Two Cs make all the difference at Chicago Electrical Company (CECO) –communication and commitment to quality, according to Tim Havlat, project estimator. Communication helped the CECO team navigate the uncertainty from the pandemic. They use a range of tools, including email, text, SharePoint, and Teams to stay in touch. These last two Microsoft tools helped CECO share documents and drawing forms from the field directly to the office. When the field and the office can’t be in the same room, they can still be on the same page.

Staying on the same page helps CECO maintain their commitment to quality. After an email exchange failed to address a missing order of baseboard heaters, the company’s owner hopped on a red eye flight so he could speak directly with the manufacturers on site in North Carolina to straighten it out. Technology helps CECO stay adaptable and efficient.

Tim’s favorite Syscon tool is the Field Integrated Time (F.I.T.) System for collecting field time. He said that F.I.T. has cut down on the number of hours that multiple staff spend each week on payroll and has overall streamlined their payroll process. As the end user, Tim appreciates that he can speak with the people who built the F.I.T. System and that they listen to his feedback. Technology is a powerful tool that can make people’s lives easier and makes CECO’s work more efficient.