JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc. Named to the 2013 LSU 100 for Outstanding Growth

May 8, 2013
Houston Chronicle 

Premier IT solutions provider, JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc. becomes one of only two companies named to both LSU 100 and Texas A&M University’s Aggie 100 for exceptional company growth.

JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc., maker of SmartBidNet and SmartCompliance business solutions, has been honored as one of the 2013 LSU 100: Fastest Growing Tiger Businesses. JBKnowledge is only the second company to be named to both the LSU 100 and Texas A&M University’s Aggie 100. Father and son duo, Jim andJames Benham, started the company in 2001 and have been recognized by their respective universities over the past several years.

LSU alum, Jim Benham successfully pioneered four companies before starting JBKnowledge with son, James, a graduate of Texas A&M University. Based upon its compounded annual growth rate from 2009-2011, JBKnowledge ranked 24th among the 2013 LSU 100 honorees.

"Since receiving my degree at LSU, I've had the pleasure of leading several successful companies and leading one with my son has been the icing on the cake. I'm proud of this great university and the values it instilled in me, and even prouder...

Click here to continue reading 

Give Me Integration & Stop the Confusion

Published in Texas CEO Magazine
Written by James Benham, President of JBKnowledge, Makers of SmartBidNet
March 2, 2013

Today, the information technology (IT) decisions presented to CEOs are less about which technologies should be employed and more about which technologies should not. The consumerization of IT means as more employees become savvy in technology needs, requests once limited to the IT department are pouring in from all ends of the company. Team members expect their business technology to be as user friendly as their personal technology.

The past ten years have been about allocating the right corporate technologies to cut operating costs from tight budgets without complicating processes. The next ten years will be about making sure those technologies fit together to achieve corporate objectives. As an executive, there is an obligation to shape the corporate IT strategy and choose the right solutions, but technology providers also have an obligation to provide flexible solutions that accommodate the strategy – building a bridge that drives greater efficiency.

Click here to continue reading

Integrating Standards Across Construction

Published in US Building Digest
​On February 22, 2013

What kind of technology are you using for construction business?

An article in this month’s Constructech Magazine features different software that is available to business owners that can help them standardize things across the office.

This week, Viewpoint Construction Software, Portland, Ore, and JB Knowledge Technologies, Bryan, Texas, which provides the SmartBidNet platform, have announced a new partnership.

SmartBidNet, which offers subcontractor management, project document distribution and collaboration, subcontractor prequalification, and bid invitation and management, is now part of the...

​Click here to read the full article​

Constructech 2013 Tech Preview: The Future Is Now

​Published in Constructech Magazine
​On February 22, 2013

As trends like BIM, mobile, and cloud continue to shape the construction landscape, technology providers weigh in on how to best leverage such tools in the year ahead.

If there is one thing most contractors can agree on it’s that the last few years have been more hardship than hard profits. The economy is picking up speed in its recovery, but it could revert to the slow growth mode again very easily. Commercial construction is slightly ahead of the residential market and the month-to-month growth is improving for both segments.

As companies start to see some light at the end of the tunnel—although a few are still worried it is the headlight of an oncoming train—they are analyzing their position and making decisions on technology directions for the near future. What evolving technologies should we be aware of? What changes are coming and how should they be dealt with by contractors?

...​

Throughout the past decade and more, an approach to making IT investments a little less expensive and a little more connected has been the open-systems movement. One of the more recent movements is COSA (Construction Open Software Alliance). James Benham, president, JB Knowledge Technologies, www.jbknowledge.com, Bryan, Texas explains, “If the Construction Open Software Alliance continues to gain momentum, IT managers will see more and more of their favorite software (providers) offering open integration with their other favorite software.”

