By Corey Smith, Owner of DMA Floors
With the Starnet Spring Meeting around the corner, I wanted to take a moment to share my thoughts on a topic that’s critical to all of us: future-proofing our businesses. We’ve all spent decades building our companies, navigating challenges, and adapting to changes in the industry. But the speed at which construction is evolving today demands more than just experience and hard work—it requires new strategies and tools to stay ahead.
One of the biggest challenges subcontractors face today is staying organized amid the chaos of multiple bids, documents, and project tasks. Without a centralized system, information gets scattered across emails and spreadsheets, making it difficult to track opportunities and ensure follow-ups happen. Just as critical is accuracy—missing key plan pages or specifications can lead to costly mistakes, while searching through hundreds of pages for relevant details eats up valuable time.
Beyond daily efficiency, future-proofing means thinking long-term. The workforce across all levels of our industry is aging—not just installers, but also experienced sales and project management professionals. The knowledge they’ve accumulated over decades will retire with them unless we implement systems to capture and transfer that expertise. JENGAI’s AI Analyzer plays a key role in this by structuring industry intelligence that the next generation can rely on.
Another crucial aspect of staying competitive is visibility into the sales pipeline. Without a strong CRM system, we risk losing track of potential work and missing out on critical follow-ups. Having remote accessibility is equally important, especially for salespeople on the road who need real-time access to project information. These tools don’t just improve efficiency today—they ensure we’re building a smarter, more sustainable business for the future.
That’s why I believe embracing technology, particularly AI-driven solutions like JENGAI, is no longer optional—it’s essential. I heard about the platform a little over a year ago, and after a couple of calls with Shayne, decided to embrace the challenge and willingly begin the process of changing my processes to guarantee a brighter future ahead. Today, at DMA Floors, we've seen firsthand how implementing the right tools can truly transform how we operate, making us more efficient, competitive, and ultimately more profitable.
The Daily Struggles of a Subcontractor
For years, we were constantly playing catch-up. Our salespeople would focus more on getting the next bid out rather than the actual sales process of following up to close the deal. JENGAI provides them with a structured way to schedule and track follow-ups while giving owners and sales managers visibility into the status of bids—without needing to constantly ask for updates. This shift ensures that critical opportunities aren’t slipping through the cracks.
On top of that, estimating was becoming a bigger challenge. The sheer volume of documents we had to review on every job increased the risk of missing critical details. Just recently, we found out the hard way how costly this can be. On a bid from before JENGAI, an architect listed wall tile on an obscure page that didn’t seem flooring-related, and we missed it. That single oversight cost us $8,500. After running the AI Analyzer on the same set of plans, it immediately flagged the detail, proving that if we had been using JENGAI at the time, the mistake wouldn’t have happened. Catching just one of these potential misses can easily cover the cost of the platform, making it an invaluable tool for our business every day.
Gaining Control Over the Chaos
I won’t pretend that introducing a new system was easy. Change is hard, and shifting away from old habits took time. But staying stuck in inefficient routines would have cost us more in the long run. The short-term effort of implementation was necessary to build a business that runs smoother and smarter.
What I’m starting to see now is a shift—from reactive problem-solving to proactive management. With JENGAI as a centralized system in place, we no longer rely on scattered spreadsheets or emails to know where a bid stands or what my sales team is working on. Everything is in one place, and more importantly, it’s accessible to everyone who needs it. Our team can quickly find project details, plans, and specs without having to dig through folders or track down the right person.
I’ve also noticed a major difference in how we handle follow-ups. In the past, we assumed our salespeople were chasing leads, but we had no way to really know. We now have a clear picture of what’s in the pipeline and can make sure we’re staying on top of it, ensuring we stay engaged with the right opportunities. It’s no longer a guessing game, and we can proactively manage relationships with general contractors instead of reacting too late.
The biggest shift, though, has been in estimating. The AI Analyzer is now a core part of our estimating process and helps us quickly identify key details in plans, making it easier to catch potential mistakes before they happen. This not only saves us time but also reduces costly errors that could impact our bottom line.
A Future Built on Efficiency
I know we’re not alone in facing these challenges. Every subcontractor I talk to is dealing with too many moving parts, too much information to track, and not enough visibility into what’s happening in their business. But what I’ve realized is that these problems are not and should not be just part of the job; they’re things we can fix.
Looking ahead, I see even more opportunities to refine the way we work. One of the things I’ve really come to appreciate is working with a team that’s truly committed to making a difference in our industry. JENGAI isn’t just another software company—they are actively improving the platform with real, meaningful updates. We see new releases once or twice a month, and each one brings features that directly address the challenges we face. It’s reassuring to know we’re working with people who listen, understand, and continuously push to make our jobs easier. If we can streamline pricing, improve scheduling, and create smarter workflows within JENGAI, we won’t just be keeping up with industry changes—we’ll be setting the pace.
Final Thoughts
The theme of this year’s Starnet Spring Meeting is Future Proof, and I can’t think of a more fitting topic for where we are as an industry. The truth is, if we don’t evolve, we’ll be left behind. Our businesses need more than just good craftsmanship and relationships to succeed in the next decade—they need efficiency, precision, and adaptability. That means leveraging technology to work smarter, eliminating bottlenecks in our operations, and creating systems that help us see and solve problems before they happen.
Every owner knows how much is at stake in this business. We’ve built something great, but maintaining success in a rapidly changing market requires new strategies. If we measure it, we can improve it. If we improve it, we can future-proof it. Let’s not just stay afloat—let’s make sure we flourish in the years ahead.
Looking forward to seeing everyone at the meeting and hearing your thoughts on how we can all keep pushing forward.
Corey Smith
Owner, DMA Floors