If you have never worked in the construction industry, you might still think it is based around people who like working in a ‘hands-on’ manner, using tools like a hammer and a saw. It’s for people who like physical work, that prefers following simple straightforward instructions, and just getting on with the physical work in front of them with little need to do a lot of thinking.
While that still holds to some extent, construction companies with a large staff working at several locations and utilizing subcontractors, while also dealing with suppliers, need coordination of resources and people.
Increasingly this has led to the introduction of construction management apps along with advances in mobile phone technology to enable a construction business to improve effectiveness, reduce expenses, and simplify processes.
When using this kind of app for subcontractors, they can collect live information and send it to the contractor’s office immediately.
Knowing how to use this new technology is quickly becoming a key skill for all who work in the construction industry.
This new technology creates some distinct benefits for construction businesses. Here are five of those benefits.
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Improve communication
Changes to planned work on construction sites can occur suddenly and accidents can occur without warning. Often immediate action is required as a result. Mobile apps allow supervisors to immediately alert the office about whatever has occurred.
This allows any issues to be resolved as quickly as possible.
Reports on work progress can be sent daily using mobile technology, and if internet access is patchy or unavailable, working offline is an important feature.
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Optimize tracking
Construction businesses may have several projects in operation simultaneously, so getting information in real-time has huge advantages.
Making the best use of equipment, materials, staff, and managers is vital, and a investing in an app dedicated to construction management makes it easy to keep an up-to-date view of what is happening at each worksite.
These apps can keep a log of all equipment usage and the locations where the equipment is being used. Some equipment is very expensive, so making the best use of the more expensive equipment ensures they are getting the best value out of their equipment. By tracking usage, it is easier to ensure major machinery is not sitting idly at one site when it could be used at another site.
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Better management
By tracking the day-to-day actions and other critical information between the various teams at each project on site and the office via mobile technology, operations can become far more efficient. Various tasks being undertaken, travel time, and work progress can all be checked quickly and easily, with GPS tracking the location of each work site.
This improves accountability which boosts efficiency and reduces costs.
Workers can submit their completed work by sending in images from the site. This makes it easier to check the quality of the work being completed and the business can quickly move staff and resources to other work sites as various tasks are completed.
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Improve project management
Images, GPS, and time trackers within the app taken on-site gives the employers a better idea of what is going on at each work site. This makes it easy to prove what is or isn’t being done on-site.
This reduces delays, undesirable events, and project delivery inefficiencies arising from data inaccuracy.
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Access to information
Data entry used to be very time consuming; it also used to need a lot of staff power and resources. This has been simplified by using construction management apps because information can be shared across all workers in real time.
It is far easier to keep projects on schedule when supervisors, foremen, trades, vendors, and sub-contractors immediately learn of any issues that might delay the project’s progress.
Summary
Managing construction projects has always required lots of quality coordination between the various teams of contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers, etc. Mobile technology advances and construction management apps are making construction companies more competitive, saving time, reducing costs, and improving workflow.
The construction industry is being revolutionized by the benefits gained through improved time tracking, improved performance, better reporting, and better handling of equipment, enabled by using construction management apps.
