To help contractors run their companies more efficiently, software developers have developed dozens of construction management apps for accounting, analytics, bidding, building information modeling (BIM), customer relationship management (CRM), remote controls of tools, and equipment, document management, estimating, takeoff and many other construction applications.
Getting these apps to share real-time information in complex construction projects can be quite a challenge, yet it’s necessary for a contractor to operate as efficiently as possible. During her NECA Live seminar on Oct. 7, “Intelligent Systems are the Next Chapter of ConTech for Electrical Contractors,” Michelle Turner, Procore’s product marketing manager, said more than 250 third-party construction management apps are now available, and if these apps can’t talk to each other utilizing an open-platform approach, contractor productivity can suffer.
“Disjointed, disconnected solutions prevent teams from effectively communicating and managing workflows between the field and office,” Turner said. “Building a smart job site bridges that gap with a single source of reliable information updated in real time, allowing you to manage projects for greater profitability.”
One of the case studies on Procore’s website offered an example of how one contractor utilized the company’s open-platform solution to manage jobsite data more effectively.
According to the case study, “With teams using multiple software solutions and various means of managing information, the Austin, Texas-based FSG Electric wanted to streamline and standardize processes. They also wanted a long-term solution they could leverage year after year, rather than a short-term fix.
“Prior to implementing Procore, FSG Electric Project Teams used an array of solutions to manage projects including binders, spreadsheets, Dropbox, and email. They also managed project information according to their own means and methods.
“Procore offered a single, user-friendly platform for all project information. Not only did this help boost communication across field and office teams, but it also offered a comprehensive toolset specifically built for specialty contractors.”
Procore’s Turner urged electrical contractors who want to streamline their workflow in the office and on the job site to focus on open-platform software rather than closed solutions because they will allow them to connect to the broader technology landscape — and not get fenced in by one company’s internal set of solutions.
