How to Digitise Your Construction Company

 

Learn about the benefits that come with digitizing your business and find out how to start this process, ensuring a smooth transition and maximizing your company's potential.

The construction industry is one of the largest and most important sectors in the world economy, with about $10 trillion worth spent on construction-related goods and services every year. At the same time, it’s not one that’s easily susceptible to changes nor is it quick to adapt. For a long time, the industry has treated opportunities presented by modern technology as a “technical novelty” - something interesting, maybe even useful - but not paramount. After all that the industry went through during the past years, and more importantly now, during the CoVid-19 crisis; the sector has come to appreciate, use, and leverage the solutions offered by modern technology to endure. Here is a summary of some of the benefits that construction companies have experienced after embarking on the journey of digital transformation.

Benefits in digitising construction company

Data Protection

Information technology security has 3 fundamental pillars: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. In order to keep your company data safe, you need to be able to control the access rights, have trusted storage, and be able to access your data anytime from anywhere. Currently the most common (also considered the most secure) type of storage is the cloud.Thankfully cloud-based ERP software solutions are created with data security in mind so you are protected at all times. More on why construction companies need to take data security into account in 2020 here.

Organised Workflow

In construction companies, all aspects of the business are connected. In order to have profitable projects that are delivered on time and on the budget, a spotless workflow is essential. The financial, employee, and project management are all intertwined. The key for success is to have a clear overview of all of the processes in one place granting full management control. With this “centre of operations”, you are able to finally organise your workflow and increase your company's efficiency. Learn the top 5 benefits of implementing workflow management into the company here.

Projects Under Control

Having a well-planned programme of works is a foundation for a project's delivery. Scheduling construction tasks, resources, responsibilities, and timelines is essential. Digitising those aspects, as well as using a project management solution that enables you to automate tasks and track it’s process under each project - gives companies the power of control. You can plan, track, manage, and report on each project knowing that all the data is digital - making it secure yet accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.

Smooth Cooperation

Construction companies are not independent entities. In order to function, and deliver projects oftentimes they partner with each other, cooperate with subcontractors, or procure equipment and resources from suppliers. Using modern solutions for project management, tendering, and documentation allows one to manage all aspects of the cooperation in one place. It will still require a manager to set and control the flow of information or the project's delivery stages, but thanks to digital tools tracking the progress - the company will stay in control and always be one step ahead.

How to Digitise Your Business

On one hand, having in mind all those benefits the company gets when adopting the digitisation, it becomes very clear what it loses if one decides to keep waiting for “perfect” timing. On the other hand, the process of digitising the company is not an overnight event. It takes time and commitment to transfer workflows, documentation, and all of the company’s operations into a new software. As beneficial as it is to join the digital transformation and use the fruits of modern technology, it is also important to make sure that your organization is ready for the commitment of making this work.

Recently it became especially important to modernise, and the push for new technology in construction companies has grown significantly. The need for effective remote work and online management came strong with the pandemic, but its effects are going to stay with us for long. The industry saw the need to accept the digital transformation and started to apply new solutions fast. This trend is forecasted to only strengthen with time, as companies want to be prepared for the next time we face a similar crisis. So, how should you go about digitising your company? Here are the 4 key steps.

1. Identify The Challenges

You cannot find answers without questions. One of the first steps is to realise what are the top challenges that you face and rate them. This will be useful later on, as no solution is perfect and you need to keep the focus on the most crucial aspects essential for you to be able to solve your most pressing challenges. Is it data security? Is it remote access to documentation? Is it an employee or project management? Find your current bottlenecks and start looking for answers.

2. Review Your Goals

So how will you know if your challenges have been solved? Preparing your company for new solutions starts with understanding and planning. Define your fundamental goals. You know the reason that's driving this change and the challenges are you looking to solve, but how will you know if you have succeeded? Describe your goals and measurables - it will help you evaluate your options and measure their success later on.

3. Implement a Solution

Deciding on a solution that covers your challenges and offers you a way to reach your goals is not the end of the process of digitising your company. What comes next is even more important. Implementing a novelty is like any other change - it needs to be managed. When it comes to software that brings real-life value and covers the most pressing aspects of construction company management - the implementation will require time and engagement. A dedicated solution only works when you put your time and effort into helping the implementation team understand your needs. Though it may seem time-consuming it will be worth every minute. The more tailored to your needs the solution is the more valuable it will become for your business.

4. Automate & Grow

The whole point of digitising your construction company is to offer your business new possibilities of growth. Applying various modules and applying automation into your processes will boost the productivity of entire teams, saving time and money that can be used to develop your business further.

Whether it is software that digitises your workflows and allows for more structured and accessible management, or hardware that enables you to do previously inconceivable tasks(exoskeletons, robotics or drones), digital transformation is the tool that brings about change to the construction industry on a daily basis.

Supporting workers in dangerous tasks, controlling the safety of construction sites, offering a new way of efficient management - digital solutions bring vast value to construction and allow it to evolve. The future of construction will undoubtedly bring many new challenges, but at least now, thanks to innovative solutions and modern technology we will have a better chance to tackle them once they arrive.



 
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2024-03-28 21:06:56