Business Report Business Report

Digital Components: Faster Greener Design Real-World Scenarios To Apply AI In Business

BY DOROTHY ROGERS-BULLIS

If you’re feeling some whiplash with your professional work style and setting, you’re likely not alone. We went from working a traditional five-day workweek in-person in the office, to working a hybrid schedule, to going fully remotely during the pandemic, to today when many companies are requiring that employees return to the office either full-time or for part of the week. It’s been a whirlwind few years.

With this return to the office, companies are looking for fast solutions to upgrade their existing office or outfit new commercial space. They recognize that employees who have grown accustomed to working from the comfort of home need an incentive to come back into the office, which can include updated work spaces.

In addition to that, with the tight labor market, top talent is in high demand. Companies need to put their best foot forward to entice these prospective employees to join their ranks. These human-centric factors, among others, are contributing to the rise of one of today’s hottest office trends: digital component construction. And one of the industry leaders in this popular trend by storm is Falkbuilt.

Digital component construction from Falkbuilt blends the speed of off-site component fabrication with the precision of digital design. Customize walls, doors, offices—whatever your creative vision is for your commercial space.

But these aren’t the low-quality, prefab materials you might be imagining. This is high-design and construction that is built to last. Falkbuilt uses sustainable and recycled materials, reinforced with steel, so it is strong yet less expensive to produce and assemble than a traditional sheetrock commercial interior. Falkbuilt materials also prioritize safety, featuring a one-hour fire rating.

But another crucial differentiator between Falkbuilt and other digital component construction firms is their proprietary ECHO computer software. Before, commercial interior designers had to contend with the numerous different platforms used by designers, manufacturers, shippers, and installers.

ECHO is the world’s first “technology agnostic” computer platform that synthesizes all of these platforms into one centralized location. This enables Falkbuilt to design the perfect office space with precision measurements, and follow the project end-to-end — from design to manufacturing, from shipping to installation.

When you remove these silos, you streamline the entire design and installation process, making Falkbuilt’s digital component construction one of the fastest commercial design solutions available.

The benefits of digital component construction

The digital component construction trend offers businesses numerous advantages over more traditional office space design and construction options.

When you choose digital component construction from Falkbuilt, you get:

Speed. Thanks to Falkbuilt’s ECHO technol-

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Damabois took ownership of Pallets Inc. at the end of February, and Bertrand said he has been happy with how well the employees have handled the transition.

“They have been adjusting very well. It’s a different country, and there is a language barrier. We were expecting challenges, but so far, I’m waiting for the first one. It’s been very, very smooth.”

According to Horowitz, “The employees are very excited for the future. They are looking forward to the growth that we are trying to build on. It’s been a very exciting time for us. Damabois has been great to us.”

Since purchasing Pallets Inc., Damabois has already invested $1 million in a new pallet nailing machine. As the company expands its market share in the United States, Pallets Inc. is likely to grow.

“What we have done with our other businesses is that we bring the business up to maximum capacity with the first shift, and then we create other shifts,” said Bertrand. “Down the road, that could mean a new building or an addition. It could also mean additional equipment.”

In addition to manufacturing new pallets, Pal- ogy, precision-measurement design, and streamlined manufacturing and shipping, you can have a new (or newly remodeled) office space in as few as five weeks. This enables you to quickly get remote workers back into the office in a new space—or a reimagined one. lets Inc. also refurbishes used pallets. The majority of the company’s clients are in the papermaking, mining, farming, and pharmaceutical industries. Damabois hopes to expand its customer base, serving customers both large and small.

Less hassle. Thanks to Falkbuilt’s custom prefabrication, the majority of the build process is actually conducted off-site. Your construction components arrive in large sections, ready for installation so assembly produces no dust, and less waste, noise, and disruption. It also requires fewer tradespeople than traditional construction, adding to the streamlined speed of your project.

Cost effectiveness. Digital components are often less expensive than on-site, stick-built office interiors. Plus, you own your Falkbuilt components. They are designed for disassembly, so wall systems can be easily reconfigured on site, moved to another location, or recycled at the end of their lifecycle.

High design. You dream it, and Falkbuilt can design, manufacture, deliver, and assemble it! Whether you are designing a space for healthcare, commercial, retail, education, or industrial use, the possibilities for colors, materials, and layout are nearly endless.

