Faith Technologies Blog

What is it Like Being an Estimator?

Mike Blise — Tue, 22 May 2012 12:00:12 +0000

During my 30+ years of doing electrical construction cost estimates, I have been asked on numerous occasions, “Why would anyone want to be an estimator?” Estimating is actually one of the most important components of the electrical contracting process. An estimator is one of the contractor’s first individuals to touch a project, and how they handle their responsibilities is a huge part of determining a project’s success – but it requires a special skill set...

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University of Oklahoma, Four Partners Place Coming to a Close

Krista Knabenbauer — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:13 +0000

Earlier this year, Faith Technologies began work on its largest data center project to date – Four Partners Place - a 75,000 square foot multi-tenant office facility and 13,000-square-foot data center owned by the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla.

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Driving Engagement & Performance: Gamification & Learning

Jill Hermans — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:00:23 +0000

When I was growing up, I loved to play games. My favorite was Ms. Pac Man. I would spend hours in front of the TV trying to master the game until my hand grew tired of operating the control system. So, as a learning professional, when I first heard the term gamification referred to in a learning context, it peaked my interest. Was there actually a way to incorporate my first love with my passion for learning?

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Top Websites & Mobile Apps To Get In Shape

Alyssa Kwasny — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:00:17 +0000

You are in the mindset to get yourself in shape… that’s the first step. You bought new running shoes, stocked your kitchen with healthy snacks… now what? Maybe you need help sticking with the commitment of getting into shape and being healthy. That’s where technology can step in! There are some great free websites and mobile applications available that can help you with your goals and stick to your plan of getting in shape. Summer is just around the corner. Try some of these tools out for yourself!

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Arc Flash? NFPA 70E?

Brian Downie — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:00:51 +0000

Employers have a lot to keep on top of in today’s work environment - state or federal OSHA guidelines, insurance and risk carrier recommendations, facility management and safety compliance guidelines that address infrared testing, switchgear testing and maintenance, and NFPA 70E assessments. I am continuously being asked questions on the subject, and because there is so much information out there, I wanted to share some great sources with our faithful blog subscribers to help answer your electrical risk management questions.

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There’s No Copyright on Safety

Ted Sommer — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:00:50 +0000

Every year, Faith Technologies publishes its safety Toolbox Talk book to provide its employees bite-sized training sessions which aim to create an increased awareness of hazards, and the precautions that must be taken to control them. The Toolbox Talk book offers general guidance on over 140 safety-related topics in 20 categories. While the book does contain Faith Technologies’ specific procedures that may not be applicable to other contractors, we want to share our best practices and continue to learn from others to raise safety standards across our industry and beyond.

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Can a Subcontractor Play a Role in Controlling Scope Creep?

Charlie Fredrickson — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:00:06 +0000

Because approximately 30 to 50 percent of a typical construction budget is made up of subcontractors’ costs in a Design-Build or Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) scenario, the subcontractors must play a major role in controlling scope creep. As experts in our chosen field, subcontractors are in the best position to provide value in the design cost balance. To assist in this process, subcontractors need to understand the owner’s program, as well as the format for addressing scope creep.

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What’s So Special About Service?

Mark Liesener — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:00:40 +0000

While drafting this blog post, I browsed the Internet in search of content on service. Service is defined by Dictionary.com as “an act of helpful activity.” I quickly learned there is no shortage of content on this subject, as I found several articles with titles beginning “Eight Rules…,” “Seven Steps…,” 11 Ways to Beat the Competition,” “Five Secret Weapons…,” etc. Wow, that’s 31 ways to provide top notch service cited in a mere four articles! It leads you to believe there is no single way to provide quality service.

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Facebook Timeline: Change is Good!

Krista Knabenbauer — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:00:41 +0000

For the past several months, millions of Facebook users have been updating their personal pages with its newest feature – Timeline. Timeline introduces users to a new page layout, and on March 30 Facebook will also be changing the look and feel of its business pages – including Faith Technologies’ business page.

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Recruiting and Retaining Quality Employees

Todd Heuvelmans — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:00:35 +0000

Attracting, recruiting, and retaining quality employees is key to growing as a national contractor. While Faith Technologies works primarily in the Midwest, South Central, Great Plains, and Georgia, over the last decade, we have expanded our geographic footprint to meet the needs of our electrical and specialty systems customers who have opportunities outside our respective markets. Realizing that our people are the single most important part of our success, Faith Technologies developed National Projects Group (NPG), a program designed to support and recognize our employees as they serve our customers outside the areas of our branch office locations.

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