By Patrick Hogan, handle.com
In construction, time is money. Be it on the job site or in the back offices, and whenever there’s a delay, it can affect entire project timelines and create conflicts that cost the company money. This is why software providers catering to the construction industry primarily emphasize the time-saving benefits of their solutions.
The industry has come a long way in embracing new technology to optimize various construction processes and automate many repetitive tasks. However, there’s still a long way to go in ensuring that solutions companies like contractors and material suppliers invest in are maximized and used to their full potential. If staff are not adequately trained and knowledgeable on the software bought to improve their performance, companies will not fully realize the return on their investment.
Construction companies must see the value of setting aside time and resources to solidly familiarize their staff with new software. In this article, we’ll cover some software adoption tips, emphasizing the importance of training.
Software adoption tips for construction companies
- Enlist the help of the software provider
Software vendors are more than happy to assist their clients when training staff on using new software. Depending on the type of solution, the buying and selling process for more elaborate systems like ERPs and comprehensive project management systems might involve a proof-of-concept period where the software is rolled out and tested on daily tasks and staff processes. During this period, the provider can pinpoint possible issues and address them while working closely with the team that’ll use the software. For example, a comprehensive trial run for lien management software can allow you to work closely with the provider and identify workflows that address your current issues with the complicated process of notice management.
Beyond this process, there’s usually a dedicated person assigned to a client whom you can contact for any assistance with further training after the initial onboarding with the staff.
- Refresher sessions
Requesting refresher training sessions must also be part of your software training arsenal. Don’t hesitate to let the point person know that you intend to make this a regular thing, not only when there are new hires. Ensuring that you’re maximizing the usage of their solution is not only helpful for you as a client, but they have an interest in ensuring that you get the most out of their software, especially in this day and age where most software is sold on a subscription basis.
- Identify quick adopters and internal software champions
It’s safe to assume that adoption won’t be even across the staff. There could be some who are more comfortable with technology in general or have used similar or the same software in the past. These people usually are quicker to adopt new software and its application to existing processes. They embrace change readily and see the value of automation and digitizing existing workflows. It’s important to pinpoint these people and empower them to assist their coworkers in the software adoption process. Of course, ensure that this added responsibility doesn’t impede their primary tasks. But, there’s a high likelihood that having their coworkers embrace the software they use faster also makes their jobs easier. Everyone on the team must understand this comprehensive view of tools and how it affects their daily workflow.
Document usage and create a central repository for training resources
It’s essential to address friction or problems as they arise. While you can rely on staff reporting, it’s best to encourage reporting by design by establishing a documentation process, especially in the first few months of using new software. Creating a repository or even a dedicated quick standup meeting where experiences and software usage are discussed can go a long way in arresting issues immediately and avoiding delays in getting the most benefit from new software.
One issue in conjunction with uneven adoption is some resistance to new technology. Especially in construction where, for a long time, staff relied on typewritten or even handwritten notes and documents, there can be some resistance to digitization in general. It’s important to pinpoint these issues and gently address them by emphasizing how technology doesn’t only make work more accurate and trackable, it also makes daily tasks more straightforward for the staff. Repeat work is avoided, and synchronization between personnel and departments is better ensured.
Create a repository for all software-related content
An easily accessible central repository for all software manuals and other training materials, including staff input, supports your teams’ journey in adopting new software. Having a highly visible location where anyone can pull resources from helps your teams gain more confidence in troubleshooting issues and brings independence to their self-training.
Path to efficient work with digital tools
Being intentional in training your team in using new software is a must for any modern construction business. There is an army of software solutions sold in the market, but if those who will use it lack the full understanding of the solution’s features and use cases applicable to your workflows, usage can fall off, or you could be paying for a solution that’s not properly and fully utilized.
Digitization in construction has been an uphill climb for the industry because of its traditional nature, but returning to the essence of technology–that it must make work easier and not the opposite–must drive your thrust to ensure full adoption of whatever tools you invest in.
About the Author:
Patrick Hogan is the CEO of Handle.com, where they build software that helps contractors and material suppliers with lien management and payment compliance. The biggest names in construction use Handle on a daily basis to save time and money while improving efficiency.
