We recently had the opportunity to interview Rodger Warren, CEO of GoBuild360. With over 22 years as a CEO and Managing Director in construction, real estate, and software development, Rodger Warren excels in driving business growth, innovation, and value creation.
With expertise in construction, business processes, procurement, and asset management, he has effectively executed sales strategies from his previous experience. In this insightful session, Rodger Warren speaks about his professional journey, triumphs and challenging phases in this path, and how he balances all the professional operations.
A Relentless Commitment
We started the interview by asking, “Can you tell us about your professional journey and what led you to your current role?”
Rodger shared, “My journey is distinguished by a relentless commitment to excellence and innovation. I began my career with the establishment and growth of a second-tier building and construction company in South Africa, where I honed my skills and gained invaluable insights into the intricacies of material purchasing or ordering and the painstaking effect it has on a business.
Over 14 years, I have successfully started and managed my own company, earning prestigious accolades, notably the Best Builder Award on two separate occasions. My passion and dedication to improving processes, reducing operational costs, and making an impact in business has consistently remained the catalyst for my career, ever since inception.”
Rodger Warren added, “Driven by a vision to revolutionize the building and construction sector, I embarked on a mission to empower businesses with innovative solutions that deliver improvement in processes and foster valuable relationships between companies and product manufacturers.
My leadership is defined by an ambitious approach that prioritizes innovation, efficiency, and collaboration. I’m a seasoned professional and a visionary entrepreneur with a deep-seated commitment to making a positive impact on the industry. With GoBuild360, I’m not just leading a company; I’m reshaping the future of inbound and geo-located driven sales for enterprise companies, one optimized process at a time.”
A Unique Value
We were curious to learn how Rodger Warren ensures to set his business apart from the competition. So, we asked, “What sets your business apart from competitors in the industry?”
Rodger Warren shared, “Our unique selling proposition is what makes us stand apart. Our solution is purpose-built for enhancing the B2B customer experience, growing customer relationships, and customer value for manufacturing businesses. By adding our Geo-located customer portals to ERP and CRM systems, our solution eliminates the friction and frustration for customers by empowering them with automated control over their procurement processing from suppliers.
This streamlined process reduces critical errors, achieving efficiency in sales, time, cost, and resources. Our solution is robust, compatible, and agile. We configure our software to meet the unique needs of a company’s requirements.
Secondly, the power of GoBuild360 is its capability to simplify complex processes into a seamless real-time, and connected customer experience. In the product procurement sector, operations remain intricate and time-consuming, leading to inefficiencies. GoBuild360 streamlines processes with user-friendly interfaces and intuitive workflows that enable accurate ordering, tracking, and customer interactivity.”
Worth-Sharing Achievements
To learn more about the milestones achieved by Rodger Warren’s company, we asked, “What has been your business’s biggest achievement to date?”
Rodger Warren replied, “Our business’s biggest achievement to date has been the significant increase in inbound sales for our enterprise clients, exceeding 600%. When we talk about inbound sales, we’re referring to the entire process of attracting and converting leads, particularly in markets where every company is price-sensitive due to low margins and high volume.
What sets our achievement apart is that we’ve achieved this remarkable growth without resorting to price reductions. Instead, we’ve focused on delivering added value to our customers, ensuring that they feel they are getting a good deal without compromising on pricing. This approach has created a win-win situation for both our clients and their customers.”
“Moreover, our clients have also benefited from reduced administration costs and the time spent on placing orders by their customers. By streamlining processes and leveraging technology, we’ve not only increased sales but also enhanced operational efficiency, resulting in mutual benefits for all parties involved. This achievement underscores our commitment to delivering tangible results and driving sustainable growth for our clients.
By regularly measuring and monitoring NPV and IRR, we can quantitatively evaluate the financial impact of the GoBuild360 solution on our clients’ businesses. This allows us to demonstrate the tangible benefits of our solution and identify areas for further improvement to maximize value delivery. Ultimately, our clients achieve a strong return on investment and realize the full potential of the GoBuild360 solution in driving their business success.” He added.
Empowering The Team
We further asked, “How would you describe your leadership style?”
Rodger Warren continued, “I would describe my leadership style as empowering and decentralized. I firmly believe in fostering a culture where leadership exists at every level of the organization. In essence, if I were to be unexpectedly unavailable, the business should continue to function seamlessly without relying solely on my direction.
