The Smet Monuments Story
For over 75 years, Smet Monuments has worked with families to help set their story in stone. Headquartered in St. Stephen, Smet Monuments is an established family-owned business known for its exceptional craftsmanship of memorial monuments across Atlantic Canada, New England, and Bermuda. The company is dedicated to treating its customers with the utmost care and compassion, using only the highest qualities of granites to guarantee superior product quality. When CEO Jarvis Spires joined the company in 2018, he quickly recognized that many of its traditional processes were no longer suited for today’s digital landscape.
"Even five years ago, it was easy to handle things with clipboards and paper," explains Jarvis Spires, CEO of Smet Monuments. "Today we’re a lot larger, and we need to have clear communication."
Having previously participated in earlier versions of the Digital Boost program, Smet Monuments enrolled in Digital Boost 3.0 to further modernize its operations. The program follows a two-phase approach: first, a comprehensive assessment evaluates the company’s current capabilities and identifies opportunities in cybersecurity, data management, and artificial intelligence (AI). The second phase focuses on implementing tailored solutions to enhance productivity, mitigate security risks, and drive innovation.
To support businesses in this transformation, Digital Boost 3.0 offers funding assistance and facilitates collaboration with local technology providers. Through the program, Smet Monuments partnered with accomplished service provider IPSG Technology to digitally transform its operations, ensuring the company remains successful in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
Jarvis Spires, CEO of Smet Monuments
Assessment Phase
The Digital Boost 3.0 program began with a comprehensive assessment phase, which included evaluations of data management, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence (AI) opportunities. IPSG Technology documented and analyzed Smet Monument’s existing business processes, objectives, strategic plans, and digital infrastructure. By identifying gaps, it provided a foundation for developing recommendations and a structured digital transformation roadmap building on the work that had already been done.
The assessment revealed key areas for improvement, particularly in data and process duplication, which would enhance efficiency and streamline production. It evaluated database structures, data sources, and technological readiness, while also assessing cybersecurity risks, network vulnerabilities, and mitigation strategies. Additionally, it examined existing AI functionality and potential opportunities with the Smet Application, a powerful tool that streamlines operations by centralizing and organizing data.
Implementation Phase
The implementation phase centered on data and AI-driven recommendations, particularly the modernization of the Smet App. This involved integrating key data fields, essential triggers, and new secure, enhanced features powered by AI technology. The team at IPSG Technology documented the updated requirements and functional specifications before proceeding with the design and development using AI. This created a more robust automated end-to-end workflow module that improved efficiency and visibility into key information about the production activities and stages across the organization.
Donnie Chisholm, Senior Director and Business Analyst at IPSG
An important highlight for Smet Monuments is their ownership of a custom-built application, tailored specifically to their industry. This unique tool not only supports employees but also enhances operational efficiency across the organization. With AI-driven enhancements, the app now features intelligent load management, improving efficiency and communication across all departments. It automatically tracks production progress, identifies completed and pending orders, and optimizes delivery planning by ensuring seamless coordination between logistics and production. This digital transformation has significantly streamlined workflows, enabling Smet Monuments to extract and utilize data more effectively for various operational needs. The company recognizes that leveraging AI effectively starts with a solid foundation of reliable data.
The Results
The Digital Boost 3.0 program enabled Smet Monuments and IPSG Technology to identify and implement key technological advancements, including AI functionality that automated Smet Monuments’ end-to-end production processes. By automating previously manual tasks, significant time savings were achieved, and hours of daily work was eliminated. Data is now driving production, enabling faster, more accurate decision-making. Clear communication and streamlined production processes have extended Smet Monuments' sales capabilities, facilitating expansion into new markets with greater efficiency.
“Working with a great team like IPSG over the last three iterations of Digital Boost has been really helpful” concludes Jarvis Spires, “this is by far the most enjoyable program I have participated in.”
As Smet Monuments continues to grow, the enhancements made through Digital Boost 3.0 are helping to streamline production and support expansion into new markets, including Newfoundland, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. By optimizing operations and improving delivery coordination, Smet Monuments is not only equipped to scale efficiently but also positioned to set the standard for the future of the monument industry
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Smet Monuments IPSG Technology Inc. Digital Boost 3.0