Date: 21.10.2025 (2025-10-21)
Simon Schnorpfeil (21.10.2025)
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonschnorpfeil/
• Questions:
• Legacy systems?
• What are their automation efforts?
• What are their biggest challenges in general atm?
• Pitch the Finance and Procurement agents!
• Feedback:
•
• Get input on what to focus on for the Strabag meeting?
• What are their main priorities
• Has he seen successful AI projects in construction?
Notes: • He is More in the family office part - not operations • Main company -> not anymore since a year • Legacy systems: • Overall IT spend is relatively low (5% of revenue is spent on IT) • 0,5% of revenue is spent on IT • They are super cost driven -> very extreme (sehr sparsam) • They mainly use cheap software • They are 1k employees • They use accounting software which is made for companies with 20 people • Often companies have self developed software • There are companies that cover the whole process of all elements of construction -> check which one that is • A lot of Unmut in der Branche über eine der SW • They have A lot of processes that nobody thought about how to combine processes • HR has to add same info 7 times • Does AI keep old / broken process alive or directly jump to better software • Construction is super träge -> not much developed in the last 50 years • He believes that point solutions could work • Most people say they have old / outdated systems • They have a small IT department • Nobody is responsible • Automation efforts • Nothing is automated • They have a department with very ungebildet Menschen -> They get 500 paper Lieferscheine -> scan and then Übertragung into a SW system • Nachtragswesen is a big topic -> cheap tender -> then try to upsell later • German construction market is fragmented (one gets 5 to 10% of Aufträge wo man sich bewirbt) • Document management system would be interesting -> Bauleiter gibt es Sekretariat -> they create everything everything manually • Supplier • Vergleich Rechnung und Supplier Contracts is done manually • He could ask -> he can forward our questions • A few huge positions: Asphalt, Beton -> prices are changing all the time (Tagesaktuell) • A lot of small positions • Einkauf kommt ins Spiel wenn wirklich eingekauft werden muss -> Einkauf ruft aus DB aller Supplier per project die Supplier an um Preise die aktuell sind einzuholen (at least for the large Kostentreiber) • Geschäftsführer sind mit Einkauf nicht zufrieden -> Einkauf verhandelt nicht -> a lot of potential is within negotiation • Transport is a big cost position • They also have Baustoffteil: Steinbrüche etc. -> revenue are very different because it depends how many construction is in this area • AI project • Zeiterfassung der Bauarbeiter is a big topic -> most people want to work as much as possible -> Gesetzgeber schränkt das sehr ein inkl. strafrechtliche Themen -> very sensibel • Status: on paper -> sent to Abteilungsleiter -> transfer to Excel • Can times be moved / optimised (MA want to work more) • There are tools in the Branche -> unzufrieden - super expensive (thousands of Euro for offer creation) -> did not buy it because system was not perfect enough for the company • 20 different stakeholders within the company -> they tried a cheap system and Simon developed a Excel model • Baubranche produziert nur Prototypen - keine Standardprodukte • More machines vs. more people • Führungskräfte do repetitive work -> how can this be reduced • Tochterunternehmen have different SW programs • What does he do in family office? • Vermögensverwaltung -> Aktien etc. • Immobilien • Reporting -> could be interesting • One employee -> former Sparkassen banker (cant do Conditional Formatting) • Strabag: • I can get more concrete -> ask more concrete questions • Disposition -> Personal & Maschinen -> very manuell -> people should regularly go into burnout because very stressig • Project management? • • Tools they use: • • Overall: • The mindset is conservative • Unlock the potential of optimising • He thinks We could automate 10 to 30 people probably • Could they be interested? • Head of IT und kaufmännischer Leiter • Günstige Startphase -> what are the longterm costs? • One would have to an idea for costs later on -> costs is their biggest problem -> we have to be very concrete • The new generation is super frustrated -> two cousins • They are quite profitable but old processes • He can help with concrete questions - he can