Category: <span>Technology</span>

Category: Technology

3 Ways Drones Are Used on Construction Worksites

Posted on

Drones are quickly becoming the preeminent solution for delivering aerial imagery for construction projects.

As regulations ease and technology continues to improve, the use of drones for monitoring and reporting on construction projects is steadily increasing. Here are just 3 of the most popular ways drones can be used on construction worksites.

Progress Reports

Rome wasn’t built in a day…and neither were any major land development projects. There are various checkpoints throughout the construction process, which in most cases can take months (if not years).  Leveraging a drone for an aerial progress report allows for real-time updates, so project owners can save time and manage worksites more efficiently.

Inspections

Using drones to complete full-scale inspections significantly reduces the risk factor for workers. Rather than a worksite manager conducting a time-consuming and somewhat hazardous inspection, a drone operator can capture a birds-eye view of the entire area safely & within a much shorter timeframe.

Analytics

Drones can assist in providing accurate estimates, generating cut and fill maps, modifying plans to meet on-the-ground conditions and more …all in a matter of clicks. The availability of rich analytics gives customers a more accurate understanding of their worksite.

This article first appeared on the Drone Base blog and can be viewed here.

Marketing Technology Tools for Contractors – Part 2

Posted on

By Heidi J. Ellsworth, HJE Consulting.

For residential and commercial roofing contractors, there is an ongoing need to not only attract customers but to sustain them over long periods of time.  Marketing automation provides contractors with a way to nurture leads and customer to ensure their business stays top of mind.

There are multiple buzzwords in the marketing world and currently one of the biggest is Marketing Automation.  The question many are asking is “What is it?”  Marketing Automation Times, http://marketingautomationtimes.com, an online publication states that marketing automation is a subset of customer relationship management (CRM) that focuses on the definition, scheduling, segmentation and tracking of marketing campaigns. The use of marketing automation makes processes that would otherwise have been performed manually much more efficient and makes new processes possible.

That definition is just the tip of the iceberg.  Yes, it is about automating processes such as email, blog, and web tracking but it is also about building relationships with customers and potential customers that change the dynamic from chasing leads to attracting leads.

For residential and commercial roofing contractors, there is an ongoing need to not only attract customers but to sustain them over long periods of time.  Whether it is homeowners or building owners, they need to be nurtured to stay top of mind when customers have roofing needs or referral opportunities.  A strong, up-to-date list of customers maintained through software automation is critical.  Contact information including emails that are sitting in filing cabinets and not in an up-to-date CRM are useless.

Once a CRM program is in place and information, past and present has been loaded it is time to begin thinking about marketing automation.  What needs to be communicated to customers?  What are the profiles of customers, i.e. residential, exteriors, commercial?  If both residential and commercial services are provided by the roofing company it is important to segment the customers.  For example, a commercial-oriented newsletter needs to go to building owners and will most likely be wasted on a homeowner.  It could even be labeled spam by that homeowner, hurting communication efforts.  In reviewing the communications plan, it becomes increasingly important to make sure the company is sharing information the customer cares about.

 

Social Media

The groundwork is crucial before starting any marketing automation project.  One popular tool for communications is social media.  Different social media works best for specific audiences.  Facebook has a stronger following amongst homeowners while LinkedIn is preferred by business.  Remembering that a building owner most likely is also a homeowner creates dual opportunities for exposure at both the home and business.

There are cloud-based software systems available such as Hootsuite where all social media can be controlled from one dashboard.  This type of automation is being used by businesses, non-profits and large enterprises to manage messaging and timing.  Time management is important when managing social media.  With one dashboard, multiple social mediums can receive company messaging, cutting down on the time that it would take to update each medium separately.

