Construction Management Software Benefits: Signs You Need Software

If you run a construction business, you must know that juggling multiple projects while also providing quality work and customer service is tricky. As a small contractor, the last thing you want is to be left in the dust.

That’s why it’s important to consider adopting software to plan, run, and manage construction projects successfully. And you’re not alone! Businesses in the construction industry are increasingly embracing software to boost the efficiency of their operations, which, in turn, allows them to take on more jobs and increase their profits.

Software tools such as construction management and project management solutions benefit your construction firm in three ways: increase productivity, lead to better project supervision, and boost customer satisfaction.

But how do you know it’s time your construction company adopts software? To answer that question, we discuss three signs that indicate your business may do well with software.

1. You have trouble communicating efficiently with your customers and workers
2. You spend too much time at your desk instead of the job site
3. You struggle with accounting, budgeting, or estimating

Read on to learn about construction management software benefits.

Sign #1: You have trouble communicating efficiently with your customers and workers

Construction projects require a lot of coordination between people. As a construction project manager, you’ll be juggling communication with multiple stakeholders at any given time—be it talking to customers about their needs or explaining the job to your project team.

Multiply that by the number of jobs you’ve taken, and very quickly your workload could get out of hand. Also, one breakdown in communication can cause a domino effect and delay all of your projects, so efficient communication is crucial for managing a construction project.

With built-in project management capabilities, construction software helps avoid inefficiencies such as poor project scheduling that can result in overbooked crews. It also lets you store and organize important project documents, which helps deliver projects on time and budget.

With email or phone communication, you run the risk of forgetting or missing out on important details. Construction management software stores all project-related communication in one centralized location so such mistakes happen less frequently. It also sends real-time notifications to your staff and clients about project developments.

Additionally, you gain access to team calendars and a centralized dashboard to monitor the progress of all of your projects and ensure everyone is on the same page each step of the way.

Sign #2: You spend too much time at your desk instead of the job site

Desk work is an inevitable part of running a construction company, but spending too much time rummaging through piles of paper searching for missing invoices, client details, or important project documents is a sign you need software to better manage your projects.

Manual methods are clunky and prone to errors such as misplaced documents. With construction project management software, you can upload and save all your files, paperwork, and communication in an online repository that can be accessed from any device as long as you have an internet connection.

If customers have a question about the status of their project, you can look it up on your phone while you’re talking with them. The same goes for coordinating with your workers and suppliers. All of the information is readily available, and you can access it from anywhere, at any time.

As a result, you’ll be able to spend more time at the job site and less time at your desk worrying about missing documents.

Sign #3: You struggle with accounting, budgeting, or estimating

Find yourself dragging your feet when it comes to crunching the numbers, looking for deductions, managing invoices, and doing taxes? Or falling behind on providing timely estimates to prospects? Get software that’ll make those jobs easier. For a construction company like yours, one of the best ways to get more jobs is to automate as much budgeting, estimating, and accounting as possible.

Manual estimation methods can lead to inaccurate quotes due to the lack of updated information about the cost of materials. And inaccurate estimates lead to unhappy customers. Imagine asking a client for more money in the middle of a project or, worse yet, not landing the project at all due to incorrect pricing data.

With a construction management software solution, you can build detailed cost estimates and timelines within minutes. The tool is equipped with estimation capabilities that let you download a price list that states the cost of building materials and labor for any zip code. It automates the process of creating construction estimates for every project phase, thereby helping you win more bids.

Construction management software also assists with project budgeting, creation of purchase orders, comparison of actual project costs vs. estimates, and tracking of a project’s earned value.

These capabilities make project management a lot easier, as you can track the project budget in real time, manage payroll, set reminders for outstanding payments, and handle finances better.

Next step: Get construction management software to scale your business

If you’re currently booked solid for several months, you may think you don’t need construction or project management software. After all, what you’re doing is working, but as you grow and take on more projects, the time you spend manually creating estimates, managing projects, communicating with customers, and working on business finances will also increase.

With construction management software, you’ll be able to save time on those manual tasks and focus more on winning bids or just spending time with your family and friends.

Not sure which construction management software to select? Visit Software Advice’s construction software category page to get the lay of the land. Read reviews written by real professionals like yourself, and compare hundreds of products based on your industry, business size, budget, and more.