A recent global report by McKinsey & Company ranked the Construction Industry as the second lowest (only ahead of agriculture and hunting) sector to have adopted technology in their workflow practices. Being a technology company with a large client base, we understand that cost, implementation and training are the most common concerns in adopting new technology, however, this tech should be built to minimise disruption to your business. We are always in constant contact with our customers and strive to understand their needs and pain points in order to build the best product for them. Despite the initial overwhelm that comes with adopting something new, the long-term rewards far outweigh the negatives that come with working on a manual model when the rest of the world is digital.
How can technology help me?
McKinsey & Company found that large capital projects typically take 20% longer to complete and are up to 80% over budget.
A recent survey by InfoTrack also revealed that major pain-points for the construction industry include time spent on putting together contracts, waiting for certificates to be returned and time spent on correcting documents due to manual data entry.
Adopting and rolling out tech-based processes in the construction industry will benefit workers in the following ways:
- Time: One of the greatest benefits to come from technology adoption is the time-saving factor. Regarding construction, workers will save time by following a digitised workflow as all certificates and documents can be ordered from the one location (rather than having to go through various websites), the need to manually enter data is no longer required as information is typically stored in the cloud and the turnaround time with getting documents is decreased as the need to print, scan, send, receive is not required.
- Efficiency: There is less room for mistakes due to human error when using technology, as information is stored on the cloud and pre-fills where it can. Meaning you save time and money on filling out documentation and having to repeat the process should a mistake occur.
- Productivity: With less time being spent on manual processes, there is more time available for you to spend time on what really matters; your work!
How can I encourage technology adoption in my field?
Like a lot of industries who are stuck on following a paper-heavy workflow, many construction companies are under the belief that implementing a new technology requires a large investment, resources and training. However, this shouldn’t be the way! Today, the world is all about user experience – good companies (and technologies) are building products and systems that are easy for anyone to use and will help make users lives easier by providing an experience that will save time, increase efficiency and save time.
A good first step for you to take to welcome tech adoption in your workplace is to use what is already available to you in the digital form, such as workflow automation (the ordering of various certificates and documents from the one website).
What next?
The construction industry has been branded as a late-adopter to the tech game, however, this shouldn’t stop companies you from starting your own online practices. Whilst its adoption does come with some risk, being an early adopter within the industry will help in differentiating your company amongst the sea of competitor’s. Technology is not something to be scared of; with the right provider, you’ll find those barriers that were initially stopping you are non-existent and you’ll be wondering why you hadn’t made the move sooner!
If you’re ready to put an end to manual data entry and filing, get in touch today and book a demo!