BLOGs
Construction Management
Published July 27th, 2016 by

Impress Your Clients With Construction Management Softwares

Impress Your Clients With Construction Management Softwares

The construction industry is becoming more vibrant in adopting modern ways of design and architecture, wherein it focuses on meeting form and function, as well as better utilization of space. The construction industry is especially purposeful in both residential and non residential buildings, which houses families and businesses alike.

The construction industry experienced a huge slump, following the global financial crisis in 2008. Eight years later, it is slowly recuperating, and the analysts see potential in growth this year due to indirect factors in consumer spending and in new technologies present in eco-friendly dwellings.

The opportunities in the construction industry are steady, with both the public and private sectors contributing to the need for more infrastructures, especially in developing countries. There are many skills that are required in the workforce, which include civil, electrical and mechanical engineering and skills, architecture, interior and exterior design, project management, and labor skills. Because of the use of technology based tools, the construction also employs people from the computer industry as well.

Construction firms are continuously battling the challenges of aligning the more critical needs of the clients with the knowledge and skills that a traditional industry used to have. Although nowadays the construction industry has been open in adopting technology based tools with their management and operations of the projects, there are still some hurdles it is facing in transitioning from the traditional to a modern approach.

So, how can you impress your construction firm’s clients? Continue reading to find out how an effective construction management can be achieved through the use of technology and web based tools like a construction management software. Meanwhile, you may also check these reviews of construction management softwares for more details.

Common Problems in Construction Industry

The construction manager, in particular, holds the key to successful project execution and completion, through effective management of tasks, resources, and time. Doing multi-tasking jobs, especially in a large scale setting, require both skill and experience to make accurate calculations on budget, costs, and workforce needed. Because of the more demanding needs of clients nowadays, construction firms are more time-pressured. It also calls for a more innovative approach in design and construction methodologies to ensure high quality and timely delivery of outputs.

The construction industry is faced with different challenges, which both points down under direct and indirect factors. Direct factors are those that affect the construction processes and its elements itself. Indirect factors are the things that should be considered as well, because of its impact on the surrounding industries. It is critical to address each of these factors beforehand, to make sure that the construction firm positions to a high level of integrity in delivering quality outputs within the specified time frame.

Direct factors affecting the stability of the construction industry are becoming more varied, and are also relevant to the changes in the market behavior. These are also the factors that make the construction appear to be an unstable industry. A skilled and experienced construction manager, however, is educated not just through trainings, but with experiences itself, to better gauge how to maneuver the project into the direction of less hurdles and plenty of room for adjustments, until completion.

Construction projects are quite seasonal; with no guaranteed or continuous time when projects are lined up. But mostly, construction projects are started in the summer, to give room for building foundations to harden before the wet season begins. Large scale residential buildings or townhouse subdivisions are good projects that have long work in question.

Modern preferences and space constraints added to the already varied project types that a construction firm is facing. There are also different types of infrastructures, with different kinds of foundational forms, architecture, and even time frames. This kind of complex variable poses huge challenges to construction builders, which also require them to vary their skills.

Remote sites are also challenging, considering transportation and sourcing of materials and labor workers.

The fluctuating prices of construction materials drive the construction managers into nuts when it comes to budgeting and costing issues. Construction materials are easily affected by global issues, as well as inexperienced contractors entering the bids can drive the bid prices down, even if the material costs are inexorably high.

Management of supply and resources also requires skill, and is quite challenging, especially when there is a sudden rise in cost, or when there is a shortage.

Technical innovation also becomes an issue for senior managers and workers that are more comfortable working with traditional ways of construction. Since it is an old industry, it is increasingly difficult, especially for skilled workers, to adapt to the highly innovative tools that the construction industry is using right now.

Shortage in manpower is one of the biggest challenges that the construction industry is facing. Since the major global economic crisis and the huge oil slump, the construction industry is yet to recover. In a survey released in 2015, it was mentioned that about 80% of the businesses interviewed said they experienced delays in delivery of construction outputs because of the lack of skilled workers.

Uncontrollable situations like weather, disasters, accidents, and economic crises, are just a few of the factors that may introduce headaches in administering and managing construction projects.

