As a subcontractor, the benefits of utilizing contractor software are easy to see. Your project managers have figured it out, and your office staff can’t thank you enough for the time saved on the paperwork. It’s allowed your business take leaps and bounds in operational efficiency, and you can be proud of how smoothly your office is running.

Unfortunately, in a lot of cases, even if the office is on-board with adopting contractor software, there’s a chance that your field crew might not. With TRUE, we made a concerted effort to make things as easy as possible for every member of your team. With things like straightforward layouts and customizable features, allow your team to get exactly the tools they need to streamline complicated workflows involved in daily operations of a construction firm

So how do you get your field crews to take a step back and see the bigger picture that contractor software can provide?

Make it a Simple

A lot of people make the mistake of over-complicating things. Some of the proposals we get for feature requests seem out-right crazy. Some people have the mentality that the more features crammed into a solution, the more useful it will be. While in some cases that maybe true, feature rich solutions can be exponentially more difficult to use. Keep everything simple and streamlined to keep your crew from questioning the solution or how to use it.

Remember, the point of implementing contractor software is to make things easier on your team, so you must make sure your crew understands that. Often times, people are just accustomed to the way they’ve always done things and may feel negatively about trying something new. Just be persistent and try your best to sell the benefits of using the new contractor software. If they understand how it works and the benefits they will see, the more likely they are to actually use it.

Provide the Equipment

Believe it or not, some people still don’t have a smartphone and have no interest in them. Getting these individuals to switch from using basic flip phones to buying expensive smartphones seems a bit unrealistic. However, there’s an easy way around having crews who don’t have iPhones or Droids to use software technology, supply them with company tablets. It might be a heavy initial investment, but it will help get your field crews accustom to using tech tools for reporting, labor tracking and other key data collection.

Be Supportive & Helpful

Don’t get distracted by your own work when your first introducing your guys to this new technology. Make sure you’re available to answer questions, as your crew starts using the system. Even if you have perfect app, people will still have questions. Better to be ready for them, and if possible provide your employees with a resource for them to brush up on how to use the app if necessary. For TRUE Users, we provide a tips and full help guides in our help center, as well as providing email and phone support.

Provide Helpful Resources

Again, even with the perfect solution, your team is bound to run into issues. Make sure that the software itself has your core users contact information in it, that way there’s no excuse for someone not having your number to let you know if they don’t understand something. Within TRUE, there is a Help icon that allows users to submit a help ticket directly from the system or navigate to the help center material for the module being used.

The world we live in is becoming more and more mobile. Because of this rapid change, it is essential that construction companies recognize the importance of implementing mobile construction software within their businesses. The construction industry is going to continue to grow and evolve, meaning companies need to adopt a technology that will help adjust to this constantly changing industry. Mobile tools give contractors an integrated solution to improve business across many areas, while ensuring that their firm is keeping up with key competitors.

Avoid Costly Errors

The use of paper forms, coupled with manual processes, can lead to errors, which can be extremely costly for construction company owners. Not only is physical paperwork extremely time-consuming, difficult to read and can easily be lost in the shuffle of everyday work, it can lead to miscommunication, project delays, payroll mistakes, and many other headaches. Utilizing mobile technology can help reduce these costly errors by streamlining everything into a single database. RFIs, Change Orders, Bids, Project Documents and all other business related information is stored in one place. Workers can even submit their hours directly from the field, avoiding any payroll mistakes. By allowing real-time submissions of information into an organized, automated system, contractors can bypass a number of pain points.

Unlimited Documentation

Unlike paper forms, mobile applications provide users the ability to customize documentation. Workers can modify work orders to include things like specific customer requests and pricing for specific line items. On paper forms it is more difficult to modify paperwork and add additional information, leading to possible miscalculations and errors. Going mobile ensures that all documentation is complete and accurate, with the flexibility for your workers to add additional information.

No More Lengthy Payment Processes

Cloud-enabled mobile technology ensures you get paid as fast as possible. Manual paperwork and invoices can often get misplaced, leading to a higher chance for errors and longer waits for payment. Using a mobile app allows workers to send invoices directly from their devices, which means invoices are submitted on time, and customer payments are received faster.

Hold Workers Account

The use of GPS tracking technology guarantees you will know where your field technicians are at all times. Accountability within the field is often a problem because managers in the back office don’t know what their workers are really doing. GPS tracking gives project managers the ability to view real-time locations, which allows them to see how much time is spent on different construction sites, therefore increasing worker accountability.

Improve Communication

Mobile construction software gives you a better mode for communicating with all company personnel. Gone are the days of calling back and forth between the office and the construction site. The mobile app gives employees the ability to communicate quickly and efficiently so that they can receive fast responses in real-time.

More Mobility

Using a mobile app for documentation and communication gives workers the ability to always be on the go. For those who are constantly on the move, it can be almost impossible to keep track of documents and notes. With all information stored in one place able to be accessed from their mobile phone, field workers will enjoy a much easier and compact channel to communicate and document their work. This means less worrying about lost notes and paperwork and more focusing on getting the job done!

For more information about TRUE Mobile Construction Software, please visit constructtrue.com.