Click here to read the full article

The Spreadsheet Endemic

Published in Construction Executive 
Written by James Benham, President of JBKnowledge, Makers of SmartBidNet
January 2013

The first commercial spreadsheets, called VisiCalc, came about in 1978 on an Apple II computer. A huge improvement from number mapping on a blackboard, VisiCalc allowed professionals to manipulate and organize numbers based on underlying formulas. The 1980s brought Lotus 1-2-3 onto the scene with basic database options and faster computing, referencing and graphing integration. In the early 1990s, Microsoft Excel finally overtook Lotus and has since been the preferred spreadsheet application.

When the only alternative was a piece of grid paper, the ability to reference and calculate quantity, cost and item cells in spreadsheets soon became invaluable to estimators and other construction professionals. The proliferation of the Internet and PCs in the construction workplace introduced a range of technology solutions in the 2000s, including all the functionalities of spreadsheets along with dynamic, real-time collaboration and imaging capabilities.

However, more than 52 percent of commercial construction companies still use static Excel spreadsheets to transfer data between processes and departments, according to the 2012 Construction Technology Integration Report. The main reasons for resisting newer, better technologies include convenience, efficiency and fear of the unknown.

The Convenience of Spreadsheets 
Being one of the longest surviving computer applications—next to notepads and web browsers—spreadsheet applications are programs familiar to all generations of employees. Additionally, historical estimates, budgeting projections and bid project distribution lists produced before modern day construction management, accounting and estimating software often are archived in spreadsheet files. Plus, spreadsheet programs are almost always pre-installed on staff computers, making them incrementally “free” for employees to use.

The Efficiency of Spreadsheets 
Because employees typically are comfortable with spreadsheets, they don’t require extensive training. The exact opposite can be said for trying to introduce new solutions such as estimating or bid software. Perceived cost and implementation time of new technology often outweighs the future cost savings.

The Fear of Anything but Spreadsheets
 Spreadsheets are predictable, mainly because they are static repositories of information that can’t be touched by a cloud service provider or tapped into by any other solution. Their old-school reliability has become a safe zone where anything outside of a spreadsheet is corruptible and shareable beyond control. Most construction software packages look nothing like...

Click here to read the full article

Construction Slow to Adopt Cloud Computing

Publish in Daily Commercial News
Written by Peter Kenter, Correspondent
January 4, 2013

Cloud computing is an esoteric name for a simple concept. Instead of relying on one’s own hardware and software for a suite of services, users rely on software, information storage and computing resources accessed over the Internet.

Construction companies, however, have been slow to make use of cloud technology, says James Benham, founder and president of JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc., a Texas-based information technology services provider, focusing on the construction, real estate, risk and insurance industries.

“With cloud computing, you can access the digital information you need from anywhere, any time through any device — from mobile devices to the computer at home, to the computer at your desk,” says Benham.

“The cloud centralizes, organizes and disseminates your data to the access point most convenient for you.”

The company’s recent survey, the 2012 Construction Technology Integration Report, revealed...

Click here to read the full article

JBKnowledge's SmartBidNet Software Reveals Latest Technology in Construction Bidding

Sets new construction technology industry standard for user interface, system navigability and customization.

Bryan, TX - November 27, 2012

Released this morning, under the tagline “Construction software never looked this good,” information technology provider JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc. has introduced a new version of their cloud based invitation to bid software, SmartBidNet. The revamped user interface was developed to look and feel like a consumer application and has redefined usability in construction technology. The added functionalities and ease of use are being applauded by clients who had the last month to test out the Beta version of the system.  

"I’ve been using Version 12 since the Beta was first released. The software looks and feels like a more polished version of its former self with improved performance to boot… I’m thoroughly impressed!” stated Seth Cheever, LEED AP, Preconstruction Manager at Stiles Construction.

The completely renovated user interface includes a drag and drop dashboard with customizable widgets, skin color, and the highest resolution window to fit any display. The web-based bid management system also features multi-lingual capabilities in English, Spanish, and French on both the general contractor user side and their subcontractors’ side of the portal. With dramatically faster load times, time to load on all screens has dropped by as much as 75% in testing and users now have the ability to search all subcontractor and project data in real-time with instant results on their data grids.

