The Case for Performance Efficiency in Construction

Construction leaders today aren’t just under pressure to build — they’re expected to build better, faster, and more profitable.

Efficiency is no longer optional — it's a necessity for survival. The construction companies that will scale are those who turn insight into action faster and more strategically than their competition.

The result is performance efficiency: the ability to see clearly, decide confidently, and act proactively across finance, operations, and IT.

The Efficiency Gap: Where Construction Leaders Are Losing Ground

Only one-quarter of companies are set up to achieve sustainable growth over time. This is even more complex in the construction industry, where many still rely on disconnected systems and manual processes that cause blown budgets, missed deadlines, and stalled growth.

Let’s be clear: inefficiency is a performance issue. And it’s costing your business more than you think.

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Financial Efficiency: Insight That Protects Margin

Construction leaders can’t afford to operate in the dark. Accurate, real-time financial insights like profit margins, cash flow, and job-level performance are critical to confident, strategic decisions.

Yet while 95% of CFOs know that improving reporting and dashboards will enhance strategic decision-making, many remain stuck with outdated dashboards and manual processes, flying blind in a competitive landscape.

Here’s what financial performance efficiency looks like:

• Real-time job profitability tracking tied to field activity
• Integrated WIP, payroll, and billing data for faster closes and better forecasting
• Standardized, automated reporting that eliminates rekeying and version confusion

Dive Deeper: How to Turn Financial Insights Into a Competitive Edge

Operational Efficiency: Streamlined Processes, Stronger Output

Rework, delays, and missed deadlines cost the construction industry $31 billion in lost productivity annually. Most operational teams are stuck reacting to these challenges, rather than operating proactively, with studies showing that 70% of time is spent on non-value-added tasks.

Successful operational leaders identify issues early, coordinate resources seamlessly, and make the most proactive decisions based on strong data.

Here’s what operational performance efficiency looks like:

• Automated daily field reporting tied directly to job cost and schedule
• Centralized communication between PMs, supers, and finance
• Consistent workflows that eliminate redundancy and reduce rework

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Technical Efficiency: Turning Technology from Overhead to Advantage

Technology in construction is often underutilized or overly complex.

Consider this:

• 39% of our clients have multiple software tools performing the same function.
• 35% report poor adoption of technology investments.
• 31% say tech spend exceeds ROI.

A modern tech stack isn’t just about automation. It’s about enabling the people closest to the work to act on the right information at the right time.

Here’s what technology performance efficiency looks like:

• Unified platforms that reduce redundant tools and integration patchwork
• Secure access controls across apps and devices
• Real-time data environments that support collaboration between departments

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Efficiency in Action: Real-World Case Studies

Alliance Partition Systems: From $5M to $50M with financial precision

Alliance Partition Systems (APS) faced scaling pains as it grew from $5M to $50M in revenue. The founder acted as bookkeeper, creating slow bonding processes, delayed reporting, and financial uncertainty.

We worked together to build an accounting team, implemented CFO-level guidance with custom dashboards, and ensured clean, reliable financials.

The Results:

• Monthly WIP reporting improved from hours to seconds
• Real-time insights fueled proactive operational and strategic decisions
• Financial clarity empowered confidence with lenders and bonding agents

Building Zone Industries

Building Zone Industries’ (BZI) field operations were cutting-edge, but their back-office systems stalled overall performance.

Partnering with Eide Bailly, BZI implemented NetSuite as a financial foundation and then worked to integrate its revenue cycle into a streamlined digital ecosystem across departments.

The Results:

“Eide Bailly has helped us increase our operational and financial efficiency exponentially.”

— Silas Collentine, Systems Integration Specialist | BZI

Turn Visibility into Your Competitive Edge

Efficient performance doesn’t come from isolated department improvements. It comes from cross-collaboration and leadership alignment.

When each function operates from the same source of truth, performance becomes measurable, scalable, and resilient.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Assess your current-state visibility. Where are the gaps between departments, systems, and decisions?
2. Quantify your inefficiencies. How much time, money, and margin are you losing to delays, rework, and reactive fixes?
3. Prioritize strategic improvements. Start with the processes that impact cash, compliance, or client trust.
4. Align your leadership. Efficiency is a team sport. Finance, ops, and IT must move together.

Better visibility isn’t just a reporting advantage — it’s a competitive one. At Eide Bailly, we help construction firms transform disconnected efforts into integrated, scalable performance. Let’s build smarter together.