Page 3 - Texas811 Magazine 2022 Issue 3

from the desk of
Chris Stovall
Technology is not inevitable. At least not yet. The advancement of technology within our industry is not inevitable. Technology is neither good nor bad. It is a tool. For technology to advance
in this industry, WE must build it. I have been with Texas811
for close to 18 years and one thing that has remained true throughout my tenure is that our members have always leveraged technology to facilitate damage prevention. I have seen this industry embracing technology in ways that no one could fathom just 5 years ago. For the past few years, our Customized
Solutions group has seen year-over-year growth that has exceeded even the most optimistic
of our forecasts as more Texas811 members use predictive analytics and secondary research to improve their damage prevention programs - 100% of the members that use this program see a reduction in damages.
We continue to improve mapping as well as the software used to enter and deliver locate requests. More than 80% of 811 locate requests are now completed online by the Requestor instead of by telephone.
We are an industry that embraces the advancements in technology and then uses these advancements to protect the critical infrastructure that keeps our state running and ultimately, we use the technology to make Texas a safer place to work. We are entering into a new era and many in our industry are now building tools that I believe are a true step toward a state of zero damages. Please enjoy this issue dedicated to technology and thanks for reading and being a part of the future of damage prevention.
Chris Stovall
President and CEO
2022, Issue 3
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