 

Marketing Automation Software

Online companies such as HubSpot, Marketo or Act-On are just a few of the companies that offer a full software solution for tracking activity on websites, sending emails and linking it all with social media.  In looking at this type of technology, be sure the company is ready for new processes and increased lead generation.  There is a learning curve to connect the CRM to the marketing automation system and understand how to correlate the content that is being sent out through email, social media or web to sales efforts.  Leads will increase with this type of marketing so it is important to put time and resources in place to handle the return.

There are agencies who offer marketing automation services.  Again, make time to vet their services and ensure they understand the roofing business.  Often marketing organizations outside of the construction industry do not understand the difference in marketing between homeowners and building owners, residential or commercial.  In talking to other contractors, associations or vendors, contractors can get recommendations for good service providers that have delivered results for other companies.

Marketing automation is a strong software tool to communicate with customers electronically.  But, it is just one part of building good relationships through sales and marketing.  Some companies have allowed technology to swing the pendulum too far away from personal relationships.  Marketing electronically is about staying top of mind but it is only a small part of building strong relationships of trust with customers.  Combining electronic communication with person-to-person communications can create exceptional customer satisfaction, referrals and highly sustainable business for roofing companies.  Using marketing automation as one of the tools in a marketing program and linking it to the overall goals and strategies is the winning combination.

 

Customer Portals

For current customers, it is important to continually delight them by creating exceptional customer experiences.  Leading contractors are using CRM programs that offer customer portals where they share data, photos, job progress, inspections and invoices with customers at their convenience.  This type of CRM can be used for initial customer contact and sales along with the ability to track customers over time while storing all projects and related data.

Customer portals create an excellent user experience for customers.  Innovative, web-based software systems are utilizing relational database programs to efficiently help contractors manage everything from project data, work order/invoicing processes and most importantly customer communication and document storage.

Many facility managers are asking for this type of communication.  It offers a 24/7 ability to see what is happening with service, maintenance, and reroofing projects.  Maintenance portals play a significant role for facility managers, allowing them to see exactly what is happening on their roofs.  Understanding that very few managers will have the opportunity to walk all their roofs, portals provide a view of the roof that inspires confidence through ongoing communications, documentation and visual review.  Data storage and the ability to upload unlimited photos or video to the portal is essential in providing real-time documentation for customers.

Portals are also used for more than review.  Facility managers can report a service request through the portal and track the status of the work.  Email alerts can be used to help to keep all parties aware of updates or repair requirements.  As noted earlier, the future is in the speed of delivery using mobile solutions.  Mobile devices on the roof provide expedited communication, the ability to send succinct inspection reports and easy service reporting when linked with the right CRM.

By utilizing custom inspection checklists, roof service teams can quickly communicate roof issues or concerns along with the progress of the repairs.  Custom inspection reports include photos from the roof that correlate with early imagery or even satellite imagery to create a visual timeline for the facility manager.  All of this is shared through the online portal providing an easy way to distribute information to management, purchasing agents or building supervisors.  It creates an ongoing customer experience that leads to referrals and long-term relationships.

There is a strong opportunity for residential contractors to offer the same portals to homeowners.  By making home repair information available 24/7 to homeowners they can be active with the contractor and their home improvements.  Implementing technology that retains all data on a property over time provides an excellent means of retaining homeowner business with ongoing repairs, yearly inspections and potential upgrades.

 

Take the Time

The most important part of incorporating any technology is to take the time to evaluate.  Talk to other contractors through roofing associations or networks and see what has worked for them.  Look at online reviews and utilize free trials to try out and understand the technology.  There is a large commitment in time whenever there is a change or adoption of new technology, so be sure it matches the goals of the company.

Also, be aware that many types of software adoption will have a cultural effect on the company.  Processes will need to be updated, personnel trained and data uploaded.  It is not easy to change software, so create a relationship with the software provider upfront, and develop a high degree of comfort and confidence when initiating the new technology and processes with employees.

It is worth the time to find the right systems to not only grow your company but improve productivity and profitability.

Marketing Technology Tools for Contractors – Part 1

Posted on

By Heidi J. Ellsworth, HJE Consulting.

