Electric’s WFM Story

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