Central to my leadership philosophy is the belief that every member of the team should have the freedom to express their ideas, innovate, and contribute to improving systems or solutions. I encourage an environment where individuals feel confident that their suggestions will be taken seriously and given due consideration.
I find great value in empowering line managers to take initiative, even if it means occasionally making mistakes. These experiences provide invaluable learning opportunities for both the line manager and the company as a whole. Whether we decide to implement or discard an initiative, the important thing is that we learn from it and continue to grow as an organization.”
Retaining Top Talents
Having the right team is paramount for the success of a business. So, we asked, “What strategies do you use to motivate and develop talent in your organization?”
Rodger Warren replied, “In our organization, we employ several strategies to motivate and develop talent, ensuring that our team members feel valued, engaged, and equipped with the skills they need to succeed. We prioritize open and transparent communication, ensuring team members understand their roles and how their work contributes to organizational goals. We celebrate achievements, whether through bonuses or words of appreciation, to make team members feel valued. Immediate feedback is also crucial for improvement, rather than waiting for assessment sessions.
Continuous assessment and testing help develop talent and promote organizational growth by challenging team members with tasks that push their limits and reveal their skills and potential. For those who show exceptional promise, we offer opportunities to expand their portfolio, take on additional responsibilities, or advance to higher positions. This not only rewards their hard work and dedication but also motivates them to continue striving for excellence.”
Rodger Warren added, “Continuous assessment allows for proactive addressing of skill gaps and development needs, with targeted training and mentorship provided. Regular assessment and testing align talent development efforts with strategic objectives while maximizing each team member’s potential. Internal advancement is prioritized at GoBuild360, recognizing existing team members’ talent, dedication, and potential for growth within the company. This fosters loyalty and commitment and leverages individuals familiar with the organization’s values and processes. Achieving deadlines is non-negotiable, but we also value a healthy work-life.
In such cases, we encourage our team members to invest additional effort to ensure project success. To support this dedication, we offer flexibility in scheduling and provide opportunities for time off in exchange for extra hours worked. We prioritize both productivity and well-being to create a thriving environment for our team. This boosts satisfaction, engagement, and our organization’s success. Our strategies foster motivation, engagement, and learning, allowing everyone to reach their potential and contribute.”
Revolutionizing Businesses
Fast-paced digital transformations are reshaping businesses. We asked, “What role do you see Artificial Intelligence or technology playing in this industry?”
Rodger shared, “Artificial intelligence (AI) and technology are poised to revolutionize the way we do business or support our customers in unprecedented ways. They represent the most impactful means of achieving cost savings, streamlining operations, and delivering instant gratification, which aligns perfectly with the expectations of the latest generation.
By harnessing AI and technology, we can automate laborious tasks, optimize processes, and enhance productivity across various aspects of the business lifecycle. Moreover, when combined with machine learning, these solutions become even more powerful, empowering not only large enterprise companies but also individuals and small businesses.”
Rodger Warren added, “AI and technology provide a lifeline for individuals and small companies with limited resources, offering access to sophisticated tools and solutions that were once exclusive to larger players. They enable streamlining of project management, resource allocation optimization, and safety protocol improvement. However, responsible use is crucial to ensure accessibility and benefits for all stakeholders, especially individuals and small businesses.
GoBuild360 is investing in AI and Machine Learning to enhance the building material measuring solution, making it easier for customers in the building retail sector to access material costs and select products. We have partnered with AUTODESK to simplify the material selection process, further advancing our enterprise inbound geo-located sales portal. This investment demonstrates our commitment to innovative solutions and exceptional customer experiences.”
Envisioning The Future
To understand Rodger Warren’s perspective on the future of his industry, we asked, “How do you envision the future of your industry?”
Rodger Warren responded, “I envision the future of our industry to be characterized by complete digitization, where traditional enterprise companies evolve into digital entities that manufacture and sell their products entirely in a digital manner. While humans will continue to play a role in certain aspects of the sales process, particularly for the current generation of management who still prefer human interaction, the landscape is rapidly shifting.
The emerging generation, driven by digital natives, prioritizes efficiency, speed, and instant gratification above all else. They are more inclined to embrace fully automated and digitized solutions that cater to their preferences for seamless experiences and immediate results.”