“We believe construction professionals should not settle for any less in their business software than what is available in their consumer technology.  With this latest version, we’ve made our user interface as intuitive and customizable as any personal applications our clients use. The user interface is essential to a positive user experience and there is no reason business software should not be applying the same quality of design as consumer software,” stated JBKnowledge President James Benham.

Hundreds of commercial construction companies across the US, Caribbean, Canada, and Middle East currently use SmartBidNet to manage commercial construction prequalification, invitation to bid, subcontractor data, and project document distribution and collaboration. Version 12 will be available to all clients on an opt-in basis, at first, and officially implemented for all users in November 2012.

To learn more about SmartBidNet Version 12 and get an online demo or 30 day free trial visit: http://www.smartbidnet.com/version12

JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc. Honored at the 8th Annual Aggie 100

Recognizing the Fastest Growing Aggie-Owned or Managed Companies 

COLLEGE STATION, TX. (Friday, October 26, 2012) – Texas A&M University recognized JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc., makers of SmartBidNet and SmartCompliance, of Bryan, TX as a member of the 2012 Aggie 100 honoring the fastest-growing companies in the world, owned or operated by Texas A&M University former students. JBKnowledge was ranked 60th with a compound annual growth rate of 41.97%  from 2009 through 2011. The Aggie 100, a program created by the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship in Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School, honors graduates from across disciplines for their success as business leaders and entrepreneurial endeavors.

JBKnowledge was started in 2001 by then Corps Staff member and Mays Business School senior James M. Benham in partnership with his father, James T “Jim” Benham. JBKnowledge has provided custom information technology services for small to large firms in the construction and risk management industries ever since, and established two web-based software products, SmartBidNet and SmartCompliance. SmartBidNet is a leading construction bid invitation software in the commercial building industry while SmartCompliance provides certificate of insurance management technology to risk managers across all industries.

“We’re incredibly proud to accept our fifth Aggie 100 award this year. I had no idea how far this company would go when I started it in my corps dorm room, but I knew we had a great business model and some incredible people to pioneer it for our clients. I’m proud to represent the application of the incredible education Texas A&M can provide,” stated JBKnowledge President James M. Benham.

The 100 Aggie-owned or managed companies with the highest annual revenue growth were recognized at a formal luncheon in the Zone Club on the Texas A&M University campus, Friday, October 26, 2012. More than 650 honorees, families, employees, faculty, administrators, and well-wishers were in attendance to celebrate their success.

“Aggies have paved roads to success across industries and business sectors, as well as across generations,” said Dr. Richard H. Lester, Executive Director of the Mays Business School’s Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship. “Aggie leaders have proven time and time again that even in tough economic times, solid business ideas, tenacity and hard work pay off.”

The Aggie 100 list in its entirety may be viewed at www.aggie100.com.

August Infographic of the Month: The 2012 Construction Technology Integration Survey

JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc., makers of SmartBidNet, conducted the first annual Construction Technology Integration (CTI) Survey May 30-June 16, 2012. The online, 20 question survey was emailed to thousands of commercial building professionals and promoted via social media, eliciting more than 450 responses. The results were first presented by JBKnowledge President James Benham at the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America 2012 IT Forum in Chicago, August 16. This infographic provides a snapshot of the survey results.

Any and all feedback is appreciated and will help in developing the 2013 CTI Survey. Leave us a comment!

Check out the infographic here: http://www.smartbidnet.com/infographics

Download your copy of the full CTI Report here: http://www.smartbidnet.com/ctisurvey

SmartBidNet and COSA Featured on the Sage Construction & Real Estate Blog

Let’s Start Talking
Published 9/6/2012
by Dennis Stejskal

I recently spoke at the 2012 AGC IT Forum in Chicago along with James Benham, president of JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc., makers of SmartBidNet. In his presentation, James talked about the software now available to contractors from different vendors, the importance of a data exchange standard, and the advantages of integrating construction solutions in the cloud.

