Construction teams are on the go and moving at unprecedented speeds—it only makes sense that mobile applications are helping launch them into the future. A study by Dodge Data & Analytics says mobile software can improve many facets of business including fleet management, cost control, labor tracking, and accurate and timely field data collection.

Word is spreading fast. Eighty per cent of construction professionals surveyed are prioritizing mobile software and four out of five are currently using it. Managers, foremen, and anyone else who manages data loves mobile technology because it means getting the numbers right the first and only time you have to enter them. There is little room for error, because most mobile software will prompt users when information is missing or incorrectly entered. Managing errors is at the top of contractors’ preventable costs list, with 65% of construction professionals surveyed saying this area costs them big time.

Mobile software means real-time information is collected and shared instantly between the shop and field. That means a better connection, more meaningful communication, and cost and time savings when it comes to averting errors or redundancies. And one of the most important features is the integration factor—most well-designed, robust mobile applications will work along side your current software, integrating and sharing data. (In fact, this is such an important feature that if your mobile tech doesn’t integrate, you really shouldn’t use it.)

Finally, connecting the field and shop creates a sense of accountability and cooperation that equals better working  and production relationships. Men and women in the field are empowered being in charge of their orders, and those in the shop have greater confidence in the information received.

Of course, this all adds to productivity—the less time people spend looking for information and correcting mistakes, the more time they have to get the job done. When information is collected this way, it can be analyzed and measured to improve efficiencies in other areas of the business. It’s the ultimate win-win.

Ready to streamline operations, save time and cost, and create an open forum for accountability? Get moving and go mobile. ■