EP 006: All You Need to Know About Scaffolding Software with Brian Webb and Ali Hajighafouri
Tammie Miller and Tim Oleszczuk, your hosts, welcome you to another episode of the Deal Team Six Podcast. Today they are accompanied by Brian Webb founder and CEO of Avontus Software and Ali Hajighafouri, Sales Director for Avontus, to talk about scaffolding, software, data, and technology.
Before Avontus, there was a lack of user-friendly software for scaffolding and formwork companies. Avontus saw an opportunity to vastly improve the way this market operates. Avontus now has offices in three continents to support over 4,000 end-users that rely on their software every day. Avontus’ software also manages scaffolding in about 80 percent of the refining capacity in the U.S., and the majority of the top 10 industrial scaffolding companies are using their software. As Avontus has grown and changed, they have always stayed true to their core belief in helping customers find the best solutions for their individual needs.
Episode Transcription
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(2:00) Brian shares his background
(8:25) Brian talks about the beginning of Avontus
(12:40) Brian talks about his first customers
(13:43) The evolution of Avontus from offering a spreadsheet program for scaffold tracking and management to consulting and software
(19:00) Brian explains the matter of Avontus’ inventory
(22:07) Simple ways to track your inventory
(26:03) Brian talks about Avontus’ vision which is for a scaffolding company to have every software needed, except accounting
(28:52) Ali explains what 3D, 4D, and 5D technologies are about
(33:20) If you’re not keeping inventory, you’re losing inventory
(34:44) Ali talks about how to approach the slowdown after acquiring equipment
(36:58) Utilization in the scaffolding industry
(45:20) Ali talks about virtual and augmented reality
(53:15)The importance of visual communication from the earliest stages of the customer relationship
(56:28) Software is getting very specialized
(1:03:37) Scaffolding companies need technology for safety
Additional Related Resources
Blog Post: 7 Things to Think About When Selling Your Scaffolding Business
Blog Post: 8 Things Buyers Look at When Buying a Scaffolding Company
Blog Post: Scaffolding Inventory Control
MEET YOUR HOSTS
Tammie Miller and Tim Oleszczuk started the Deal Team Six® Podcast because they saw that there was lack of representation for middle market businesses in the investment banking world. This podcast will include stories from previous transactions, M&A market information, and candid discussions around topics that are important to business owners contemplating a sale. Most of the topics are inspired by former clients and past transactions