Technology has been a constant in the construction industry since the 1990s when companies realized how much of their resources were wasted on paper plans and mailing proofs, as Microsoft reminds us. Cloud computing is the next step in the construction industry’s technology era, yet 30 percent of construction companies are still hesitant to make the leap as of a 2013 study by Sefaira. Once you migrate, the benefits of cloud computing are known immediately.
Photo credit: JD Hancock / Foter / CC BY
Cost Savings
The first and arguably most important benefit you are going to see from cloud computing is the cost savings. Eighty-two percent of companies that moved to cloud computing saved money in their projects. Instead of creating an IT infrastructure that is expensive to install and maintain, the cloud provides a cheaper way to store all of your data and perform administrative processes, such as billing. You also don’t have to worry about expensive server updates as the cloud upgrades automatically free of charge.
Build Client Relationships
Cloud computing allows you to easily store and access all information about a client’s project whenever you need. When communicating with a client, you can easily pull up their information and pick up where you last left off. The easy management of their project allows you the chance to build a relationship with the client so they recommend you to others and use you for future projects.
Customization Without Complication
Cloud systems allow construction companies to custom-build a data storage and management system for their specific business goals. Sounds complicated? It is actually the opposite. Your cloud management provider will create the system for you and manage all the nitty gritty IT details. This allows you to focus on your core business processes without having to worry about managing the IT infrastructure.
As mentioned above, the technology of the cloud allows it to automatically update. The provider also sets up your cloud so it instantly backs up all of your data. There is no need to worry about a catastrophe or data breach occurring where data is lost. The cloud is more secure than hardware systems or paper files.
Match Competition
As a smaller construction company, it can be difficult to compete with the construction giants. The cloud allows you take leaps forward in matching your competition. The technology of cloud computing gives smaller companies the chance to be on an enterprise level of data storage, management, access and recovery at a fraction of the cost that enterprises are spending.
Enjoy Flexibility
The construction industry doesn’t have one office. Eighty-three percent of contractors use smartphones, tablets or laptops on the jobsite. You may have a space at home you work at, an official office where your administration works, a lot where you keep your tools and every site where a construction project is happening. You need your work on the go. The cloud allows you to store all of your work on a virtual space to be accessed anywhere. On the weekend you can hammer out the details of a project at home and bring it to the client’s project site on Monday with the touch of a button.
The construction industry is competitive and expensive. The cloud can help your company reduce costs, match competition, remain flexible, build up client relationships and completely customize your data without extra complication. So, why aren’t you on the cloud yet?