A smaller carbon footprint: Not only does Falkbuilt use recycled materials in their office design products, they take “going green” even further. Their digital component construction uses less material, reduces emissions in manufacturing, and virtually eliminates on-site waste.

If you are ready to design an inspiring, environmentally friendly, cost-effective office space that will entice your employees to return to the office, drb Business Interiors is ready to help.

We are proud to be the Northern New York branch for Falkbuilt, offering commercial space design and redesign using Falkbuilt’s digital component construction. With our end-to-end service, we will coordinate design and pre-construction, project management, order entry, building permit submittals, and installation—often in as little as five weeks.

“Anybody that uses wood pallets is a potential client,” said Bertrand. “We don’t cherry pick. Big or small, we are here to help anybody.”

When asked if Damabois plans to make additional acquisitions in the United States, he said, “The market is so uncertain now. Business is a lot slower than during COVID. COVID created a boost of demand, and now we are 30 percent below last year. Further expansion is on hold, but it’s never out of the question. Right now, our plan is to grow Pallets Inc.”

According to Bertrand, the forest fires that are raging in Canada are expected to impact prices of pallets as well as other lumber products.

“The impact will be huge. It’s going to create a shortage of wood on the market which means that prices are going to go up. Prices will increase but not to the extent they did during COVID.”

At the present time, there are no fires burning in the areas where Damabois’ mills are located or where the company harvests its wood.

“For us, there will be an increase in cost because of the fires,” said Bertrand. “All of our equipment is stuck on the field and we cannot move it around. We can’t get access to those areas.”

BY MARK SHAW

Oh look, another article on AI (artificial intelligence.)

Ok, I promise this won’t be one of those, “AI is here and it’s going to take your job, help you cheat on college papers, or end the world” kind of articles.

There is a lot going on with ChatGPT and its parent company OpenAI making such waves in the news. People are using AI to gather information faster, assist with writing better articles, and even creating art.

While all of this is amazing and it’s interesting to “play” with, what are some real-world scenarios that you can apply AI to use in your business? That is a great question. Far too many articles go for the big hype instead of the small and incremental successes you can have with AI.

Let’s talk about something that isn’t really being talked about when it comes to AI: customer delight. How do you use AI to delight your customers?

If you are a business and you have emails, ticketing systems, or any interaction with your clients electronically, you could be using AI several ways. For example, what if you could have AI review your emails, and if you have a client who appears to be unhappy or showing concerns, your computer would highlight and bring those emails to the forefront to be dealt with first? Would that be an advantage?

AI can be used to review “sentiment” which means, reviewing the use of language to make a determination if someone is upset, or using terms that might make them be at risk of leaving your company or services. This would let you see these emails first and respond quickly.

That isn’t the only way to increase the value to your clients. Imagine receiving an email from a client asking questions about your products or services that they are interested in, or maybe even a problem they are having. AI could do the research and document anything relevant about the clients request in a private note document, saving you the manual research and time. This allows you to get back to them faster with more accurate information.

A great example of this exact situation is any computer error code you might get. Imagine that when you email your IT support company about “Error code 1490 showing up when I open QuickBooks,” and in seconds, AI has parsed the email, generated research on error 1490 codes when it comes to QuickBooks, and has spit out the top five solutions to the tech support team.

The request was not just received, but the basic research has already been done, and the engineer is now actively reviewing the problem and not wasting any time. Is that valuable?

This doesn’t have to be tech support related; it could be as simple as asking a manufacturing company in email if they have a product in stock and how long would take to get it. AI could pull all that information and have a note for the salesperson with information about the clients location, the warehouse the product is in, and how long shipping lead times are.

For a sales executive, this would cut out all research and allow them to respond quickly to the client with all the important facts already researched and sitting there for them. Boom! Customer delight.

We have seen the customers sentiment as well as some potential answers to their questions provided for a human to review and act upon, but what else can we use AI for? Clear communication. Making the client feel empowered, educated, and listened to. Isn’t that all we all want out of any business interaction anyways?

Imagine if once you have solved the client’s problem, you could have AI answer the next most commonly asked questions such as, “How did you fix it?” and, “Are you sure it won’t break again?” and, “If it does, what do we do?” Put these questions into AI and it will come up with a wonderfully clear and concise response you can share with your clients.

AI is wonderful at breaking down complex concepts or solutions and explaining them. This adds more customer delight, because the answer can go from, “dunno” or “it’s fixed” to a response that brings the client in, educates them, and helps them feel more part of the process. All without any delay.

