How Bhate Geosciences Increased Productivity by Up to 40% with Omnant

The Challenge

For Bhate Geosciences, a well-established geotechnical engineering firm based in Birmingham, Alabama, the reporting process had become a bottleneck. Like many firms in the construction materials testing industry, Bhate had built its workflows around paper forms and spreadsheets, systems that worked well enough in their time but struggled to keep pace with a growing operation.

The firm needed to modernize. Technicians were completing reports by hand and transferring data into spreadsheets, which then had to be manually converted into client-ready reports by administrative staff. With hiring already a challenge, the firm was looking for a way to reduce its dependence on admin personnel dedicated solely to report generation. The status quo wasn't sustainable, and the team knew it.

It wasn't like a software firm developing a CMT software. It was a CMT firm that developed a software that they were actually using.
– Mark Bryant

Productivity Increase

Up to 40%

Implementation

Immediate

Admin Positions Eliminated

Reporting staff consolidated to 1

The Solution

Bhate evaluated several options before landing on Omnant. A side-by-side comparison showed that Omnant offered more features and was considerably more economical than the competition. But what ultimately drove the decision went beyond price and functionality.

Unlike other software solutions built by teams with no industry background, Omnant was developed by CMT professionals who had lived the work firsthand. That distinction mattered enormously to Mark Bryant, Director of Operations. "It wasn't like a software firm developing a CMT software," he explains. "It was a CMT firm that developed a software that they were actually using." For a firm with the nuanced, geography-specific workflows that Bhate operates with, working with a partner who already understood the business made all the difference. As Mark puts it simply: "Chad could talk the language."

Implementation

Bhate's geographic context added a layer of complexity to implementation. The firm operates in the Southeast, where testing practices and workflows differ meaningfully from other parts of the country. Rather than spending hours explaining industry nuances to a generic software vendor, the Omnant team was able to adapt quickly. Chad's firsthand CMT experience meant he could identify regional differences and adjust accordingly without the extensive back-and-forth that typically slows these transitions down.

It's a real game changer. Going from paper trail to now everything is online, in the cloud, it's a game changer to our business.

What stood out wasn't just the technical setup. It was the Omnant team's willingness to make the platform work for Chicago Testing Laboratory specifically. From uploading base information to modifying report formats, nothing was too much to ask. "There was no pushback on anything we asked to be changed or edited to work for us," Beth explains. "They even built out a whole invoicing side that Omnant didn't have before. They were willing to go above and beyond to make it work for us."

Results

• Productivity Increase: Up to 40%

  The impact was immediate. From the first day of use, the team could see the platform was going to change how they worked. Efficiency gains of up to 40% followed, and the administrative staffing picture shifted dramatically. The firm went from being on the verge of hiring additional admin personnel to consolidating those responsibilities into a single role.

• Implementation: Immediate Results

  From the moment Bhate went live, the benefits were tangible. Manual report generation was effectively eliminated from the administrative workflow, and the team adapted quickly with minimal disruption to daily operations.

• Adoption: Company-Wide Buy-In

  Younger engineers embraced the platform quickly, while more experienced engineers who were accustomed to paper-based review processes needed a short adjustment period. Within a short time, both groups were on board, with the older engineers recognizing the efficiency gains for themselves. On the client side, the transition was smoother than expected. Customers adapted quickly and responded positively to the new report format.

Why Omnant?

When Mark reflects on what sets Omnant apart, three things rise to the top: customer service, ease of use, and subject matter expertise.

Support response time has been a consistent differentiator. Mark can reach Chad directly by email or phone and expect a response within the hour. For a Director of Operations who understands how quickly a small issue can slow down an entire workflow, that level of accessibility is not a nice-to-have. It's essential.

The platform's usability also exceeded expectations. Bhate's team uses Omnant across devices, including tablets and phones in the field, which helped drive adoption among younger technicians who are more comfortable on mobile than on a desktop. And the deep industry knowledge behind the platform means the Omnant team can troubleshoot and advise without needing a lengthy explanation of how CMT work actually operates.

"Of course the platform is great, but to be honest, there are other platforms out there," Mark acknowledges. "It's the value add of the customer service. And a lot of the bells and whistles on Omnant are not on these others, or you have to pay extra for them."

The Bottom Line

Bhate Geosciences' experience illustrates what's possible when a platform built specifically for the CMT industry replaces legacy workflows with modern, connected tools. Up to 40% productivity gains represent real hours returned to the team every day, hours that can go toward engineering work, client service, and continued growth.

As Mark puts it: "It's a workhorse."

Key Success Factors:

• Selected a platform built by CMT professionals, reducing onboarding friction and explanation time
• Responsive Omnant support team navigated implementation with patience and deep industry expertise
• Intuitive platform drove adoption across all experience levels and devices
• Comprehensive solution replaced multiple manual systems in one transition
• Immediate productivity gains and measurable staffing efficiencies justified the investment