The importance of data in modern business is undoubtedly at an all-time high. Consequently, then, learning to utilise it to the max should be a priority in every industry. Not least in the world of construction.
When used to its full potential, data analytics will transform your company forever. Focus on the following features, and you won’t go far wrong.
Data For Client Management
Whichever part of the construction sector you operate in, the success of the firm will be determined by client happiness levels. Therefore, a dedicated contractor CRM should be one of the first tech investments on your agenda. The platform can show valuable data to boost sales performance and streamline approval processes. It’ll also help you close deals faster.
Keeping customers happy will support your construction company in several ways. Firstly, it’ll allow you to sign off on completed jobs far sooner. Meanwhile, you should enjoy a greater level of customer loyalty, as well as organic referrals. When combined with the fact that fewer clients will request amendments, this is easily one of the best ways to use data. You’ll save a vast amount of time and money in the long run.
Data For Marketing
Even before you have a reason to embrace modern CRM, though, you must first win over new clients. Effective branding and marketing strategies are the only way to achieve this. When used well, data can help streamline your campaigns by helping you reach the right audience. In turn, your cost per acquisition should fall while conversion rates will soar. The end result is a bolstered bottom line.
Better still, the fact that you’ll limit the interactions with outside audiences will lead to accurate data. So, your future campaigns will have an even stronger foundation to build upon. As well as tracking the success of each method, you may also want to try ideas like A/B testing. This will allow you to keep improving the performance of your marketing campaigns, which can only have a positive influence.
Data For Managing Equipment
Your construction firm will naturally work with a lot of expensive equipment and machinery. Keeping those assets in optimal health is essential for many reasons. It can reduce the frequency of needing repairs, prevent downtime, and boost daily productivity. Even a 10% increase in speed could enable you to save a day once per fortnight. Over the course of a year, this can be the key to taking on several extra projects.
When looking to manage your equipment, the OEE method should be at the top of your agenda. It can be used when manufacturing parts in the factory. Or it could be used to measure on-site machinery. Either way, scheduling maintenance at a time to cause minimal disruption can only be a good thing. If nothing else, it allows you to manage the company without fears about when the next problem will surface.
Data For Employee Management
While the purpose of the company is to create buildings, you must not ignore the importance of people. Many hands make light work during design and construction. Data can be used throughout the recruitment process to help you identify the best candidates. Moreover, it can be a great way to manage schedules, especially when you have temporary or part-time labourers to manage too.
Moreover, an employee management platform that tracks trends and creates feedback loops can be crucial. You will find that it promotes your ability to reduce staff turnover rates. This will subsequently save you a fortune and keep construction projects progressing as expected. When you respond to the data provided by workers and analytics tools, you can provide employees with the support needed to thrive.
Data For Project Planning
Big data is used by organisations across the building, architecture, and engineering sectors. Predictive models can be very useful in preparing bids and helping clients visualise the outcomes. BIM (Business Information Management) visualisations are great for this. Tools like AutoCAD are, therefore, essential for teams throughout the planning phases. Not least because it means you won’t lose too much time and money on failed bids.
The use of data throughout the planning phases will also allow you to create accurate time frames and budgeting. This can keep clients updated about the project or ensure that your teams are prepared to implement all steps to turn the vision into a reality. Without data, projects are likely to hit delays and other problems on a frequent basis. In turn, you will lose clients, money, and your reputation.
Data For Risk Assessments
Safety is a major concern for construction companies. After all, you have employees working with dangerous materials and potentially from great heights. It is the industry with the highest number of fatalities, so you simply cannot afford to ignore the risks. Furthermore, you will have a responsibility to keep the public safe and ensure that the finished project is safe for the end user.
Data can be collected regarding potential weaknesses with materials or methods. You can also look at eternal factors like geographic climates. Whether collected during surveys, construction, or post-project work doesn’t matter. You will find that proactive steps benefit your employees and bottom line. On a side note, data analytics can actively play a huge role in protecting your company. From physical threats as well as cyberattacks.
Data For Spending
Construction can be a lucrative industry as most projects will be worth significant sums of money. However, you will find that your overheads are huge too. Tracking data is the only effective way to keep this under control. This could mean opting for rentals rather than purchasing machinery. Or it could mean running price comparisons on your web hosting, insurance, materials, energy bills, and other costs.
Meanwhile, efficient communication will translate to savings of time and money. When you track data properly, you’ll soon highlight the positives and negatives. In turn, you can make the adjustments needed to keep the construction company moving in the right direction. Whether this means reducing your prices to hopefully win more clients or increasing profit margins is up to you.