How open-minded are you to the idea that your daily reporting process is silently bleeding your project margins?

In heavy civil construction, the math is unforgiving. Every minute your foreman spends staring at an iPad, trying to figure out how to enter time for a job, is a minute they aren’t watching the iron, guiding the crew safely, or catching a mistake before it happens. That lost oversight is where your profit margins actually disappear.

During CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 at the HCSS Time Card Challenge, Sam Fernholz of New Look Contracting showed attendees exactly how to claw back that lost time.

Look at the historical tape for a basic time card:

• 2020 Champion: 1 minute, 17 seconds
• 2023 Champion: 1 minute, 7 seconds
• 2026 Champion: 42 seconds

Fernholz didn't just beat the record; she absolutely destroyed the 60-second barrier. And the craziest part? Just over a year ago, she had never touched HCSS software in her life!

From Booth Challenge to Bottom Line: Reclaiming Margin Through Speed

A 42-second time card isn't just a fun booth challenge; it is a financial multiplier worth considering. Multiply those saved minutes across all foremen over 260 working days. You aren't just saving time; you are fundamentally taking your margin back from administrative bloat.

Fernholz achieved this speed because her brain is wired for it. "I was talking to Harry White [the HCSS Technical Product Manager for HCSS Insights] yesterday, and he's like, 'I don't know how you did that that fast,'" Fernholz laughed. "That's just how my brain works. I'm just click happy and off we go". This is a trait we see with many customers who are the HCSS Champion at their company - the ability to problem solve quickly, keeping in mind how to optimize their workflow for their people in the field at every turn.

But raw speed only gets you so far.

To build a championship-level operation at New Look Contracting, she had to completely eliminate the pain of delayed data. Initially, she was exporting data into manual Excel spreadsheets and sending them out at 11:00 AM every day. She knew that accepting a broken, manual process is how companies lose their edge.

By leveraging the HCSS product team and partnering closely with HCSS Support, Fernholz has been able to make dramatic improvements for how New Look Contracting not only collects data from the field, but also how to generate automated reports for key decision makers. Taking it to the next level, she has improved their reporting dashboard using HCSS Insights by making sense of the company’s labor and equipment costs. "I don't have to do that spreadsheet anymore," she noted.

The "Help Me, Help You" Culture

You don't push for a 42-second workflow just to win a belt. You do it because you deeply respect the people in the field.

At New Look Contracting, the culture is defined by one word: Family. "We all wear many, many different hats around here," Fernholz explained. "You won't hear somebody say that's not my job".

Fernholz brings that exact empathy to her role. Her husband is a heavy equipment operator, giving her a profound understanding of the realities of the jobsite. "I understand... their busyness and like the way that they work and like their knowledge with technology," she shared.

Her philosophy is simple: Help me help you. By meticulously setting up the cost codes in the office, she guarantees her crews can get in, get out, and get back to building. "I'm making sure that I set up the field for success," she says.

The Takeaway: Empower the Frontline to Lead

Foremen are not data-entry clerks; they are the frontline of your business and can provide you with the most information about how your job is doing. When you empower them to lead and make the administrative part of their job quick, easy, and precise, they will run with it. Sam Fernholz is living proof that, with the right setup and support, the office and the field can operate as a unified, high-leverage machine.

I’m not sure if your current time card setup is built to break the 60-second barrier, but how open-minded would you be to taking a hard look at how your field's time is actually being spent?

Watch the HCSS Time Card Challenge Winner, Sam Fernholz, complete the winning 42-second time card at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026:

Historically, construction companies have never struggled to collect data. There was never a shortage of manila folders, inspection sheets, or time cards. The real challenge has always been capturing that information in time to actually make smart decisions. In the past, contractors often relied on their ‘gut instinct’ or experience to make the right call. Unfortunately, experience without evidence (data) only gets you half the results.

You’d hear stories all the time of contractors finding critical machine data or cost code mistakes weeks later — after profits have already leaked and done their damage.

Luckily, we’re in the golden age of construction software. More and more of our customers heavily rely on real-time data to make better business decisions. It’s also why over 1,000 companies now use HCSS Insights to access accurate field data, spot issues early, and future-proof their business.

This milestone not only marks a leap in visibility but also a transition into more informed operations.

HCSS Insights Customers Lean on Construction Data to Catch Profit Leaks Early

While most contractors sit on a goldmine of data, usually buried in spreadsheets and across multiple systems, our customers rely on HCSS Insights to pull their operational data into a clean, visual dashboard — giving them a full 360 view.

