Old-fashioned processes get old-fashioned results.
Among the many trades and professions lagging behind the wave of digitization, the construction industry is a serious offender. Gathering accurate and usable data in the field is one of the most vital tasks for any contractor or engineer running a job site, but new research shows 47 percent still collect data manually and a full one-third of all job site managers still collect data by hand with pen and paper.
TrackVia surveyed more than 500 executives and managers in the construction and engineering fields to learn more about the challenges associated with manual processes used on job sites and how those hurdles impact their operations.
The research aimed to explore the mindsets and tendencies of key decision makers and their data collection practices in the industry. Accurate and efficient data collection is imperative to project success, according to 89 percent of managers and 78 percent of executives.
The Need For Accurate, Actionable Data
The need for accurate data spans the entire construction project lifespan. Gathering accurate and usable data is a challenge for any business, but it’s exacerbated by manual data collection and processes. It was reported that as many as 88 percent of all spreadsheets in construction contained errors. Worse still is the number of places data is housed, requiring data to be entered multiple times or downloaded and mashed together—a tendency that nearly half of all construction firms were reported to practice.
The Risks Of Manual Collection
Curiously, the risks associated with manual collection were well known by the executives and managers who responded. Sixty-one percent of respondents said they had to make decisions with outdated data, 70 percent reported they have struggled to identify potential issues before they become big problems, and 45 percent say they risk liquidated damages related to project delays. Perhaps of most concern, 66 percent of executives say they have been challenged by inaccurate data for compliance and audit needs.
Impact On The Bottom Line
Respondents stated such inefficiencies were consistently eating away at their profit margins.
Sixty-one percent of executives at firms stated their chief concern and impact on profits is poor work quality—especially when work must be redone. Construction managers agreed, reporting the biggest issue they face is incomplete work quality data when it’s collected manually, exposing firms to poor work quality and customer satisfaction.
The Digitization Solution
A majority of construction and engineering executives believe digitizing data collection would help their business. Fortunately, proven solutions are available. Digitizing has benefited firms in a number of ways:
- Employees who use mobile apps to perform work are 34 percent more productive.
- Companies that utilize mobile work gain an extra 240 hours of work per employee per year.
Read the full report, conducted by TrackVia, to learn more about how firms reduce risk and avoid costs by digitizing field and office operations.
