If you’re a decision maker at a construction business, this article is for you. Digitisation for construction firms is still a sore spot and a step many hesitate to take. We want to encourage you by listing the benefits of it.
Digital transformation sounds difficult - we get it. And in an industry as busy as construction, it is constantly put on the backburner mainly for this reason. However, it is, in fact, much simpler than many assume. Especially when you have the right mindset, which is actually the thing that’s difficult to attain. So, what actually is the right mindset? Understanding why you need to digitise and what it brings to the table. In this article, we will try to help you and your teams to lay the foundation for it.
The sector is already undergoing changes and it's a matter of time before they get in full swing. When that happens, you want to be an active part of the process and not try to find a suitable starting point. So, let’s talk about what’s in this for you and why you shouldn’t hesitate before committing to digital transformation.
Why is Digital Technology Important in Construction?
The key advantage of digital technology in construction is its ability to take over bits and bobs of everyday administrative processes. Whether you automate a couple of steps or whole operations, it can save a lot of time and unlock insights you previously had no access to. In turn, this can help you better your project planning, budgeting, resource allocation, delivery and many more. Additionally, digitisation is crucial for scaling.
Unless you want to remain stagnant in a world taken over by digitisation, you need to harness digital technology. Otherwise, it won’t be long since you won’t be able to shoulder today’s demands and get overshadowed by the competition.
Get Ahead of the Curve
The first and foremost benefit of digitising early on in the game is the fact not many companies have yet recognised the need to do so. It will gain you an upper hand, if not right away then in the long run. It’s a great opportunity to push yourself into a leading position.
Rise Above the Competition
With digital transformation still in its very starting phases across the industry, not many companies are recognising it to be the future. By being aware of its impact and starting to harness its power early on, you can easily get ahead of your competitors in more ways than one. Namely, not only you will better your processes, but you will also have more data to work with by the time they are only starting their journey.
While other businesses continue wasting time on running processes manually, struggling with human-error skewed data and whatever mishaps arise along the way, digitisation solves these issues with little to no effort. It is certainly going to gain you a competitive edge and even make you more appealing for future candidates. Let’s face it - everyone wants to work for an innovative company. However, this means taking the first step and having no guidance, which is something we’ll talk about more in the next section.
Your Chance to be the Thought Leader
Being an early adopter isn’t an easy task as there isn’t a firmly established ‘industry-best’ standard. However, it puts you in a position to establish one or, in other words, dip head-first into thought leadership. While it’s a path riddled with challenges, trials and errors, it also positions you to shape the industry. Needless to say, if you’re the one who sets the ground rules, you will certainly have an upper hand over those who adapt your practices to their businesses later on. And this will eventually happen if you are successful in your attempts.
It doesn’t mean you have to invent a bicycle, however. Unlike construction, other sectors are far more advanced in terms of digitisation and most of the techniques are not industry-bound. This said, we recommend reading case studies on the digital transformation of various types of businesses. This way you can familiarise yourself with common practices, best approaches, important metrics and the general basics. Mind, some of this information will naturally need some adjusting to be fit for a construction firm, but it’s certainly a less complicated process than creating something brand new with no foundation.
No Time Like Present
You might think there are many more nagging priorities other than digitisation, but hear us out. You should not postpone it. In fact, it is likely to be less time-consuming than you think. And, frankly, you can’t afford to hesitate any longer.
Digitisation is Advancing Fast
As we’ve already mentioned, now is the best time to kickstart the process of digitisation if you want to get ahead. However, make no mistake. Just because some of your competitors might be hesitant, there are plenty of those who are also toying with the idea and beginning to test the waters. If you don’t want to be left behind, you need to join the race as soon as possible. Since most of the starting points introduce small changes, there is a chance you’re simply unaware your competition is already advancing.
Frankly, it would be naive to expect they aren’t. Although still in its early stages right now, digital transformation has the trait of progressing fast, especially once it begins delivering results. What’s more, almost every process in your business can be digitised to an extent, giving a lot of room to wiggle. If you snooze now, you might find yourself miles behind your main competitors and won’t even know what hit you.
It’s an Ongoing Process
It’s a common misconception that digitisation is a one-off thing that will enhance your processes. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Digitisation is a process of its own, and just like any process it can be optimised to be even more effective. Its unique trait is that there is virtually no end to improvement. After each change is implemented, you will be collecting new data. And it will direct you towards further improvements.
In other words, the earlier you begin, the more polished your process be as you’ll be collecting more data to base your decisions on. Of course, any change is better than no change, but there is a significant difference between the start of digitisation and having it in full swing. Data collection takes time, implying the process needs to be running for a while before you can judge where the areas of potential improvements are. Simply put, the more data you have, the clearer the image it will paint.
Begin Today
When we say you should start digitising a construction firm ASAP, we don’t mean next quarter, or even next month. Ideally, you should get on the track right as you finish this article. And yes, it is more than possible.
Small Changes Deliver Big Impact
The thing most find threatening about going down the digital transformation route isn’t necessarily the novelty but rather how complex the process is perceived. But this isn’t true. Sure, you can go down the route of tackling the most intricate of internal operations and potentially changing the entirety of it - but it’s really not recommended. The best practice is to digitise gradually, one step at a time.
As much as you may be eager to change everything at once, you need to be patient. Starting with small things isn’t just reducing the risk of making a mistake, but it also helps your team to adjust more easily. And the beauty of digitisation is that even the smallest of changes can deliver a great impact. In other words - don’t rush and take it one step at a time. You will still be achieving mesmerising results.
Summary
Digitisation begins with the mindset and the core of it is understanding its power to turn your business around. In terms of construction, an industry where the transformation is only beginning, an early start can quickly elevate you above the competition. It is an exciting opportunity to try your hand at shaping the future of the industry, and while it’s not an easy task, it is certainly a rewarding one. There are no industry best standards just yet - and you can be the one to set them.
The best time to begin is now, for your competition isn’t waiting about. Even if you can’t see them actively digitising, it doesn’t mean they aren’t. Digital transformation is best carried out by taking small steps, but they bring a huge impact. Since it’s an ongoing process, the longer you’re running it the better you become.
So why waste time? Join the race today.
