Technology is quickly creeping into the construction world and you will find that you will be using more of it as time goes on. While all this technology can save you a ton of time, it can also cause problems when it isn’t working like it should. And, we all know how often technology can go haywire!
Here are 3 tips that will help you manage tech issues:
Strategy
You must have a strategy for your technology that will support your goals for at least three years in the future. This strategy should include how much money can be used to continuously improve technology within the company, what each type of software will be used for each project, and that all the technology will improve the business overall.
Partnership
You must work closely with the IT department to ensure that you are all on the same page when it comes to the success of the business. The IT department cannot do its job properly if they do not receive money for improvements and yet, you can’t do yours if they do not give you the tools that you need to get all your work done efficiently. The easiest way to ensure that you are all working together seamlessly is to plan weekly or bi-weekly meetings where you can all talk about what is going on in each department.
Spending
Your IT department should not be able to spend as much money as they want or need to in order to keep technology working well. However, they must be given enough of a budget to keep everything up to date and functioning properly. Your business will suffer if your computer programs are not up to date or if your actual computers do not work properly. Any time your IT department states that they need more money; they should be able to back it up with information as to why. If it is a staff issue, the problem may be resolved with giving existing employees more training instead of hiring additional workers.
Not all technology issues will involve non-working programs and computers. However, the above tech issues can be enough to bankrupt a company if you are not careful. Therefore, we recommend that you work together with your IT department and embrace technology as it continues to become a part of the construction world.