In today’s world, AI can bring your business to the next level, increasing speed to resolution of client’s requests, adding value by explaining the situation and making them feel confident and comfortable that their needs are fulfilled, and taking some of the time and labor researching requests away from your already hard working staff. It’s been said so many times before that your business is never going to be replaced by AI, but your business can be displaced by another one like yours that is using AI.

Glens Falls Area Restaurants

Glens Falls and surrounding towns have a variety of casual dining opportunities for every taste, budget and occasion. Find a Glens Falls NY restaurant from the list below.

Park & Elm

Glens Falls, NY

Park & Elm is a multi-concept eatery with a gourmet market, delicatessen, and fi ne dining restaurant located in walkable downtown Glens Falls. Enjoy an elevated dining experience, grab a breakfast or lunch to go, or shop the market for local goods.

Park 26

Glens Falls, NY

Park 26 is an innovative restaurant that offers locally-inspired, modern American cuisine that’s perfect for a date night, business dinner or family celebration. Located inside The Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls.

O’Toole’s Restaurant Pub

Queensbury, NY

Whether you’re looking for a relaxed meal or a night of fun and excitement, you’ll want to come to O’Toole’s. We’ve got the best food, drinks and entertainment in the area! Come on in and experience dining at it’s best. We look forward to seeing you.

Jack’s American Bistro

Queensbury, NY

Jack’s American Bistro was the culmination of a lifetime spent in the restaurant business. After several months of planning in June 2004 the doors were open to a new dining experience in the Glens Falls/Queensbury area.

The Docksider Restaurant

Lake George, NY

Open year round on Glen Lake in Queensbury, The Docksider Restaurant features lunch and dinner with a fireplace for winter and a great deck for outdoor dining overlooking the water.

Fenimore’s Pub

Glens Falls, NY

Fenimore’s Pub in the heart of downtown Glens Falls is open daily for lunch and dinner.

Davidson Brothers Restaurant

Glens Falls, NY

Located in downtown Glens Falls, Davidson Brothers Restaurant & Brewery is a hotspot for craft beer and food in a laid-back atmosphere.

Morgan & Co. Restaurant

Glens Falls, NY

Experience fine American dining in downtown Glens Falls at Morgan & Co. Every dish offers a unique and innovative twist on original recipes. Morgan & Co. also caters events from weddings to reunions and more!

The Grateful Den

Glens Falls, NY

The Grateful Den offers a different take on traditional pub grub, as well as classic favorites like chicken wings, burgers, and salads. Their menu also includes specialty appetizers, sandwiches, and plenty of craft beer options on tap.

The Log Jam

Lake George, NY

An authentic log cabin serving lunch and dinner daily. Featuring signature sandwiches at lunch and succulent prime rib, juicy hand cut steaks, live lobsters, fresh seafood, chicken,and more at dinner. All entrees include our bountiful salad bar.

Courtesy of GlensFalls.com

• • Business

The Glens Falls Collaborative announces the return of its summer food festival, Take a Bite, running every Wednesday through Aug. 9 from 5-7 p.m. in downtown Glens Falls.

It began July 5.

Restaurants offer small plates priced from $1 to $5 while guests stroll through downtown enjoying live entertainment and music. Also, there will be bounce houses in Crandall Park each week.

The live entertainment includes: July 19 on Glen Street, Lucas Garrett and on Ridge Street, Phil Camp; July 26, on Glen Street, On Tap, and on Ridge Street, Mark Rabin; on Aug. 2, on Glen Street, On Tap, and on Ridge Street, Mark Rabin; on Aug. 9, on Glen Street, The Spot, and on Ridge Street, Brian Fitzgerald.

The event is sponsored and supported by the Glens Falls Collaborative, City of Glens Falls, and the Glens Falls BID.

Briefs ceremony. Teams and individuals welcome. There are still sponsorship opportunities available. To learn more visit www.tricountyunitedway.org.

Questions about the combined tournament, can be directed to members of the Tri-County United Way and Kiwanis Golf Committee: Kristin Chlopecki, (518) 793-3136, Tri-County United Way; Brian Murphy, (518) 415-4547, Kiwanis Club of Glens Falls; or Peter Aust, (518) 260-4000, Kiwanis Club of Glens Falls. * * *

The Lake Luzerne Regional Chamber Of Commerce and the Town Of Lake Luzerne announced the inaugural Food Trucks And Music Extravaganza, which will take place from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesdays, beginning July 12 and ending on Aug. 16.

