De-Risked and Deployed: Inside Action Elevator's Scalable PE-Backed Technology Transformation

When a private equity–backed elevator company tries to scale from 1,000 to 20,000 units, legacy software doesn’t just slow you down, it breaks the business. In this conversation, John Marshall Jr. (Action Elevator, an HIG Capital portfolio company) and Michael Atkinson (Liberty Advisor Group, a Resultant company) break down what it actually takes to replace a 30-year-old system, from software selection to an 8-month implementation and go-live. If you're evaluating field service software, ERP systems, or planning a digital transformation in a PE-backed company, this is a real-world look at what works (and what doesn’t). What’s covered: Why legacy systems fail during PE-backed growth How to evaluate field service software from both an operator and investor perspective Why bringing in an independent PMO can make or break the rollout The role of executive buy-in in large-scale system transformations What field technicians actually think about new software (and why it matters) Moving from spreadsheets to a CRM connected to field operations How the right platform supports acquisitions and exit readiness Chapters: 00:00 — Intro: who’s here and why it matters 01:19 — Why the legacy system hit its limit 02:37 — Choosing FIELDBOSS 03:28 — Bringing in Liberty Advisor Group 04:50 — Why an independent PMO matters 06:35 — “We’re elevator people, not systems people” 08:45 — Inside the legacy system limitations 10:21 — Scaling challenges at 1,000+ units 10:59 — Why FIELDBOSS (Dynamics 365 foundation) 11:30 — Industry-specific vs. flexible platforms 13:00 — Team morale and leadership buy-in 15:16 — Vendor-agnostic perspective 17:13 — Top-down buy-in as a success factor 19:20 — Governance model explained 24:00 — Go-live and first 30 days 27:35 — Hyper-care and implementation flexibility 31:15 — De-risking the PE investment 32:40 — Field technician adoption 34:34 — CRM vs. spreadsheets 37:08 — Why visibility matters to leadership 38:30 — What made this successful 39:18 — Advice for PE-backed companies 40:12 — Advice for contractors Speakers: John Marshall Jr. — Action Elevator (HIG Capital portfolio company) Michael Atkinson — Liberty Advisor Group (A Resultant company) Corey Barss — FIELDBOSS (Rimrock Corporation)