Lower Insurance Costs and Minimize Project Disputes with Software to Help!
Construction is a very complex business, with a vast number of elements and factors to take into consideration for a project to develop successfully. That said, it comes as no surprise that in many cases, costly delays and budget overruns are part of the reality on and off-site. This is where a great number of disputes in construction stem from. Project disputes in construction are a much more common problem than many might think. The worst part is that they can lead to additional trouble for your workflow and sometimes even put the entire project in danger.
The good news is that as technology progresses, it gradually becomes easier for building teams to identify potential problems before they turn into a serious bottleneck for the development of your project. Of course, there is still plenty of room for improvement, but digital solutions have made it much easier for stakeholders to stay on top of their tasks and make sure that everything progresses as it should be. On top of that, relying on construction software to resolve any disagreements that might emerge in the course of the project, from start to completion, can boost transparency and accountability between the numerous agents involved.
Here are five ways construction software can minimize project disputes in construction:
1. Instant communication from office to site
Good communication between the numerous members of the project is key, like a discussion on the importance of having a contractors insurance. The better a construction site is connected to the back office, the fewer disputes will arise. A digital tool can help through mobile field reporting and real-time updates. People working on site will be able to report any problems the moment they are detected, while project managers will be in a position to notify in time the team on the field for any last-minute changes.
It then becomes easier for everyone involved in the project to avoid delays or costly misunderstandings. In the long run, such an approach will also lead to the decrease of rework rates which often trigger disputes in construction. Furthermore, the use of construction software can also help eliminate the need for countless meetings and reduce the number of emails and phone calls that a project manager receives on a daily basis.
2. Daily progress reports
Progress reports are extremely important for keeping a project under control. Nevertheless, they bring a lot of paperwork and many manual administrative tasks. What’s more, reports done manually tend to have a lot of mistakes. That could result in serious disputes and harm the progress of your project. This is where a digital solution can again be useful. Many tools offer users the ability to generate daily reports automatically with just the click of a button.
With such accurate reports, the entire team can stay updated on the project. As the project continues, these reports get more value because they can function as a detailed archive of the activity on and off the field. Using such reports is the safest and most objective way for any disputes to be resolved.
3. Automate payments
When is a payment supposed to be made? Does the payment reflect the work done on site? These are questions that often come up in the course of a construction project.Whether we’re talking about material delivery or the completion of a task, there have been many cases where serious disputes have exploded due to a problematic payment process.Thanks to IoT technology, there is a strong hope that things in that area will soon change for the better.
More specifically, being able to track everything from change orders to material delivery can help ensure that all payment requests have been addressed, and that everyone involved has delivered all the requested work.
4. Project standardization
Standardizing all systems and processes in a construction project can save you a lot of trouble. The reason behind it is simple. Through the consistent repetition of the same process, you can eliminate mistakes and help all project stakeholders acquire a good understanding of what they have to do and how they should do it.
This new level of transparency can be achieved with the help of construction software. And most importantly, it can be replicated from project to project in an easy and straightforward way. This element is of paramount importance given the fact that construction operates in a quite complicated client environment where the requirement for documenting all project-related problems, issues and parameters is becoming more and more imperative.
Standardization is an iterative process which allows the project team to define the process, monitor it constantly, and report all necessary information in a transparent manner. Working in a standardized environment also adds more flexibility to the team which can respond to crisis situations much more effectively. As a result, disputes are significantly decreased, and any differences that may emerge can be resolved much faster and without escalation.
5. Gather knowledge for future projects
Lastly, there’s the power of data, which construction projects continuously produce in huge amounts. Apparently, however, the entire industry is really bad at capturing, storing and eventually learning from these valuable pieces of information. The advent of digital solutions has started to change that to a great extent. Thanks to construction software, all project stakeholders can store the captured data and analyze it in order to draw valuable conclusions for future real estate projects.
This continuous iteration of the set project processes and systems can pave the way for a dispute-free construction as the potential root causes and actions will have been identified before the project begins.
Final word
By now, it is evident that working on a construction project can be tough. The arrival of construction software could play a decisive role in managing disputes and it could help in tackling them fast and objectively. Of course, construction software can’t solve all of your problems on its own. To the contrary, it can only enhance the behavior of the user. Simply put, solid training and a well-elaborated plan are required before your team can get the most out of using digital solutions.
That’s also why the implementation of a digital solution should not be perceived as a cost but as a long-term investment which could help you keep your project free of disputes and boost on and off-site productivity.
