There are pitfalls that most companies in the construction industry face, whether they are trade contractors, general contractors or those on the design side. Some of the most notable of those pitfalls involve efficiency and business practices.
In construction, people tend to accept things they would never accept in their personal lives: the inefficient processes, supply chain snags, rework, antiquated attitudes, paper, duplication of effort, and other things the industry regularly deals with. The industry has traditionally centered around a strong workforce with “my way or the highway” attitudes. But the “this is the way we do things” attitude carries much less weight for us in our personal lives.
There is an increasingly sophisticated expectation around user experience in software and technology – few of us would personally settle for things the way they were done 30 years ago. Fortunately, perhaps because of that, attitudes are shifting. Expectations are rising. The past three years have seen a spike in technology adoption. Necessity breeds action. As a great number of people have learned first-hand, technology that’s new to us has not been as strange or difficult as we may have once imagined.
As investment in construction tech has increased, with adoption by more and more companies, it has been pushing the entire industry forward. Lessons learned from other industries are being leveraged. Tech adoption is enabling companies to streamline processes and minimize risk at scale.
At the same time, it behooves companies to first understand their processes before they implement tech – it should solve identified business needs and overcome operational inefficiencies. Before the technology, there should be an understanding of your unique way of doing business:
- Understand how your company makes money.
- Determine the workflow of a project.
- Discover where the inefficiencies exist.
The goal is to decide where you want your company to be. Then define the metrics for success. At that point you can measure progress toward reaching your goals. Each company’s tech stack will be different.
Those who have been through the technology transition advise companies not to fall into the “keeping up with the Jones” trap and adopt tech just because others are doing it. First learn where you have a problem, and research the tech that will help you address that problem.
Technology will also help you strengthen your workforce by serving as a recruiting tool. When your company is flexible, you can attract and recruit new talent from a new generation of creative individuals. As your workforce diversifies, it enables an openness to new ideas. If you want to attract and keep customers through your innovation, you must be willing to innovate.
Some people are hesitant to try new things because of a fear of failure. But when you consider that failure is a means of growth, you’ll find it’s okay to try things and move on. Learn from your mistakes. Learning experiences are part of the journey on the road to success.
Tune in to episode 187 of Bridging the Gap Podcast and learn more from Todd’s guest Aaron Henderson about the journey to success.
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