 

In today’s world where efficiency and precision take precedence, technology is a key component when it comes to doing business within the contracting community. Technology comes in many shapes and sizes but leading contractors are realizing that if they are not progressive in their use of technology they are going to be left behind.

 

Technology is not just software, it is using services and cloud-based solutions to help increase productivity for the company and employees.  Exploring multiple types of technology and evaluating their effectiveness for a roofing company, no matter the size or type can play an important part in the growth of a business.  In this technological age, it is essential to incorporate technology into the business’ processes and culture.  In fact, contractors are finding that they can get more done, faster by using technology while staying ahead of the competition.

New technologies and applications are introduced literally every day.  Understanding what is beneficial for a roofing business and more importantly, the best technology for the size of the business is critical for success.  Here are a few important sales and marketing technologies that can make a difference in growing sales and profitability in 2017.

 

Websites

The number one, most important marketing technology is a website.  It needs to provide enough information about the company so potential customers will act by requesting estimates or additional information for projects.   A customer wants to feel confident in the vendor’s experience and professionalism.  By validating the company’s expertise concerning high-quality work, long-term service and excellent responsiveness along with strong knowledge of the latest products and technologies, customers will be enticed to respond.  This can all happen on a website.  The quality of information will speak to the customers long before they pick up the phone.

A website should be dynamic, meaning that the content is fresh and always up to date.  It should feature a section or blog on the site that provides short articles and information that customers will find interesting.  Press releases and other news should be shared regularly on the site.  A good website will have a prominent button or link on every page that a visitor can click on to request an estimate.  Ask them to complete a form that captures their contact information (name, address, phone, and email) but also use the opportunity to try to gather some basic qualifying information.

Finding a good website developer can be challenging but there are several options.  Everything from do-it-yourself, to leasing a website, to finding a knowledgeable internet marketing agency are available.  Before hiring a company to update or develop a website, take the time to look at other websites and note what is impressive.  Often the name of the company that developed the site is noted at the bottom of the homepage.  By pulling information together ahead of meeting with developers, it will save time and money when working with a new web development company.  Lastly, look internally first.  Often there are employees who can create websites or work on marketing projects who are already on the payroll.

 

Smart Devices

It does not seem possible to survive in today’s world without a smart device and that is especially true when it comes to business.  Smartphones allow contractors to be in touch immediately with their customers giving them the edge when it comes to customer service.  The agility of utilizing smartphones makes sense for communication with other employees while providing the overall benefit of informed customers.

It is important to use phones in a way that works with customers, so knowing their preferences concerning email, text or phone usage is beneficial for creating enhanced communications.  As part of the sales process, ask how the customer would prefer to receive their project communications.  A critical part of utilizing technology is understanding how customers want to interact with that technology.

Smartphones and or tablets make day-to-day business easier on the road, hopefully eliminating some of the late-night work.  Asking vendors, such as manufacturers and distributors, about their technology offerings and especially finding out which apps make working with them easier helps both businesses.  To be able to order materials, reports or services through the phone or tablet can lead to efficiency and time savings.

In deciding which smart device to use, take the time to coordinate the company’s phones, tablets, and computer system with cloud-based software in a way that all devices can speak to each other.  This creates an easy, efficient means of transferring data and documents while also documenting customer discussions.

 

Customer Relationship Management

There are several Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems designed for roofing professionals.  CRM systems have evolved significantly over the years from server-based systems such as ACT to simple contact management solutions such as Microsoft Outlook or Excel to cloud-based, enterprise-level software like Salesforce.  In the roofing world, there are many contractor CRM software systems that help manage customers.  They are often also connected to project management and/or accounting software.

