Kessler Bau: Digital Site Coordination for 12 Parallel Projects

About Kessler Bau GmbH & Co. KG

Kessler Bau GmbH & Co. KG is a construction company based in the Rhine-Main region of Germany with approximately 60 employees. The company specializes in building construction and renovation, running up to 12 active sites simultaneously within an 80-kilometer radius. The workforce consists of permanent skilled workers, apprentices, and seasonal workers.

The Challenge

As the company grew beyond 60 employees and 12 parallel sites, the existing workflows reached their limits:

• Decentralized planning: Each site manager planned their site independently. The managing director had no overall view of workforce utilization across all sites.
• Skilled worker bottlenecks: Specialists such as crane operators and welders were frequently needed on multiple sites simultaneously. Without central planning, conflicts were inevitable.
• Weather-related disruptions: During bad weather, workers had to be reassigned at short notice — a chaotic process managed through phone chains.
• Working time records: Documentation of working hours for customs inspections (minimum wage compliance) was incomplete. Paper timesheets were regularly lost.
• Site diary: Maintaining the construction diary was time-consuming and seen by site managers as a burdensome obligation — entries were correspondingly incomplete.

The Solution with Crew Active

Stefan Kessler looked for a solution covering both central workforce planning and site documentation. After evaluating several providers, Crew Active was selected.

Implementation

Phase 1: Central scheduling (Weeks 1-2) — All sites, employees, and qualifications were entered into the system. The drag-and-drop planning view gives management a complete overview of all sites, enabling central workforce assignment.

Phase 2: Mobile time tracking (Weeks 3-4) — Foremen and skilled workers received the mobile app. The check-in function with GPS confirmation ensures that attendance at the correct site is documented — a critical factor for minimum wage compliance documentation.

Phase 3: Communication and documentation (Weeks 5-6) — The team chat replaces communication through personal phones. Photos of construction progress, defects, and deliveries are documented directly through the app — with timestamps and location data.

The Results

Central control: Managing Director Stefan Kessler can now see at a glance where each employee is deployed, which sites are under- or over-staffed, and where bottlenecks are emerging. Scheduling conflicts for specialists have been virtually eliminated.

Fast response to absences: When a crane operator calls in sick at 6 AM, dispatch can identify a replacement from the nearest site and reassign them within minutes — instead of spending an hour on the phone.

Complete documentation: Automatic time tracking with GPS data provides audit-ready working time records. During the most recent customs inspection, all requested records were exported from the system within minutes.

Improved site photos: Site managers now document progress systematically through the app. Every photo is automatically associated with a project, date, and location. This simplifies communication with clients and architects.

Weather documentation: Weather-related stoppages are recorded directly in the system. For claims and deadline extensions, the company can present weather data as evidence.

Onboarding new workers: Seasonal workers are set up in the system within minutes and immediately receive access to their schedules. According to the foreman, learning the app takes no longer than a coffee break.

Conclusion

For Kessler Bau, Crew Active enabled the critical transition from decentralized to centralized site coordination. The combination of scheduling, time tracking, and communication in one platform saves not only time but gives management full control over all active projects.

Coordinating multiple construction sites simultaneously? Try Crew Active free for 14 days and experience how centralized scheduling can make your construction company more efficient.