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7 Signs your Business Needs to Invest in Construction Software

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Blog posted by : Admin / 15 Sep, 2022

 

A construction business needs to keep its operational costs low and profit margins high, in order to continue thriving in a competitive industry. An adaptive and scalable business will always survive in the long run. Construction management software for builders and contractors changes the way a company is run by providing higher visibility and collaboration among all stakeholders, managing risks, predicting demand and streamlining processes. 

 

Here are the top 7 signs that indicate it is time to implement Construction Software at your organization.

 

1. Planning a new project takes time and you miss project deadlines often.

 

Planning every project manually from start to end is a time-consuming process. Delays in delivery have an impact on the reputation of the brand, as customers are disappointed. 

 

Planning and scheduling automation not only helps save time but also takes contingencies into consideration, while creating project timelines. Visualizations through construction ERP Gantt charts are powerful tools for any construction builder or contractor. 

 

It helps various teams to stick to the schedule as closely as possible and provides easy tracking visualizations for real-time progress. Through it, managers can spot any probable delays and take action to prevent it or spot bottlenecks that may cause delays in one process after another. 

 

 

2. One team is unaware of what the other team is doing.

 

The easiest way to check for effective collaboration in an organization is to ask one team about what the other team is doing. If it takes them a lot of searching, calling or texting to get an answer, then it displays a lack of knowledge flow within the organization. 

 

One of the biggest advantages of implementing construction management software is having access to the right information at the right time. So, what does a secure and uninterrupted flow of information look like for a construction business?

  • Project managers get real-time updates on the ERP system from all sites, without having to physically travel
  • Project paperwork and drawings can be accessed securely through the system, at any time
  • The audit trail can be viewed to check what changes were made to a document, by whom and when
  • Ability to answer all client questions instantly by checking the progress of the project on the construction ERP system 
  • Can assign, view and track completion of tasks and its details 

 

 

3. Not being able to identify causes for a low budget or unable to generate more cash flow.

  

As with unplanned changes, delivery timelines surely take a hit but so does the project budget. Incorporating sudden changes in a pre-set budget proves to be a hassle as it involves re-configuring costs and involving multiple teams. Manual calculations may exclude some missed costs resulting in inaccurate estimates. If processing change orders is a source of frustration among your employees, then it is time to look for a solution. 

 

The ERP for construction accounts and budgeting module is tightly integrated with all relevant modules to monitor purchase and delivery in order to update ledgers automatically. As the work on a construction site progresses, managers can log on to the system to view real-time incurred costs as opposed to the projected expenses. It helps the management personnel gauge how well the budget is rolling out, keep track of labor costs and figure out if they need to arrange for additional funds before it is too late.  

 

 

4. You feel like you are investing too much time on repetitive tasks.

 

Certain tasks, particularly administration related or running calculations, can be easily automated. If an employee is spending hours doing the exact same work every day, it probably can be automated. For instance, sending out proposals, invoices, reports or calculating attendance. 

 

Construction software can customize proposals and reports to generate new copies much more quickly than someone making it manually every time. Monitoring and calculating attendance and incentives can be done automatically through the HR and Payroll System. Employees can sign in remotely, while having their locations tagged. 

 

Allowing software for construction project management to run repetitive tasks saves a lot of the employee’s time, which can be invested in other high-value tasks. It also increases efficiency and accuracy, as the probability of manual errors is eliminated. 

 

 

5. The absence of clearly defined and diligently followed work structures. 

 

It may sound like the most obvious thing to do when running a business but you may be surprised at the number of organizations that are functioning without clearly defined processes. Do you notice the following in your team? 

  • The way a task is performed changes every time upon assigning it
  • A hierarchy of reporting or seeking approvals is missing
  • Attempts may have been made to streamline departments but the SOPs are not being followed 

 

As construction management software streamlines process workflows, it inevitably creates a structure for every department. The process flow and hierarchy are set up in accordance with the team’s needs, while addressing their pain points as well. Tasks can be created on the system, defined, assigned and tracked. An employee has all the information they need to get started with the task, update it, and send it for approval after completion. The manager can view progress of all assigned tasks, edit them and send them back after quality check, if needed. 

 

 

6. You are not leveraging all the data your business generates. 

 

Any construction business is made up of multiple parts such as remote sites, corporate offices, daily wage laborers, permanent employees, machinery and equipment, all of which lead to a lot of data generation. Without automation, this data is either not captured or simply stored onto computer systems. If you are not leveraging your company data to produce actionable insights then it is time for digital transformation.

 

Through the Internet of Things (IoT), you can connect all machinery, equipment and devices to the construction ERP system. It can be customized to capture the data you want and view it easily. Artificial Intelligence takes it a step further and analyzes this data to generate forecasts that can predict: Labor shortages, Rise in demand, Probability of payments, Number of site visits, Fuel usage and Machinery maintenance.

 

Auto-generated predictability reports are a game-changing tool that organizations can invest in to gain a competitive edge in the industry as it ensures optimal utilization of resources and prevents over-spending. 

 

 

7. Compliance and quality control processes are unorganized.

 

Some compliances are desirable to get a good rating while others are mandatory to be in the business. Adhering to different types of compliances such as local laws, state and central government regulations can become cumbersome and confusing. Any error may lead to rejection of documents or an incurrence of fines. 

 

Compliance automation is a given with software for construction project management, whether it is adhering to labor laws, GST regulations, safety guidelines, contractual obligations, building codes, and more. Quality control too can be enhanced through monitoring machinery data, tracking inventory of machinery parts, scheduling technician visits, recording repair history and setting up alerts for maintenance checks and warranty renewals. 

 

 

Construction software can be as detailed a system as you want it without compromising on convenience and user-interface. In addition to streamlining all tasks, it generates Artificial Intelligence powered forecast reports that can transform decision-making completely. 

 

The easy accessibility to ERP for construction means that all stakeholders receive live updates anytime on their laptops, tablets or smartphones, thus providing the right information at the right time, resulting in the creation of profitable strategies. 

 

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