Sapphire Companies was growing fast across their 20-state operation, but David Daniel, Operations Manager for their electrical division, was seeing a persistent problem with traditional staffing agencies. Then when Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina in September 2024, Sapphire took on the time-sensitive projects of rebuilding damaged Walmart stores in Boone and Asheville.
David Daniel, Operations Manager at Sapphire Companies' Electrical Division, knew that traditional staffing methods wouldn't meet the demands of these urgent projects.
We faced persistent issues with traditional staffing agencies. Low reliability led to high turnover of electricians. Inconsistent quality of labor caused delays and rework on projects. There was little transparency in vetting and matching workers to our specific needs, and finding qualified traveling electricians was particularly challenging.
— David Daniel, Operations Manager, Electrical Division
These Walmart locations in Asheville and Boone are critical infrastructure, and when they're closed down, this directly impacts these communities' ability to access groceries and other supplies. Not having the electrical workforce available locally to take on this project only delays these community recovery timeframes so finding qualified electricians willing to travel, with the right licensing and experience, was not feasible through traditional staffing channels.
After evaluating several workforce solutions, Sapphire Companies partnered with Buildforce for their specialized approach to skilled labor.
We chose Buildforce after seeing their technology-driven approach to labor matching. Their specialization in electrical trades aligned with our core focus, and we received positive referrals from other contractors in similar markets.
— David Daniel, Operations Manager, Electrical Division
The response was swift and targeted. Buildforce began placing qualified electricians at the Asheville Walmart project on October 25, 2024—just 28 days after Hurricane Helene struck. This rapid deployment of a traveling workforce was particularly remarkable given the region's challenging post-hurricane conditions, including damaged infrastructure and limited accommodations. The team for the Boone Walmart refurbishment followed, with worker placements beginning on November 25, 2024, approximately two months after the hurricane.
The partnership delivered concrete results for these Walmart rebuilds:
Buildforce has helped us optimize our labor fill rate and time-to-fill metrics. We're seeing much better retention of temporary workers, and our safety and compliance records have improved through their better vetting and onboarding process.
— David Daniel, Operations Manager, Electrical Division
The true test of any workforce staffing solution comes on the job site:
I'm surprised how many quality guys we could get from Buildforce. From other agencies, it's really hit-and-miss, mostly miss. These guys are really good. They do anything we ask, they don't complain. I want to bring them with me to my next project.
— Joe, Boone Foreman
The Buildforce guys are my all-stars. They work hard and do quality work. This job won't be finished for another couple of months but I already know I want to bring them with me to my next job.
— Bryant, Asheville Foreman
In post-disaster environments, reliable technology becomes even more essential. Bryant noted the contrast with other platforms he'd used:
Using the Workyard app is such a pain because it glitches all the time. I have to call the home office and have them do it. It's such a hassle. We haven't had any issues like that with the Buildforce app.
— Bryant, Asheville Foreman
Everything has been really great working for Buildforce. We have no issues with the app and we really like being able to see all the projects that are available in the app.
— Buildforce Electrician
Buildforce has been absolutely crushing it for us. Workyard has been a huge pain. We really like the Buildforce platform. It's so easy to use. We would make the switch in a heartbeat if we didn't just sign a contract with Workyard.
— Shaun Smith, Director of Grocery & Retail Construction
When asked why he would recommend Buildforce to other contractors, David Daniel listed four core reasons:
"Buildforce helped solve our staffing issues by providing a more reliable, pre-screened workforce with better alignment to project requirements and more effective oversight during deployment."
— David Daniel, Operations Manager, Electrical Division
For communities recovering from Hurricane Helene, the efficient restoration of these Walmart locations meant regaining access to essential supplies and services. With some stores taking nearly five months to fully reopen, Sapphire's ability to deliver quality electrical work efficiently contributed directly to the broader recovery effort.
The quality of electricians provided by Buildforce impressed Sapphire's team. Foremen like Joe and Bryant are already planning to bring the same workers to future projects, showing the level of worker satisfaction Sapphire experienced with Buildforce.
Beyond just these two Walmart rebuilds, Buildforce helped Sapphire scale across their entire operation. Over the following months, Buildforce has successfully filled 122 electrician positions across 38 Sapphire projects spanning 14 states. The work ranged from major Walmart installations to specialized storage facilities, with 31 Walmart projects alone accounting for 105 successful placements. Buildforce was able to handle both emergency situations like the hurricane recovery and routine commercial electrical work at scale.
This partnership succeeded through the combined efforts of Buildforce's team, including Senior Account Executive Alex Stewart, who brings construction industry experience to managing contractor relationships, and Talent Operations Manager Uriel Ramirez, along with the entire Buildforce marketplace operations team.
