Scaling operations sounds great in theory. But in practice? It comes with a whole new set of challenges.
You’ve got growing demands, more projects, and tighter timelines. But your systems? Still stuck in the past. Think spreadsheets, siloed data, manual work, and tools that just don’t talk to each other. It’s no wonder so many ops teams are overwhelmed.
Here’s the thing: scaling shouldn’t mean spinning more plates. It can mean simplifying—if you have the right approach.
In our recent Quickbase webinar, How To Scale - Simplifying Ops to Grow Your Business, Jennifer Clark, Project Integration Manager at General Sheet Metal (GSM), shared how the company cut through the complexity and built a system that works—for the field, the office, and the future.
The Real Pain Points Slowing Down Your Ops
If your business is growing, your operations have to keep up. But that’s easier said than done. Here are the core problems we see again and again:
1. Disconnected Systems
Sales teams run on CRM. Projects live in spreadsheets. The warehouse has its own tracker. Nothing syncs. So, when it’s time to collaborate? Chaos. Ops doesn’t know what Sales promised. Field teams can’t see install schedules. Leadership can’t track anything in real time.
2. Manual, Clunky Workflows
From OSHA reports to purchase orders, your team is still buried in emails, paper forms, and cut-and-paste reporting. It’s not just slow—it’s risky. One wrong entry and boom: rework, compliance issues, delays.
3. Spreadsheets Running the Show
They’re flexible… until they’re not. Spreadsheets don’t scale. They break easily, aren’t built for collaboration, and create multiple (often conflicting) versions of the truth.
4. No Real-Time Visibility
When leaders don’t have accurate, up-to-date data, they’re forced to react late or make decisions blindly. And let’s be honest—constantly asking every team for updates just isn’t sustainable.
5. IT Bottlenecks
You want to fix things. But building apps? Creating dashboards? That’s “an IT thing.” And you’re still waiting in line.
What Scaling Should Look Like
Scaling operations isn’t about piling on more tools or hiring more people. It’s about making your existing systems work smarter, not harder. Here’s what that looks like in real life:
Centralize Workflows
Instead of each team using their own system and struggling to stay aligned, bring your key workflows into one shared platform. This means project schedules, job tracking, purchase orders, inventory, safety logs—all of it. When everything’s in one place, you collaborate better, make faster decisions, and cut down on errors—big time.
Eliminate Manual Work
Repetitive tasks are the enemy of scale. Think: updating spreadsheets, sending reminders, duplicating entries across tools. Each step is another opportunity for something to go wrong, slowing down your team. Automating these tasks not only saves time but also creates consistency across your processes. That’s how you go from firefighting to forward planning.
Build for Real-World Use
If your solution isn’t mobile-friendly, it’s not a real solution—especially in field-heavy industries. Whether it’s foremen on job sites or warehouse managers on the go, your tools need to be quick, intuitive, and easy to use on any device. No one should need a 3-hour training to log a delivery or check a project status.
Start Small, Scale Fast
You don’t need a six-figure digital transformation plan to get started. Pick one high-impact problem—like job scheduling or purchase approvals—and fix it first. Once that’s humming, expand to the next pain point. This iterative approach not only reduces risk but also builds internal buy-in and momentum.
GSM’s Story: Fixing Ops Without Burning Everything Down
General Sheet Metal (GSM) is the perfect example of a team that scaled smart—not big.
They didn’t tear down their existing systems or go all-in on a massive IT overhaul. Instead, they focused on identifying what wasn’t working, then used Quickbase to fill the gaps and connect the dots.
For example, field teams were managing installations, schedules, and materials through a patchwork of spreadsheets and email chains. Nothing was centralized, so visibility was poor, and coordination was even worse.
GSM started small—by digitizing job scheduling. With Quickbase, they created a custom app that streamlined crew assignments, linked project timelines, and gave both field and office teams a real-time view of what was happening.
From there, they tackled related processes like material tracking, customer updates, and issue resolution. Over time, these small wins added up to a fully connected ops ecosystem. Departments could finally share data without confusion. Reporting became real-time and reliable. Leadership had dashboards instead of delays.
Best of all? The people doing the work helped build the tools. That meant better adoption and better outcomes.
And the impact?
- Job completion time was cut in half. With better scheduling and real-time updates, teams spent less time waiting and more time building.
- Approvals moved faster. Whether it was time entries or purchase orders, automated workflows meant no more bottlenecks or endless follow-ups.
- Data quality improved across the board. Instead of chasing updates through email, leadership had a single source of truth—updated in real time.
- Better resource utilization. Teams didn’t need to grow headcount to scale operations—they just worked smarter with the tools they already had.
- Field and office finally spoke the same language. With shared access to project timelines and status updates, collaboration got a lot easier.
GSM didn’t just fix broken workflows—they built a more agile, connected way to operate. One that scales without adding complexity.
Why Quickbase Works (And Why It’s Different)
Let’s be clear—this isn’t about throwing more tech at the problem. It’s about simplifying what’s broken and using the right tools to rebuild smarter.
Here’s why Quickbase works:
You’re in the driver’s seat.
No waiting on IT or outside vendors. If you understand your workflow, you can build what you need—on your timeline. That means more control, faster fixes, and fewer bottlenecks.
It’s built to flex.
Operations don’t stand still. Quickbase grows with you. Tweak apps, scale processes, or launch new workflows as your business evolves—without starting from scratch.
It connects what you already have.
ERPs, spreadsheets, project tools—Quickbase doesn’t ask you to ditch them. It integrates with them, tying all your data together so nothing gets lost in the shuffle.
It’s field-tested, and office-approved.
Tools work best when they work for everyone. Quickbase makes it easy for field teams to input data and just as easy for the office to act on it—no more miscommunication or info gaps.
It delivers real visibility.
Real-time dashboards, live reporting, and a single source of truth across teams. So, instead of chasing updates, you’re spotting trends, solving issues, and staying ahead.
TL; DR: Scaling Can Be Simpler
If your operations feel like they’re stuck in 2010, you’re not alone. But you don’t have to overhaul everything overnight.
Start with the process that hurts the most. Fix it. Then, build from there.
That’s exactly what General Sheet Metal did. With Quickbase, they didn’t just fix what was broken, they built a foundation that can keep growing with them.
Watch the full story in our on-demand webinar —or see how Quickbase helps you ditch the chaos and scale your operations without the growing pains.
Let’s make work… actually work.
