Construction firms are having a harder time recruiting and hiring qualified workers, and a big chunk of this issue is due to the rising costs of construction. Completion times are longer due to the shortage of subcontractors and other workers, and many Contractors have raised their pay, making it almost 10% higher than the private-sector average.
Many businesses have thought about incorporating new technology to increase efficiencies and attract millennials who are entering the workforce. Construction sites are more prone to errors, reworks, delays, and overruns than many other industries, making it a prime candidate for digital transformation. Unfortunately, Contractors are finding themselves at a crossroads. On one hand, there is plenty of promising tech out there; but there is also mounting evidence of technology resistance.
A Global Construction Survey of 200+ senior executives that was conducted by KPMG unwrapped a not-so-shocking truth–nearly three-fourths of the respondents said that they didn’t use any sort of advanced data analytics in their operations. Only 20 percent were transforming their construction business model with next-gen technology, and only 8 percent of survey respondents could be categorized as cutting-edge visionaries.
But why–what is the reasoning for the industry’s reluctance to change? One big reason is complexity; technology needs to be simple and actually improve productivity. The system needs to fit within the cultural framework of the organization and help augment existing systems instead of adding more inefficiency.
Mobile applications, such as MOBILEsales, MOBILEjobsite, MOBILEticket, and MOBILEcommerce from Command Alkon, can be easily integrated with many systems that your organization currently uses for sales, accounting, and supply chain management. Information at your fingertips eliminates communication delays in any part of the communication chain, and employees can handle day-to-day responsibilities from their smart phones or tablets because of remote access features.
Amidst the heat of a labor shortage, the difference between success and failure comes down to rightly managing the assets needed to boost productivity and simplicity. Incorporating mobile technology into your operations can simplify your business processes and add big savings to your bottom line.