Our customers never need to know the feeling of reacting weeks later to fix a slip-up in Excel. HCSS Insights gives them direct access to their entire lifecycle. They see how jobs, crews, and equipment are performing without having to dig through tabs (or documents) of information.

​Walk onto any jobsite, and you’ll see the same thing: people solving problems in real-time. Whether it’s a sudden equipment failure or a complex grade issue, the solution usually starts with a conversation between experts.

In the tech world, that reality is fading.

Most software companies are racing to replace their support teams with AI chatbots and automated phone trees. While we are conservatively advancing how AI can improve the lives of our employees and customers, the success that the Stevie Awards recognized was in how HCSS has built decades of trust: through humans, using every tool and technology available, to serve humans.

While the rest of the industry automates, HCSS is augmenting technology with a human-to-human connection that has defined us for 40 years.

The 2026 Stevie Awards served as a powerful validation of our team's hard work, with HCSS bringing home six awards. Among these wins were three Gold medals, including the Contact Center of the Year recognition.

Our full list of 2026 honors includes:

• Gold Stevie® Winner: Contact Center of the Year (Up to 100 Seats) – Technology Industries
• Gold Stevie® Winner: Customer Service Training Team of the Year (Internal) – Technology Industries
• Gold Stevie® Winner: Best Customer Engagement Initiative
• Silver Stevie® Winner: Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year – Technology Industries
• Silver Stevie® Winner: Customer Service Department of the Year – Computer Software (100+ Employees)
• Bronze Stevie® Winner: Customer Service Employer of the Year

The "secret sauce" of HCSS Support

Winning Gold isn't about focusing on the flashiest technology to deliver service; it’s about having the best people. In fact, our support team is known for "fighting" over who gets to solve a customer's problem first. During the awards process, one judge perfectly identified our philosophy, stating:

​”You’ve found the secret sauce: a great product paired with genuine care for your people, which naturally delivers outstanding service to your customers.”

We’ve always believed that world-class service requires a world-class culture. By treating our support and training teams as the consultants they are, rather than scripted operators, we ensure that when you call us, you get a partner who understands your business and your urgency.

98.78%: A number with a human heart

​Our record-breaking year was backed by a 98.78% First Call Resolution (FCR) rate. In a world of "support tickets" and "wait times," that number stands out. It means that nearly every single time a customer in the office or the field calls HCSS with a problem, they get an answer on that very first call.

We don't hide behind automation because we know that when a project is on the line, five minutes of human expertise is worth five hours of trying to explain your problem to a bot.

Trusted support when you need it

Whether it’s 2:00 PM or 2:00 AM, our HCSS Support team is available 24/7/365. If we don’t have an immediate answer, we find it for you, replacing scripted guesses with real solutions. ​Being a “trusted partner” means being there when it counts. It means having a product-trained expert ready to pick up the phone and treat your problem like their own. If we don't know the answer, we find it for you, rather than leaving you with a scripted guess.

This award is a win for our team, but more importantly, it's a win for our customers. It proves that the "HCSS standard" of live, human expertise is still the most effective way to support the people who build our world.

HCSS awarded Favorite Customer Service Winner 2026

While the judges' Gold medals validate our processes, the most meaningful recognition came from you. Thanks to an overwhelming wave of support from the HCSS community, HCSS was officially named the winner of the People’s Choice Stevie® Award for Favorite Customer Service.

This award is a direct reflection of the trust you place in us every day. To everyone who took the time to vote: Thank you!

This win is a clear message to the industry that human-to-human service is still the real gold standard. We are honored to be the secret sauce behind your projects, and we look forward to supporting you, live and in person, for many years to come.

Design-build continues to reshape how infrastructure projects are delivered, and the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) remains at the center of that transformation. For more than three decades, DBIA has championed a project delivery method built on collaboration, accountability, and efficiency, helping teams streamline communication and deliver better outcomes for owners and communities alike.

A real-world challenge for future industry leaders

One of the most impactful ways the organization prepares the next generation of professionals to succeed is through the DBIA National Design-Build Student Competition. This annual, hands-on challenge mirrors the pressures and expectations of real-world project delivery.

As a 2025 sponsor, HCSS helped bring together 33 student teams from across the country, each tasked with delivering a comprehensive solution to an airport expansion scenario. The challenge required teams to balance design innovation, constructability, cost control, and schedule, all while working within the collaborative framework that defines design-build delivery.