“As this generation ascends into leadership positions within the industry, we can expect a paradigm shift towards a fully automated and digitized ecosystem.
In this future scenario, technology will play a central role in every aspect of the industry, from manufacturing processes to sales and distribution channels.
AI, machine learning, and other advanced technologies will drive unprecedented levels of efficiency, productivity, and innovation, transforming the industry as we know it.
By embracing digitization and automation, companies will not only meet the evolving needs and expectations of their customers but also unlock new opportunities for growth and competitiveness in an increasingly digital world. The future of our industry is one where technology is seamlessly integrated into every facet of operations, paving the way for a more agile, responsive, and sustainable future.” He added.
Adaptability Amidst Adversities
Challenges are a part of every business. We asked, “What have been some of the most significant hurdles you’ve encountered in your business, and how did you address them?”
Rodger Warren shared, “Navigating current generation managers’ mindset towards digitization is a major challenge in our business. Although there’s awareness of its importance, top management often considers it irrelevant to their operations. This makes it difficult to directly access them and showcase the benefits. Instead, they rely on department heads, causing communication bottlenecks.
To address this challenge, we’ve adopted a strategic approach focused on creating communication content that speaks directly to the executive committee members. By tailoring our messaging to resonate with their priorities and concerns, we aim to highlight the tangible benefits and strategic advantages of embracing digitization. This approach requires patience and persistence, as gaining traction with top management is a gradual process.
We are using relationships and networking to communicate directly with decision-makers. Building trust is crucial for supporting our digitization efforts. We are committed to showing the value of digitization and driving organizational change from the top down.”
An Insightful Advice, We asked Rodger Warren
We asked, “What is an excellent piece of business advice you have ever received?”
Rodger Warren shared, “An excellent piece of business advice I’ve received is- Profit is vanity, cash is sanity. This insightful phrase underscores the importance of focusing on the immediate financial health of the business, rather than solely fixating on long-term profitability.
In essence, it emphasizes the critical role that cash flow plays in sustaining and growing a business. While profitability is certainly important, it’s the availability of cash that enables a company to meet its day-to-day obligations, invest in growth opportunities, and weather unforeseen challenges. By prioritizing cash flow and ensuring liquidity, businesses can maintain financial stability and flexibility, positioning themselves for long-term success. This often requires a relentless commitment to providing exceptional products and services to clients, as satisfied customers are more likely to pay promptly and contribute to positive cash flow.
Ultimately, this advice serves as a reminder to live in the present, focusing on the tangible and immediate needs of the business, while also continuously striving to deliver value and prioritize the success of clients. By adopting this mindset, businesses can achieve sustainable growth and resilience in an ever-changing economic landscape.”
Balancing The Operations
Eager to learn how Rodger Warren balances all the professional operations, we asked, “How do you balance investing in up-to-date ideas with ensuring ongoing operations remain successful?”
Rodger Warren shared, “In the realm of technology, staying ahead of the curve is paramount to success. At GoBuild360, we firmly believe in embracing the latest and best ideas, and continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation to ensure that our solutions remain cutting-edge. We understand that technology evolves rapidly, with capabilities doubling every three years, so we make it a priority to stay in constant beta mode.
Refactoring our technology stack every three years is standard practice for us, ensuring that we remain agile and adaptable to emerging trends and advancements. Looking ahead, we anticipate the need for even more frequent refactoring, possibly even in parallel with live support, to keep pace with the rapid evolution of technology.”
Rodger concluded, “At GoBuild360, innovation is a core part of our culture. Every day, our team is encouraged to generate new ideas and improve our existing solutions. This drives us to continuously refine our products and meet our client’s changing needs. Our latest project involves extracting information from digital building plans and converting it into necessary materials, challenging the perception that it’s impossible. This showcases our commitment to pushing technological boundaries and leading innovation in our industry.
GoBuild360 emphasizes innovation and operational success by embracing a culture of continuous improvement. With our guiding principle of simplifying complexity, we offer automated solutions for supply chain management, sales processes, and project workflows. This not only enhances user experience but also drives tangible results for our clients in today’s competitive business landscape.”
Follow Rodger Warren on LinkedIn.
Find GoBuild360 on LinkedIn and visit their website http://www.gobuild360.io
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