Questions to ask when looking for a CRM system include how the program works for residential vs. commercial business. Ideally, will it handle both.  There are companies that are very focused on residential projects with functionalities that track canvassing, sales and overall leads.  Commercial roofing software may focus more on inspections, service, and maintenance and may feature a customer portal that allows property owners to access service records and to request maintenance online.  Depending on the business model of the roofing company, residential, commercial or both, the CRM needs to fit the business.  As roofing companies continue to grow and gain sophistication, an important element for any CRM systems is the ability to track customer’s overall data and retain that data for long-term use.

No matter the CRM chosen, the key is to maintain a strong, up-to-date customer database that becomes not only a historical view of customers and projects but also a strong database for future sales and marketing.  By using a CRM software instead of an Excel document or a Rolodex, customer contact can be automated and shared including notes, past correspondence, property data, material preferences and/or potential future projects.

Technology for the Future: How Having a CRM Gives You a Comprehensive View of Your Roofing Business

Posted on

As the owner of a contracting business, it’s imperative to have a pulse on not only how your company is performing at any given moment, but historically as well.

Everything from leads, current job statuses, contracts, and finances gives you a comprehensive idea of how your company is performing – and comparing that to year over year or month over month historical data provides a snapshot of growth or stagnation.

Finding the right software for your business may seem daunting – there are a lot of options on the market, and none are guaranteed to be the silver bullet you need. When doing research, business owners should consider what they need or want to see when they think of the overall performance of their roofing company, and how a CRM might provide that overview.

Finances at a Glance:

CRM’s that include integrations to your accounting software, such as QuickBooks, can provide an immediate idea of your company’s financial performance. Comparing individual sales figures, having access to overhead, material orders, outstanding contracts, and commissions means that all of your data is compiled into an easy to digest dashboard, specific to owners who want to know where their money is – down to the penny.

Archived Data in Hand:

A business that has been around for a few years is going to have records – previous jobs, insurance forms, material orders… and all of that paperwork needs to be filed and stored so that it can be accessed by employees for reference in the future. Dealing with years of archived paperwork can be a logistical nightmare – for example – a project manager is at a job and the customer mentions work done during a previous storm. The PM would need to call the office, ask an office staff member to locate the previous files and reference the work, then relay that information back to them. All of this can take hours if your staff is busy or can’t locate the files.

Having your files stored digitally in a CRM means your staff doesn’t have to go on a paperwork expedition – your field staff can simply call up the customer’s file, right in front of them, and reference previous work – paperwork, photos, contracts, materials – it’s all there.

This immediate archive retrieval also goes a long way when it comes to personalization. A salesman can reference all of this even before creating the estimate. They can also reference notes that previous teams made – such as if the customer mentioned needing new siding, or potential gutter work “next time”.

None of this would be possible with physical paper documents back in the office.

Easier Employee Onboarding:

During times of high production, roofing companies may hire seasonal, specific trade or additional labor to supplement their increase in business. Having an easy to use, simple software program with pre-built templates ensures that these new employees are creating paperwork that adheres to your company’s protocol, as well as creating records that can be archived for future use.

Software that is intuitive means that there will be fewer mistakes, and new employees can learn quickly and hit the ground running.

Keeping Up with Technology Trends & Tools:

Technology is always changing, as the needs and tools for roofers and exterior contractors become more sophisticated. Software that provides integrations can make your job a lot easier.

Instead of maintaining several applications or accounts for all the different features you need, software that offers integrations within a single application means less toggling back and forth – ordering roofing measurements that immediately populate estimates, photos taken, annotated, shared and stored directly in the job files – these are features that save you time and money in the long run.

Inevitably, technology requires updating. CRM’s that are hosted and maintained by developers, and not your office staff, mean fewer outages, constant updates, and dedicated customer support – meaning one less thing for you to worry about.

CRM’s for Roofing Companies:

CRM’s, business management software – whatever you want to consider – is not a new technology – but the value they provide, in addition to new features being added all the time can help provide the overview roofing business owners need who are looking to make the jump from paper and Excel to an all-inclusive digital space.

Note: This article first appeared on the AccuLynx blog and can be viewed here.