After extensive preparation, seven regional winners advanced to the final phase. The top three teams were invited to present their proposals live at the 2025 Design-Build Conference & Expo in Las Vegas, where they defended their approach on November 6, 2025 in front of a panel of judges.

Competition winners in 2025

This year’s competition highlighted exceptional talent and teamwork from every finalist. Specific winners were selected, and the results are as follows:

• First Place: D&T Construction — California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
• Second Place: Cypress Construction — University of Florida
• Third Place: Pioneer Design-Build — Alfred State College
• Best Individual Presenter: Asa Richards — University of Florida

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s winning team earned top honors for their innovative, well-rounded proposal, demonstrating a strong understanding of design-build principles and execution strategy.

The Best Individual Presenter Award recognized a standout student who excelled in communication and technical mastery (a reminder that strong presentation skills are critical as solid numbers in today’s construction industry).

Investing in future industry leaders

Accurate estimating is a cornerstone of successful design-build projects. To help students experience that reality firsthand, we provided participating teams with access to HeavyBid during the competition.

With professional estimating software at their fingertips, students were able to move beyond high-level assumptions and develop detailed, data-driven cost models similar to those used on active jobsites today.

How HCSS software supported student teams:

Reliable, Real-Time Estimating: Students used HCSS’s web-based HeavyBid to build estimates that accounted for labor, materials, equipment, and indirect costs, helping them understand how decisions impact the overall project budget.

Clear Cost Visibility: Instead of relying on spreadsheets, teams generated structured reports that clearly broke down their assumptions and pricing.

Organized Bid Development: With multiple scope elements and design considerations in play, our software helped students keep their estimates organized while finalizing their proposals.

By using the same tools trusted by construction professionals, students learned first-hand how to win work in a competitive design-build environment. As a sponsor, HCSS is helping ensure these future leaders enter the workforce prepared to contribute from day one.

Learn more about the industry’s premier estimating software

The same HCSS estimating software used by DBIA competition teams is trusted by contractors across the country to deliver accurate bids, improve visibility, and reduce risk. To see how HCSS helps construction teams turn complex projects into confident estimates, schedule a custom demo with one of our product experts.

Universities interested in preparing students with hands-on experience can learn more about the HCSS University Program, which provides access to free software and practical learning resources designed to support the next generation of construction professionals.

To compete in today’s construction market, companies must rely on real-time field insights to continuously improve future bids. That's exactly what Backbone Infrastructure did, hence being named HCSS Construction Award Newcomer at the 2026 HCSS Users Group Meeting.

Bidding with confidence and precision

Early in their journey of adopting technology, Backbone Infrastructure discovered that winning more of the right kind of work requires absolute precision. Since implementing HeavyBid in February 2025, the company’s estimating capacity has nearly tripled, allowing Backbone to bid more frequently, more aggressively, and with greater strategic confidence.

Their bids now consistently fall within 0.2% to 5% of the lowest bidder, and nearly 50% of submitted bids have placed second this year alone (a clear signal of how refined and competitive their estimating process has become). What was once a manual, Excel-based effort led by the company owner can now be entrusted to the next generation of Backbone estimators, and the owner can fully step away from estimating to focus on high-level strategy and innovation. Technology has streamlined their organization, making it more consistent, accurate, and successful.

Turning estimates into field success

To ensure estimates translate into real-world performance, Backbone expanded its technology stack with HCSS HeavyJob. This integration allows estimating data to flow seamlessly to the field, giving superintendents and cost engineers reliable, real-time information to manage costs and production. By removing guesswork and reducing data transfer errors, Backbone has improved project control and minimized delays and overruns.

Real-time productivity tracking improves win rate

Backbone further strengthened operations by standardizing its codes to ensure consistency between operations and estimating. This means that each phase of work from HeavyBid will align with a cost code in HeavyJob, ensuring consistent reporting and performance updates from the field, and enabling more accurate estimates. With more than 20 active projects, project managers help estimators receive real-time production data to identify jobs where Backbone excels and how to improve building costs in future bids.

Access to historical bid data and job performance allows Backbone to quickly identify its biggest challenges and proactively prevent future delays. This visibility has improved how they bid new estimates and plan jobs, thereby enhancing project performance.

In less than six months, Backbone Infrastructure’s data-driven approach has drawn the attention of competitors, who are asking how they can also use HCSS to improve their win rate so quickly.

Ready to transform your estimating process with real-time data? Let’s talk.