If your company’s construction business does not use past data and data, you’re missing significant opportunities to create better bids and make better decisions regarding timelines, budgets, hiring, and so on.
Better data can help construction firms manage their projects
Improved data results in better project management in many ways. With accurate, consistent information from the field you can make improvements to:
- Estimates and bids
- Management of resources
- Risk management
- Customer engagement
Estimates and Bids
A major and difficult aspect of construction is the planning or preconstruction phase. During this period, the project manager, as well as other key stakeholders, must finish the contract for the project and then draft a thorough work plan.
Even before the preconstruction phase begins, construction companies create rough estimates of the magnitude and an initial bids to “win” the project based on estimates of costs and timeframes. This means that right from the moment the construction process, companies make major choices that can impact their final profit.
Every estimate must be precise and competitive to safeguard those interests of both the construction company as well as their clients. While a project manager’s own knowledge can aid them in making these important decisions, examining actual, precise data from previous projects is more beneficial.
Without prior data, the process of preparing a budget or schedule may seem like a shot from the darkness. Understanding how field workers perform and analysing past issues that caused delays, changes orders, or rework can help project managers prepare the most precise estimates and bids that are feasible.
Management of resources
Achieving a better management of resources is particularly crucial in the construction industry, which is facing a soaring amount of supply chain problems. Insufficient or too plenty of material at any one time could significantly impact the project’s profitability, and that’s where equipment for monitoring construction materials is a great tool.
The historical data on how supplies were used in the past can help project managers to plan for the future schedule of work. They’ll be able to ensure that the proper amount of materials are delivered at the right time and replenished whenever required.
Similar to historical data, it helps construction firms manage their most valuable resource, which is their employees. Data from the past that tracks working hours and work tasks completed assists project managers to accurately determine the amount of labor required in a specific stage of the project. They can also hire and manage internal teams and subcontractors with ease.
Risk management
Historical data is a crucial element in managing risk during construction. A good historical record paints an accurate image of what transpired every day on the job site. The ability to review past safety and quality issues, and how those issues affect the daily schedule of work, helps project managers reduce the risk for future projects.
Maybe the weather was a factor that prevented outdoor work from going in time, causing delays to the overall plan. If you are planning similar projects, managers might need to account for adverse weather in advance. Also, an excess of workers on site could cause an issue with safety that required massive rework due to the fact that a tiny space was too crowded. Project managers can refer to this data to ensure they only assign workers who are needed for the same jobs.
Project managers can also make use of high-quality reporting data to manage projects more effectively in real-time. With precise field data, which is available consistently, they are able to closely monitor the progress of projects and ensure that field workers adhere to the correct and safest projects’ plans.
Customer engagement
A major major reasons for construction disputes is ineffective communication. Continuous updates from the field will better attract customers as well as help managers of projects quickly recognize and rectify any miscommunications with the firm and their external partners.
Information from the field that is accurate ensures that customers are informed and engaged, which leads to greater customer satisfaction and a greater likelihood of repeat business.
Technology improves daily reporting and visibility of projects
The benefits of using old data are evident, but it’s often difficult to enhance the process of collecting data. Field personnel are occupied and often do not even submit reports without the project manager notifying them. The requirement that field workers extend their day to increase the quality of data is an enormous task.
To increase the visibility of projects and reduce data processing without increasing the responsibilities of field crews, project managers can employ daily construction reports using software such as Raken. The construction management application we offer comes with all the tools needed to track your project accurately and gain valuable insight.
How does Raken work?
Utilizing Raken’s user-friendly app, field workers can quickly and precisely collect information in the field with mobile devices. With features such as customized report templates, voice-to-text data capture, as well as video and photo documentation The quality of data gets better while field staff are able to save time used to complete tasks related to the project.
Every one of Raken reports are sent with the tap or click of a button. They are then shared with the stakeholders through cloud storage. Project managers and other offsite personnel have access to reports at any device using the app or our online portal. When subcontractors and multiple contractors send reports, the information is automatically organized and then published in a consistent format PDF including graphs, charts, as well as other aids to visual that aid in analyzing the progress.
What does Raken do?
Raken increases the quality and accuracy of the data you gather, which means you’ll be able to draft better proposals, design more precise schedules and budgets, and more effectively recruit your employees. You’ll also get valuable insight into current projects in real time that allow you to closely keep track of progress and take quick decision-making, proactive ones.
Make use of the more valuable data that you have gathered by using Raken’s software for managing construction projects to aid in project planning and the management of resources, risk management and customer engagement.
Raken ensures that projects run without a hitch and in a safe manner. Project managers can utilize Raken to boost daily reporting while reducing time for field workers and office employees.
Additional security and high-quality features
The app from Raken has the collection of toolbox talks and quality and safety checklists.
Use the toolbox to access relevant talks to take attendance and then save your attendance within the application. Use a pre-made checklist or make your own to ensure that field workers are recording the correct information during inspections.
These functions ensure that projects are on time by reducing the risks of safety and quality issues.