Drones Helping Building Owners Assess Damage, Prioritize Repairs and Monitor Job Progress

Posted on
DCIM100MEDIADJI_0502.JPG

National Roofing Partners (NRP) has implemented the use of drones as part of its continued commitment to incorporate the latest technologies into its operations.

Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in the Fall of 2017, leaving the island in the dark and national corporations unable to communicate with their facility managers to determine the extent of damage to their properties. One of NRP’s client, a large national retailer had 12 locations on the island and needed a way to survey the damage to their buildings to prioritize and schedule repairs.

NRP partnered with a drone service and sent teams onto the island to conduct assessments of their client’s properties. By capturing that aerial view NRP was able to show their client the extent of the damage so they were able to evaluate and prioritize repairs. The buildings that had obvious visible damage such as holes in the roof were elevated to the top of the repair list.

Re-roof in progress.

Once repairs were underway on the roofs, NRP delivered weekly progress reports utilizing the aerial drone imagery. NRP Senior National Account Manager Mallory Payne said that the use of drone imagery has provided the client a clear understanding of how the repairs are progressing. “Before using drone imagery, we relied on contractors to send us photos but they were taken on the roof, which isn’t always the best angle for a true understanding of job progress,” explained Payne. “The drone imagery is captured from above and provides a view of the entire roof where is it easy to see exactly what has been completed and what is still left to do.”

The use of the drones in Puerto Rico went so well that Payne says NRP is making it a standard operating procedure. “Previously, we used to send clients progress reports using a drawing of the roof and marking it up with comments as to how the job was progressing,” said Payne. “Now we just send them a link and they can view the photos of the work from any web browser.”

There were some kinks to work out in the beginning since the drone flyers that NRP is working with are not experts in roofing, they are experts in drone operations. Payne worked on developing three different types of flights with specific instruction on what to photograph on each project. Those three types include HVAC equipment flights, aerial overviews with individual roof section images captured and project progress flights.

Re-Roof in progress, almost complete.

Since determining the types of photos needed and developing the three flight types, the drone technology has been a key part of every project.

Top Roofing Technology Trends for 2018

Posted on

By: Brad Foster, AccuLynx.

As companies continue to expand within their local markets, the demand for roofing technology to support advances in business management, sustainability, and material trends has increased alongside that growth.

Companies that take advantage of new, cutting-edge roofing technology will be at an advantage as they continue to increase efficiency on the job site, as well as within their organizations through better business management processes.

Drone Technology for Roofers

Drones have taken the world by storm and have become a popular toy for all ages. Their role as a tool for roofing businesses, however, is just starting to emerge. Drones with 4K cameras allow sales teams to take detailed pictures of problem spots and identify safety hazards without having an inspector climb onto the roof, immediately reducing risk before a job begins. These images can be shown to customers to help them visually understand where repairs are needed, as well as to your crew before a job begins to make work more efficient. As drones become more advanced, their potential to be a useful tool increases, and it may be time to evaluate their usefulness to your own company.

 Roofing Safety Innovations

Safety is always a top concern for onsite crews, and steps can and should always be taken to reduce risk on a job. While protocols and careful management can reduce the potential for mistakes, accidents do happen.

Roofing technology trends that have a direct impact on the safety of your field teams can dramatically reduce common risk factors:

  • Companies like Redpoint Positioning are integrating GPS into safety equipment so that they can mark hazards by proximity and warn crew members when they may be approaching a dangerous area.
  • Other companies are putting sensors into safety vests that can detect body temperature and heart rate to tell workers when they’re starting to overheat.
  • Research is also being done to put airbags into the neck of safety vests that expand when a sensor detects a sudden vertical drop. Using computers and sensors built into equipment has the potential to significantly reduce the risk on a jobsite.

