For many years, the construction industry was slow to adopt technology. At ProjectTeam, we have talked to thousands of companies and have pretty much heard it all. These days, it's much rarer to find organizations that don't have at least some software applications in place to help them manage their projects, but we still run into a few.
We've gathered a list of 3 objections we hear and why we feel each reason may be misguided.
1. Technology is too expensive
The cost of technology can be broken down into many different categories including implementation cost, software cost, support cost, integration cost, and more.
For example, let's say you and your team want to get started in ProjectTeam. You have 10 users and will need implementation services to help get you started. For the sake of round numbers, let's say your total cost is $10,000 in your first year. When comparing that cost to something like pen and paper or just putting everything in MS Excel, of course, the cost difference can look substantial.
However, when compared with the return on investment, you will soon realize that NOT incorporating technology on your projects may be costing you a lot more. In a blog post from earlier this year, we explored the ROI of construction software and found that software that saves you just one hour per day can save you up to $100,000 per year for a team of 10. That doesn't even take into account the money saved in better managing processes such as change orders and invoicing.
When exploring software options, cost should be considered but should not be the primary factor. Finding the right solution for you and your business will offset your original cost concerns quickly.
2. We don't have time to implement something new
The most common thread between people we talk to every day is that everybody's busy. Managing large infrastructure projects is a full-time job that requires near-constant communication between stakeholders, project reporting, and general documentation. In the middle of all of that, how does anyone have time to learn a new system?
Implementation time is a legitimate concern and one that needs to be addressed early in your search for new software. Reasonable implementation times typically depend on how large your roll-out is but should not add an unnecessary burden on your team. Modern applications such as ProjectTeam.com make it easy to get started because they are cloud-based and easy to use. There is no software to install, hardware to manage, or updates to keep track of. You can simply log in from any device and access your project information.
Learning any new system takes time, but the goal is to save you time in the long run. Solutions such as ProjectTeam.com help automate everyday tasks and send notifications on items to help prioritize your day.
3. My people won't use it
On any construction team, there is a wide range of people. However, the point of investing in a construction project management solution is to better track progress on your job site and your job, in the beginning, will be to drive user adoption.
Many people think their field staff is not tech-savvy enough to use technology on their phones but that is just not true. If you look at any site, you will see people using their devices to call, text, check sports scores, and more. Solutions like ProjectTeam.com are made to be very easy on mobile devices similar to other familiar websites. People that refuse to use modern technologies or continue to use pencil and paper to record daily activities are costing you money.
Summary
Investing in a best-in-class project management system can make a huge difference in the overall efficiency and productivity of your construction team. You need a system that users enjoy logging into which maximizes your return on investment (ROI).