When managing construction, you must handle many project details and ensure everything goes according to plan. With today’s digital advancements, many general contractors and project managers use construction technology, such as software or apps, to automate daily processes. Spreadsheets, emails, and whiteboards can only get you so far. It could work for simple and small-scale projects, but you need a powerful platform for managing projects for big and complicated ones. Yes, construction software can help you streamline your operations by having all your data in one place and allowing you to focus more on the necessary details. But are you getting the most out of your construction software or building technologies?
If you are like most people who use software, you may only be utilizing a small part of what it has to offer. Changing that and maximizing the potential of your software could cut minutes or even hours off your daily jobs and make things easier for everyone in the company. However, due to the pain expected to come with change, you must be able to implement and integrate the software into your processes successfully. But a successful software implementation is like a successful building job, requiring careful planning and skilled performance to make your business more money.
So the big question is, how can you and your company get the most out of the software tools for construction? In this article, let us discuss some of the challenges in integrated construction software in your organization. Read on for tips and tricks to successfully implement it within your team so you can utilize its powerful features.
Top Challenges That You May Encounter When Introducing New Construction Software
Putting new processes, technology, and tools in place is always challenging. The construction industry has always been slow to adapt to change, so it can take a lot of work for people and systems to change their daily work. However, many people have realized the benefits of construction scheduling software, so they are open to trying it out and utilizing it to change how they handle projects. Because of this, it is essential to find all the different problems and be ready to solve them. In this section, let us dive into the top challenges that project managers often encounter when implementing new software.
Difference of Opinion
Construction companies are hesitant to incorporate software into their operations and processes due to the resistance they may encounter from their crew or teammates. Many people might be used to how they were previously working and may think that the way they are currently doing things is already promising. However, there is always a better way to do things. For example, you may be used to scanning every piece of paper to your computers and then throwing away the hard copies. With construction software, you can store and file online documents without printing them.
Slow Decision Making
When a company finally decides to use construction software, it can be challenging and take a lot of time to figure out what to do. Everyone is too busy to talk about construction for months, and it might take a long time to decide what software you need or what features are required. As a result, these talks can go on for a while, and most of the time, they will not be able to make any decisions.
Conduct Orientations and Training
The construction industry must work together better to ensure smooth project delivery and enjoyable client experiences. As it goes, clients, consultants, primary workers, and subcontractors have yet to work together and be aligned on how to use the software and use it to their full potential. So, there would need to be training, teaching, and talking needed.
High Cost
Cost can also be why many construction companies hesitate to use and implement software and technologies. Still, this needs to be made clear. Construction software is a long-term investment for your business because it will help you work more efficiently on the job site and handle the whole project better. Even if you have to spend a lot of money to get the software up and running, you will save a lot in the long run because it will work better.
Tips to Successfully Implement Construction Software In Your Daily Operations
Setting up a digital workspace in construction schedule software can give your project teams more power. It can help streamline your processes, allowing your team to avoid tedious, time-consuming tasks and focus more on the essential parts of project management.
Integrating new software may be difficult at first; it can get much easier than you think if you do it right. Read on for some simple tips and tricks to implement software and quickly maximize your investment.
Do A Market Study
Everything starts with figuring out which software will work best for your job. It would help if you looked into all the possible options. Research its different features and see which ones are non-negotiables for your organization. That way, you will be sure that you have made the best choice in terms of price and quality.
Research Its Features or Do Some Test Runs
Could you learn more about building software before using it to run your projects? Most software offers test runs to get a feel of what it will look like and get used to the platform’s different features. Be bold, try it out, and see everything it can do. Asking people who have already used the software for help and checking out reviews is also a good idea.
Do Orientations and Schedule Training
This may seem straightforward, but it will be easier to implement the software if people know how to use it. So, making time for software training takes a lot of self-control. Most software offer training as part of the after-sales services, and with many online choices, you can sit back at your work and talk to teachers who can help you get the most out of your software. Many recorded lessons are available so you can look back at them when you need help.
Keep Track of All Your Documents
Documentation is a critical part of project management. It lets you track crucial information and papers needed to complete the project. If you want various teams to work together on a project, the paperwork must be clear and easy for everyone to understand. You can hand out training manuals to your crew to keep for reference.
Make a Road Map and A High-Level Plan For The Software
A project plan is a visual, high-level outline of a project’s goals and results set up on a timeline. Having a clear plan to implement the software and tools can help handle the demands of stakeholders and entice your workers to try out the software. They can understand its benefits and be more open to trying it out.
Bring People In From The Start
When one person is in charge, telling the rest of the business about a change is much easier. Messages and communication methods could be clearer if it is up to a group or many different people. You need to talk about change reliably and straightforwardly if you want everyone who will be touched to be involved. For example, you can list the benefits of using construction employee scheduling software and how it can prevent overtime or overlapping schedules.
Get People To Change
When you talk to workers about change and get them involved in the switch to new software, they will always want to know how it will help them and why they should care.
As mentioned earlier, many people might resist the change and pushback, stating that this is how they have always done things and worked well. Some loyal workers may still use the traditional way of managing things, such as pen and paper, to monitor or dispatch equipment. Or, they could be using complicated files saved in different local folders, and only they know where to find them. You can use construction dispatching and scheduling software to do this more efficiently and make things more manageable.
Pay Attention to Feedback and Help
Once a date for using the new software has been set, there will be problems in the first few days and weeks. All of this comes with change. People like to stick to what they know and only like to change things if they have to.
For a standard business that wants to switch to a new method, there may also be technology problems. Desktops, laptops, and mobile screens may not have been used in the company before, and many workers may need to be taught how to use an operating system, productivity apps, and the cloud. This may be hard for someone who has never used technology before. Try to check in with the workers to see how they are doing. You can also improve how you train them to make the process more efficient and effective.