Different Types of Client Behavior Towards Contractors

Another determinant in the overall success of the construction projects is how client-business relationship is fostered healthily during the course of the processes. There are many kinds of clients, depending on the project in question, and types of human behavior. Toxic and demanding clients can be more time pressuring than the laid back ones. But it actually depends still on how big the scale of the project, or if they were being promised heavily at the start but nothing happened as mentioned. Overall, this is a subjective factor, and can still be controlled. If trust and confidence of the clients will be steadily addressed by making them part of the project proper, there is assurance that they will be part of the collaborative work instead of being hindrances to their own projects.

What is a Construction Management Software?

With all the above mentioned challenges and considerations that the construction industry is facing, the advent of technology based business tools can lessen the burdens of managing the entire construction project. Mostly, web based tools provide the best solutions, especially in the communication and collaboration aspects of work. Overall, construction management softwares instill increased productivity and efficiency in executing tasks, maintaining a healthy working relationship with clients, and creating company leverage in the market.

Benefits of a Construction Management Software

Construction project management softwares are business tools that assist the construction manager in consolidating, delegation, and executing tasks at hand. This is done in one working platform, where processes are automated and data can be stored and retrieved at any time.

The communication system in construction management tools is centralized and web based, to have better accessibility and rapid dissemination of information and correspondence. It also allows emails and chat exchanges to be stored and archived, for future reference.

Construction management softwares are also effective task schedulers, which can oversee the big picture of the construction projects. It allows users to view how processes interact with one another, and how altering one can affect the other. This can benefit the construction manager in assigning sensible time frames, with considerations in delays, for a more realistic approach in project management.

Web based construction management softwares can also be budgeting and costing tools, that can help make automatic calculations regarding revenues and costings. These can be systematically done since it is a business tool aided. Changes or adjustments made can be automatically reflected in real time, and can be viewed by concerned people, especially the clients.

Construction management softwares for business also increase the level of transparency between the clients and the firm. It allows clients to view the each stage or phase of work towards its completion, to make a realistic expectation of the overall project deadline. It also allows the clients to see the cashflow based on budgets and costs that are reflected in the system as well. Through all of these, clients can actively participate by giving feedbacks, and even make suggestions, for improvement.

Online construction management softwares are also data management tools that enable ease in file and document sharing, which are important in designing and documenting aspects of work. It allows the system to consolidate all the necessary files for fast retrieval and distribution.

Contractor Wars: How to Create Leverage

The construction industry is rather competitive, as biddings are prevalent, especially with large scale or public projects. The construction firm leverage lies on important three factors: reputation, resources and tools.

Reputation pertains to experience and skills acquired through time. It may be of the construction firm’s or the construction manager’s. Especially on projects concerning public use and safety, it is important that a company has a good track record in promoting safe practices in building and constructing.

Resources resembles to all kinds, whether in human, capital or monetary, or asset form. Budget is of utmost concern in bigger projects, and it is an advantage if the contractor can sublet capital to its clients, particularly if the budget is quite tight, or the time frame for work is not defined.

Tools pertain to machineries, equipment and business tools, that allow faster work and rapid deployment of labor to take place. It creates an image of high quality construction at a lesser time frame. Tools are investments for contractors, and are worth in long term sustainability of stability of project acquisitions.

All-Labor Work Versus Innovative Approach in Construction

This is an ongoing discussion in the construction industry, wherein some are skeptic in using innovations in some aspects of work. Some argue that it sacrifices the quality of the output, or maybe automation can dispel some labor work. Through all of these, it still boils down to the overall impact of innovation in the projects, whether it increases efficiency and productivity, or merely adds to the rising cost of construction. There should be a careful study before adopting any method, especially the technology based ones. It is also important that your team’s needs are properly addressed when such issues arise.

Do not miss this year’s list of the top construction management softwares by checking it out here. For a more detailed look on how business tools can help ease the headaches in the construction, see these reviews of construction management softwares.

John Tovar

John specializes in the creation and planning of business-centric mobile applications and mobile website design and development.

Our rankings are completely independent, transparent, and community driven; they are based on user reviews and client sentiment. These construction management companies had to earn their way up and didn't just pay their way up.

View Rankings of Best Construction Management Companies