The pandemic forced a lot of industries to adjust to different ways of working and for many that has translated into a greater reliance on technology to support and facilitate this. The Contractor industry is no different and the adoption of new technology in a diverse range of areas has risen.
From Big Data to Blockchain, to the Internet of Things (IoT) and Mobile and Cloud technology adoption, there are differing degrees of technology that can benefit the Contractor industry in a multitude of ways but a key priority for any technology adoption should be to understand how it can be utilised to make operational improvements.
And perhaps the area of technology that can have the most significant influence on improving day-to-day operations for the Contractor industry is Mobile and Cloud technology. These technologies support improved data sharing and provide greater visibility and opportunity for improved collaboration; something which can be extremely beneficial for any type of business which operates with a mobile workforce.
One area where Mobile and Cloud technology can work particularly well together to augment operational processes, is through Job Management Software. Here we discuss three benefits of utilising such software within the Contractor workforce:
1. Collaborative working: A connected workforce
Establishing collaborative practices is paramount in the contracting industry, because the very nature of the industry is defined by bringing together a number of diverse disciplines.
Through Job Scheduling Software comes the ability to centralise information and processes in a way that unites teams. Everything is recorded in real-time utilising desktop and mobile apps which gives everyone, no matter what their role in the service delivery, one version of the truth and is subsequently a central driver for performance and service excellence.
This also extends to clients and subcontractors. The provision of tailored client portals provides clients with the transparency and attention they require to be satisfied without the requirement for any additional, laborious administrative processes. Equally, Subcontractors can also easily undertake work using the same workflows as internal operatives, through utilising dedicated Subcontractor portals.
With everyone using the same joined-up system, Contractors gain complete real-time visibility over their operations. Combine this information with other relevant KPIs, and highly informed and well-timed decisions can be made.
2. Optimising your workforce’s job processes through intuitive workflow management
Forward-thinking Contractors will always be looking to optimise their underlying processes i.e. the workflows that define their business’s job processes.
A well constructed workflow for the successful delivery of your service will ensure consistent service levels are achieved as operatives go through the process of managing their jobs.
A good Workflow Management System will provide fully customisable workflows enabling users to compile their workflows according to their own specific requirements and then allowing them to be adapted whenever business processes change. Subsequently, complete visibility over the service delivery is achieved.
This win-win scenario means that service standards are improved for end customers, operatives have clearer direction over their daily workload and at a business level, you have the insight needed to continually monitor processes and make improvements where required.
3. Intelligent scheduling
To ensure projects are completed successfully, in budget, on time and within a client’s specifications, having total visibility of resources is paramount. Job Management Software delivers this along with optimised scheduling functionality to help ensure that only the operatives with the right skill sets are matched to each job. The real-time visibility that the software achieves enables you to monitor performance and react quickly to any delays or changing requirements.
“We can automatically book operatives, easily see their schedules and our commercial team can prepare invoices instantly. This has significantly improved our efficiency.” Breyer Group.
To find out how Breyer Group and other Contractors are already reaping the benefits of choosing comprehensive Job Management Software, read more of our case studies or visit our dedicated area for contractors.