I agree 100 percent with what James was saying. In fact his presentation was the perfect segue into my AGC talk about interoperability. James had provided a lot of great examples of integrating data between best of breed software within a construction company. That is one way to look at interoperability.  The other way is exchanging system data between companies involved in a construction project.

Take submittals for example. The reality is 80 to 90 percent of the submittal process is already electronic. However, sharing submittal information between the architect, engineer, contractor and vendor is still time-intensive and error prone because the software programs each one uses don’t talk with one another. They are not interoperable. In order to more efficiently share data, we have to have a data exchange standard that is fully adopted by the construction software community and built into our products.
 
Click here to read the full article 

Tech Innovations Simplify and Coordinate the Bid Process

Published in Construction Executive
July 2012
By James Benham, President of JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc., Maker of SmartBidNet 

Twenty years ago, the preconstruction process involved stacks of paper, trails of phone calls and nothing more high tech than a filing cabinet. Thanks to the cloud, everything from prequalification to proposal review has become paperless, automated and centralized—cutting administrative costs and boosting project efficiency from subcontractors, estimators and construction managers.  

Which technologies are transforming the bid process for today’s general contractors, and what’s in the works to enhance their future operations? Let’s take a look.  

Click here to read the full article 

Eight Questions to ask any Cloud Services Provider | Construction Today

Published on July 11, 2012 in the Construction Today Blog
By James Benham, President of JB Knowledge Technologies, Makers of SmartBidNet

Whether you have cloud technology or you’re shopping around for the right solution, there are several crucial questions to ask any cloud services provider before taking a leap into the cloud. We have developed this list through personal experience of working with prospective clients who weren’t afraid to ask us the hard questions. Below are eight questions and my recommended answers that will keep you informed and your cloud services provider on their toes.

1. How extensive is your experience in the construction industry specifically?
   It is important to look for someone that has at least five years of experience in your specific industry. Don’t be afraid to ask for specific client references to confirm their abilities.

Click here to read the full article

Constructech Magazine Names JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc., One of Five Construction Industry “Up and Comers” | Houston Chronicle

from the SmartBidNet Blog

Makers of SmartBidNet Construction Bid Software, JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc. is ahead of the game with its innovative and collaborative approach to construction technology.

College Station, TX (PRWEB) July 10, 2012

Constructech Magazine announced the much anticipated Constructech 50, on July 5, 2012. This is a listing of the most influential construction-technology providers with a strong and ongoing market presence, as determined by Constructech’s editorial team. As a part of this listing, Constructech also announced 5 Up and Comers, including JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc. The Constructech editors believe that the 5 companies listed as such are primed and ready to take the next step to penetrate the construction industry, leveraging the latest technology and looking to fill specific gaps in the market.

Click here to read the full article  

Constructech Recognizes SmartBidNet as an "Up and Comer" to Lead Technology Transformation

Constructech Magazine, July 5, 2012 – Where will your IT department stand in a few months? How about in a few years? This is the question on the minds of construction professionals across the industry. Today, with the announcement of the Constructech 50, Constructech magazine aims to make the future just a bit clearer.

The Constructech 50, published in the July/Aug issue of Constructech magazine, is a listing of the most influential construction-technology providers with a strong and ongoing market presence, as determined byConstructech’s editorial team.

...

Constructech magazine also named five companies “Up and Comers” for 2012. Those listed as such are companies the Constructech editors believe are primed and ready to take that next step to penetrate the construction industry, leveraging the latest technology and looking to fill specific gaps in the market.

Click here to read the full article

Construction Technology Integration – What Should it look like? | Construction Today

Published June 11, 2012 on the Construction Today Blog
By James Benham, President of JB Knowledge Technologies, Makers of SmartBidNet

In an effort to standardize the language and sharing of building information modeling data,  the National Institute of Building Sciences’ buildingSMART alliance has taken a crucial first step in establishing the first consensus standard in the United States.

“The purpose of the standard is to provide a means of organizing and classifying electronic object data associated with a facility throughout its life,” a recent ENR article stated.

Click here to read the full article from Construction Today