Applying Environmental Efficiency to Roofing Materials

The demand by homeowners for environmental efficiency is becoming increasingly important and its effects on the roofing industry are apparent, especially for material manufacturers. Many shingle manufacturers are creating new eco-friendly products that may appeal to homeowners financially as well as the added home benefit of reducing their carbon footprint. Reflective granules allow for shingles to reflect more of the sun’s heat, lowering air conditioning costs in the summer.

Solar panels can be inserted into roofs, but usually do not offer enough weather protection to be used as a significant building material. Building applied photovoltaics are solar panels built for roofing. They are tough enough to withstand severe weather, are tileable for easy application, and come in different types and colors for both commercial and residential uses. Work still needs to be done before photovoltaic systems will be able to completely replace conventional roofing systems, but as time goes on their potential as a green and financially viable alternative to regular shingles only rises.

Offering homeowners eco-friendly options during roof replacement or repair can help businesses increase market potential compared to other companies who do not offer specialty services.

Marketing Tools for Roofers

Companies are constantly bringing in new leads and completing different jobs, often making it a headache to keep track of the necessary information for each customer. Software for roofing companies with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) capabilities streamline this process. Newer programs are capable of tracking traditional information such as address and contact information, but also allow for searchable tags like geographical location, job timeline, or communication history.

Integration with programs such as Smart Documents and supplier pricing tools allows you to bring your office with you when meeting a customer. All of your necessary paperwork is always with you, and estimates can be constructed and altered for customers in just minutes. The ability to store customer information in a customized database greatly increases organization and ensures the customer is well taken care of.

Managing a roofing company is difficult; you have to keep track of leads and salesmen, scheduling crews, ordering materials, collecting payment, and countless other important details. Using an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software to combine all of these systems into a single dashboard will make this process substantially more efficient. Advanced ERP’s will allow you to track a job from lead to completion while offering tools to aid every step along the way. From cloud-based documentation to online ordering tools to Quickbooks integration, ERP’s offer limitless utility to streamline the entire job process.

New roofing technologies are constantly being invented and are changing the industry all the time. Keep an eye out for new innovative products, tools, and software that can be used to help your company grow.

Note: This article first appeared on the AccuLynx blog and can be viewed here.

How To Get Workers To Embrace Construction Technology – Part 2

Posted on

From project management software to cloud technology, innovation is allowing contractors to do more each day.

The emergence of new technology figures prominently in all industries, construction is no different. The construction industry is booming with more work than contractors can handle and not as many resources as needed. This puts a greater onus on efficiency and accuracy. That’s where new technology has been critical.

However, new technology is only as effective as the people charged with the task of using it. Buy-in can be a challenge at times. People have achieved success performing their tasks in certain ways through the years. New technology is daunting and can feel like they are starting over. No one wants to feel that way. That’s why it’s critical to put as much emphasis on getting employees to embrace new technology as it is to implement the technology itself.

Cotney Construction Law’s Jacksonville construction attorneys touched on this by providing a few tips for getting workers to embrace new technology in the first part of this series. Here are more tips for transforming your organization.

Take a poll

The technology will be used by your employees. It’s important to understand their needs. Take a poll to find out what aspects of their job would be enhanced by technology solutions. Let those answers guide your tech investments. This will clear the path to buy-in because your employees will be getting what they want.

Show employees how new technology will affect their jobs

For employees to embrace new technology, it has to be real for them. They have to see it not as a new way to do things or one more thing to learn, but as a way to make their jobs easier. When introducing and training employees on new technology, use examples of how their jobs will be enhanced. Demonstrate benefits. This will greatly enhance buy-in for new tech.

Focus on a few functions

Most of today’s new technology, especially software solutions, have a myriad of functions. However, to someone being introduced to new software, this can be overwhelming. Focus on a few critical functions. Get workers up to speed on those and, when they are ready, introduce more capabilities.

This blog first appeared on Cotney Construction Law’s website and can be viewed here.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.

Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) and SmartBrief Partner

Posted on

SmartBrief And RT3 Work Together To Promote Progressive Roofing Practices

Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), an emerging technology-focused group of roofing industry thought leaders, and SmartBrief, a leading digital media publisher of targeted business news, are seeing success with their partnership to promote technology throughout the roofing industry.

Launched December 11th, Roofing Technology SmartBrief powered by RT3 is a subscription-only publication that provides essential technology and diversity news and thought-leadership content three times a week to over 11,000 roofing professionals.

“Partnering RT3 with SmartBrief is one of the best ways to share the technology information that this group is curating and researching,” stated Dale Tyler of National Roofing Partners.  “As a group, we are committed to the dissemination of information to the industry about technology advances and opportunities to improve the roofing process and business.  Our goal is to have the entire industry receive these informative newsletters.”

RT3 is focused on serving the needs of the roofing industry with ongoing education, research, and dissemination of their findings.  “The Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) is a consortium of thought leaders exploring emerging technology solutions for the roofing industry, striving to inform roofing contractors by bringing together progressive and disruptive solutions that help build the professionalism and appeal of the roofing industry,” is the mission statement for the group.

Learn more and subscribe to Roofing Technology SmartBrief powered by RT3.  Additional information can also be found at https://192.241.168.40.

###

About Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3)
Visualized by Dale Tyler of National Roofing Partners and Heidi Ellsworth of RoofersCoffeeShop.com and HJE Consulting, the Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) is a group of progressive roofing professionals focused on technology solutions for the roofing industry.  The think tank strives to find innovative technology solutions to be used within the roofing industry.  RT3 provides insights from progressive thought leaders both inside and outside the roofing industry along with practical resources for implementing potential solutions successfully. The organization will encourage and enable contractors to embrace technology as they seek to grow their businesses.  With a commitment to disseminate technology and advancement of information, RT3 will help build the professionalism and appeal of the roofing industry.  https://192.241.168.40

 

About SmartBrief
Serving nearly 6 million senior executives, thought leaders and industry professionals, SmartBrief is the leading digital media publisher of targeted business news and information by industry. By combining technology and editorial expertise, SmartBrief delivers the most relevant industry news – curated daily from thousands of sources – in partnership with leading trade associations, professional societies, nonprofits, and corporations. Using industry expertise and an engaged network of readers, SmartBrief’s content marketing offerings cut through the clutter and provide real solutions to targeted business needs.

How To Get Workers To Embrace Construction Technology – Part 1

Posted on

The construction industry has been slow to catch up with technology but that is starting to change as solutions become even easier to use and implement.

Technology is ever-present in our society and in business. We not only accept the benefits of technology, we expect it. One area of business that has been slow to catch-up with technology is the construction industry. However, even that’s changing with the emergence of project management software and tools and innovations such as drones and augmented reality that are making construction work safer and more efficient.

However, technology in construction has one major barrier. Many of its workers have an aversion to change. Some of it is generational. Some of it is because workers have achieved success through other means. However, to move forward as an industry, we must realize the potential that lies in new technology.

Cotney Construction Law’s Jacksonville lawyers have worked with numerous contractors and construction industry leaders and have seen the benefits of new technology. They also understand the importance of buy-in. That’s why they have put together this two-part guide with tips for getting your team to embrace new technology.

Find champions among employees

There are individuals that people look up to among your workers. Empower them by allowing them to test out new technology first. They will set an example for others that will make buy-in much easier. This will also give you a chance to roll out technology among a smaller group. If there are any issues, they can be resolved with minimal impact.

Training and support

It’s essential that you have a training plan prior to purchasing and implementing new software. This plan should have hands-on and online components. People learn in different ways so you have to accommodate for that. Time must be given for the training as well. This means software must be implemented at a time when your staff isn’t being pulled in a number of directions. In addition to the training, continuous support must be given to ensure that your staff has the ability to ask questions and gain a greater understanding of the software.

This blog first appeared on Cotney Construction Law’s website and can be viewed here.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.