What's Not in the Demo: Real Onboarding & Support | C. Ray Harvey at AIA 26

Presented live at AIA26 in San Diego, this session features C. Ray Harvey, Director of Product and Customer Experience at Factor. Drawing on years of experience helping A&E firms implement new software, C. Ray takes attendees behind the scenes of Factor's onboarding process, sharing why a successful software rollout depends on far more than the product itself. From implementation to long-term support, he explains what firms should expect from a true software partner.

Implementation Is Only the Beginning

Buying new software is a significant investment, but according to C. Ray, implementation is only one piece of the puzzle.

Many firms assume that once the software is installed and data is imported, they're ready to go. In reality, that's often when the real work begins.

At Factor, onboarding isn't about simply teaching users where to click. It's about understanding how a firm operates, identifying its goals, and configuring the platform to support the way the business actually works.

Why Factor Takes a Consultative Approach

One of the biggest themes throughout C. Ray's presentation is the difference between implementation and onboarding.

Implementation focuses on getting software up and running.

Onboarding goes much deeper. Before configuring the platform, the Factor team works closely with each customer to understand their project workflows, billing processes, reporting requirements, and long-term business goals.

Rather than handing over software and an instruction manual, Factor's onboarding specialists take a consultative approach, asking the right questions first so every implementation is tailored to the firm's unique needs.

Every Firm Works Differently

No two A&E firms manage projects in exactly the same way.

Some bill by milestone, while others require detailed hourly invoices. Some manage multiple subconsultants, while others have highly customized client reporting requirements.

Because of those differences, Factor doesn't follow a one-size-fits-all implementation process. Instead, the onboarding team configures the platform around each firm's workflows while sharing industry best practices that help customers get the most value from the software.

As C. Ray explains, understanding the business is just as important as understanding the technology.

Clean Data Leads to Better Decisions

Another important part of onboarding is deciding what data should actually be migrated.

While it may seem logical to move everything from an old system, C. Ray explains that older data isn't always worth bringing forward. Incomplete records, inconsistent spreadsheets, and outdated information can create more problems than they solve.

Factor works with customers to evaluate what information will support future decision-making, helping firms start with clean, reliable data instead of carrying unnecessary complexity into a new system.

Getting Customers to Value Faster

One concern many firms have when changing software is how long implementation will take.

C. Ray explains that the goal isn't simply to finish onboarding quickly. It's to help customers begin seeing value as early as possible.

By following a structured onboarding process, customers can start managing projects, tracking time, billing clients, and reporting on project performance without waiting months to realize the benefits of the platform.

That means teams build confidence faster while minimizing disruption to day-to-day operations.

Support Doesn't End at Go-Live

One of the biggest differentiators isn't just how Factor implements software, it's what happens after implementation is complete.

Customers continue working with a team that understands the architecture and engineering industry and is invested in their long-term success. Whether it's answering questions, sharing best practices, or helping firms take advantage of new functionality, the relationship continues well beyond go-live.

As C. Ray explains throughout the presentation, the best software implementations don't end when training is complete. They evolve through ongoing partnership, responsive support, and a shared commitment to helping firms succeed.

For firms evaluating project management software, that's an important reminder: what happens after the demo is often just as important as the demo itself.