The event will be held at the Pavilion Park located at 248 Lake Avenue In Lake Luzerne.

The events will bring together a diverse selection of food options from various food trucks offering foods including tacos, fish and chicken sandwiches, gourmet mac and cheese, lemonade, doughnuts and more.

Green Harbour Mansion

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Ketter and Bray conducted 30 showings of Green Harbour during the year that it was on the market. The original listing price was $8.4 million.

“It went to market in April 2022, and we had a ton of interest of interest on the property. It’s an incredible piece of property. I believe one of the best one on the lake. It’s super unique, and there’s a lot of history with it,” said Ketter.

The property went to contract twice with Russell and LaSalandra closing the deal after the first contract fell through. For Realize Brokers, it was their largest deal to date.

“We’re a young brokerage,” said Ketter. “We started in June 2020, and we’ve been very fortunate that we’ve gotten the strong support of local folks who have been transacting with us. This was our biggest deal to date. Previous to that, we did a $6.3 million deal. We sold 425 Glen St., the school building in Glens Falls.” against each other, it turns into a bidding war.”

According to Ketter, the residential real estate market remains strong.

Sales of multi-family homes have been especially strong, and Ketter said the majority are being purchased by investors who are making improvements to the properties.

“We’ve been very fortunate with multi-family properties. We’ve brokered a few hundred units. There are a lot of folks who have done quite well in the last few years by acquiring multi-family units.”

Ketter noted that the recent increase in interest rates has had the greatest impact on the commercial sector.

“The commercial sector has definitely tightened up the deals, but you are still seeing properties transact and you are still seeing opportunities out there. The commercial/office sector is definitely a challenge right now,” he said.

“We manage an office building at 101 Ridge Street, and we have a lot of space available. From an office standpoint, it’s a very tough market to be in.”

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The Tri-County United Way and Kiwanis Club of Glens Falls will hold a golf outing fundraiser on Friday, Aug. 18, at Cronin’s Golf Resort in Warrensburg.

Registration is scheduled for 10:30-11:30 a.m. and lunch will be provided from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

A shotgun start will start the golfing at 12:30 p.m. and will be in a four-person scramble format.

There will be a steak dinner following the event.

Registration is $125 per player or $500 per team.

Registration includes cart, lunch, beverages, prizes and steak dinner followed by an award

The live music will feature local bands and regional artists.

The extravaganza will also hold a 50-50 raffle at each event to raise money for the Lake Luzerne Food Bank and local scholarships.

The extravaganza is open to everyone and free to attend, and visitors are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets to enjoy the music and food in the park.

The music schedule includes: July 12, the Stony Creek Band; July 19, the National Reserve; July 26, Panther Mountain Band; Aug. 2, the Mallett Brothers Band; Aug. 9, Donny Elvis; Aug. 16, the Spirit Of Johnny Cash.

In case of rain, the event will be held at Lake Luzerne Senior Center, Lake Luzerne Town Hall, 539 Lake Avenue, Lake Luzerne.

“Anything that is hitting the market that is in good shape is still selling. Inventory is very low, and we’re still seeing multiple offers. Residential is super-hot. If you are trying to find a home in the $250-350 range, it’s tough.”

“The buyers that are left right now--I don’t want to call them desperate--but they have missed out on so many opportunities. Whenever you have that scenario, with a couple people going up

Despite the slowdown in the office sector, Ketter said the retail market is beginning to pick up.

“Retail was tough during COVID, but that’s bouncing back. People are starting businesses and opening up storefronts. We just put a lease together for someone who is going to be doing a kitchen and bath store right in Glens Falls. The space leased in like a week, so there are still things happening.” year-round Lake Luzerne property with 2 homes, 5 total bedrooms & 4 full baths, set on 1.37 acres & over 344 ft of usable Hudson River waterfront. Perfect Family Compound or Investment Property with strong rental history. Tri-level A-frame, large open living area, 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths, bunkroom, game room & breathtaking views, wraparound decks, a hot tub, dock & float for water toys. The Cabin, purchased in 2022, with 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, sweeping views, huge decks, waterfront dock & float, make this a perfect retreat. Two outbuildings for storage. Property equipped for off grid living with eco-friendly solar panels, Tesla energy storage batteries, modern heat pump for high efficiency heating, central air & 2 pellet stoves. Furnishings included & so much more!