Tech Adoption in Building Materials: What’s Actually Working in 2025

00:00 "Tech Adoption in Blue Collar"

04:12 Lumberyard Investment ROI Revealed

07:04 Dealers' Tech Adaptation Challenges

13:15 Construction Innovation Parallels Tech Development

14:20 Rise of Zip System in Construction

18:18 "Tech Development Challenges Explained"

21:12 "Incremental Progress Amidst Busy Schedules"

24:29 "Engage in Ongoing Dialogue"

Erik Bornstein is the founder of a digital experience platform built for modern LBM dealers, drawing on 15 years as a home builder to streamline how materials are quoted, ordered, and delivered. Tired of outdated systems, he assembled a top-tier engineering team to build an end-to-end platform that connects seamlessly with ERP systems. Brad Cumiskey, VP of Product at Toolbx, has spent the past three years developing tech solutions that empower the skilled trades—working closely with engineers and designers to bring real-world impact to the jobsite. Together, Erik and Brad are redefining how technology supports the building materials industry from the ground up.

Years of underinvestment left the LBM sector trailing other industries, but a perfect storm of demographic shifts, competitive threats, and the aftershocks of COVID-19 has brought digital transformation front and center. Erik and Brad argue persuasively that changes in builder behavior—especially rising demand for real-time communication, online ordering, and digital payments—are now forcing dealers to adapt, with marketplace slowdowns creating bandwidth for innovation. No longer is digital transformation a project to shelve until “next quarter.” Instead, it’s an urgent competitive necessity.

For building material professionals, this means starting with research and small steps. Erik’s advice? Don’t wait: explore tools like AI-driven platforms or simply set up your own ChatGPT account. Begin experimenting today, because the pace of change is only accelerating—those who don’t start now risk being left behind, much like companies that missed the internet boom.

Shifting to digital isn’t just about installing new software—it’s about changing hearts, minds, and habits. Toolbx’s success stories highlight a two-pronged approach: “top-down, bottoms-up.” Leadership sets the tone by making innovation a strategic priority, but true adoption happens when champions across all levels (not just young techies) experience firsthand the gains in efficiency and sales.

Organizations that foster evangelists among sales, operations, and finance—and create a culture where everyone feels empowered to innovate—see the most rapid progress. Brad shares that sometimes it takes just a few enthusiastic team members using the tool for others to follow, driven by that universal motivator: FOMO. The key takeaway? Focus on building internal champions, don’t underestimate mid-career adopters, and encourage cross-department collaboration.

A major barrier to adoption in building materials has been previous generations of clunky, complex tech. Erik and Brad are adamant: the winning formula is radical simplicity and intuitive design. Instead of overwhelming users with dozens of features or screens, Toolbx aims to deliver maximum impact with minimal clicks—mirroring the frictionless experiences people now expect from Amazon, DoorDash, and other consumer platforms.

Their advice for anyone rolling out technology: obsess over usability, minimize training requirements, and tie every feature to a clear, tangible benefit. Make it so easy, seamless, and clearly valuable that even skeptics can’t help but get on board.

The conversation highlights standout manufacturers—Schluter and Zip System—not for glitzy marketing, but for relentless product innovation and stellar customer service. According to both Toolbx leaders, these companies didn’t just release a new product and hope for traction. Instead, they invested heavily in builder training and listening to customer feedback, iterating products to solve real jobsite pain points.

Why does this matter for digital transformation? Because the same principles apply whether you're rolling out waterproofing or workflow software: put user needs first, create robust support systems (like tutorials and feedback loops), and ensure ongoing communication with your customers. If you help your customers win—by saving them time, labor, or complexity—you create a virtuous cycle of adoption.

Brad and Erik peel back the curtain on how AI is delivering next-level efficiency across ordering, merchandising, accounts receivable, and fraud prevention. While AI may sound intimidating or like hype, the hosts clarify that recent advances are dramatic—and the impact is already real. Especially in areas like order ingestion and payment processing, AI can automate time-consuming manual processes, unlock accuracy, and enable staff to focus on higher-value work.

Their guidance for dealers: don’t think you need to overhaul everything overnight. Start small. Pick one process and look for an AI-powered or digital tool that addresses a chronic headache. The results, they predict, will speak for themselves.

You can reach Erik at [email protected] or visit their website at toolbx.com. 

The Smarter Building Materials Marketing podcast helps sales and marketing professionals find better ways to grow leads, sales and outperform the competition. It gives insights, examples and shares stories about how to create a results-driven digital marketing strategy for building products and construction companies of any size. SBMM is co-hosted by Venveo’s Founder, Zach Williams and Venveo’s CEO, Beth PopNikolov.

Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode and want to catch future insights, be sure to like and subscribe to the Smarter Building Materials Marketing podcast wherever you listen. Got questions or suggestions about today’s episode? Drop us a line at [email protected]—we’d love to hear from you!