Published on:
March 17, 2023
Investing in a project management software can be a game-changer for Construction Managers (whether it’s a Developer-Owner’s in-house team or a third-party consultant) who want to streamline their construction processes, reduce project risks, maximize team productivity – and ultimately deliver projects on time. In this article, we will discuss the top four benefits of investing in a project management software for Construction Managers.
There is no denying – most (if not all) software will drive up productivity and efficiency. From doing away with encoding from paper forms to automatically generating reports to porting data from one system to another, having a project management software in place will definitely enable your team to do more with the same 8 hours in a day. Not only that, you save a lot of headache and prevent actual costs by avoiding human errors that are rampant in manual encoding from paper forms.
As an example, based on our estimates, investing in a software to manage materials ordering & procurement can bring in up to 250 hours saved per project, translating to $17,800 productivity gains. With better efficiency, your team can manage more projects at the same time – ultimately leading to higher profitability. Having a project management software in place also frees up time and resources that can be redirected to more valuable activities, such as enhancing project quality, safety, and communication.
Project management software offers better collaboration and real-time visibility across all teams, whether they're on-site, in the headquarters, or other locations. Digital reporting ensures that everyone is on the same page, with the latest updates and progress of the project—this level of collaboration results in better decision-making and fewer delays. What most companies do these days is gather data on their phone (like using a list app or their phone’s camera) then go back to their office or home to upload the information into a shared spreadsheet or a project management software that’s only accessible on their laptop. Best-in-class project management software offer a mobile or tablet app extension that empowers site team members to gather information right at the palm of their hands.
For third-party construction management companies, keeping everyone in sync also improves overall customer satisfaction as well as reputation because working with you is so much smoother than if you’re only using email, direct messaging, and shared files.
The ability to gather information easier & faster, paired with greater visibility on construction activity, leads to the third point below: better progress reporting.
Most projects run on multiple digital tools - A unified platform offered by project management software is a single source of truth for reporting on project progress, where all team members can update, collaborate, and do other things they normally do using many other channels or platforms. This eliminates the need for multiple sources of data, which can often lead to inconsistencies, confusion, and ultimately - delays. The ability to track all activities in real-time with a project management software ensures that everyone is in-sync and that project goals are met on time, on budget, and with the highest quality standards.
Having that single source of truth also ensures that decisions are based on the right information. Managers base their decision on the data that is presented to them, so having a unified platform ensures that the right data is accessed and the right decisions are made.
Lastly, employing a project management system also brings a quality-driven approach to project management (whether on purpose or not). Quality-driven construction is about focuses on the quality of the output/finished product and avoiding costly rework. When you use a project management software that includes the likes of RFI Management, Punch List Management, and Change Order Management, these modules ultimately improve the overall quality of a project while reducing the risks of delays and cost overruns along the way. Using a project management software results in a higher-quality project that meets or exceeds stakeholder expectations. Combined with better collaboration and transparency, providing high-quality output adds to maintaining your reputation as a trusted developer or construction management company.
In conclusion, investing in a project management software can provide significant benefits for Developer-Owners and Construction Managers like you. Improving productivity, having better collaboration and real-time visibility, getting a single source of truth for project progress, and bringing quality-driven approach to managing projects, are exactly what you need to elevate your operations, manage risks, and protect profits & reputation.
Steer's Project Management Suite offers solutions that bring all of these benefits and can help Developer-Owners and PMCs manage project risks and protect their reputation. Know more about our Project Management Suite HERE to know more.
