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In construction, communication can be a challenge. With different departments all working on their own timelines across projects, getting everyone on the same page isn’t easy. While silos are good for nurturing specialization, they can also contribute to communication challenges by isolating teams. Without effective communication, confusion can arise between teams and departments, and delays that slow down the project may begin to crop up.
When analyzing this problem, it isn’t hard to see where the source of the issue is. It all comes down to the flow of information between departments. Whether it’s finding the most up-to-date reports or getting certain approvals prioritized, there are many information gaps that can complicate the process of communication. Effective communication requires understanding from both sides. Your staff needs to both understand everyone’s role in the project and read from the same data for good communication to take place.
While it might seem like this will require large amounts of training and internal documentation, it’s actually much easier. Technology has been connecting disparate teams in other industries for some time now. There are affordable, intuitive, and effective tools that your business can use to connect your departments. Let’s go over how technology can help align your teams for better communication.
Automated workflows
Ownership and responsibility are important to getting any task done. When employees know who to speak with to get something done, processes can move along much faster. Additionally, many delays originate from tasks that need a certain approval or report to be completed before they’re done.
Automated workflows create an easy, clear system to track ownership, and progress of all the various tasks on a project. It allows companies to map out each task needed to complete a process, assign each step to an employee, and give staff full visibility into that process. Departments will always be aware of where the timeline of a key project is at and who is taking over each step needed to get there. With automated workflows, teams are more connected and collaborative than ever before.
Connect your data to the cloud
Reporting is the lifeblood of construction. Whether it’s a WIP, a forecast, or project reports from your PMs, there’s a constant stream of data moving through your company. These documents can be hard to get at since they’re located across computers and Excel accounts. Even when somebody does have a document, they may not be certain it’s the most recent version.
By using a cloud-storage system, all of your documents can live in one place. This eliminates the need for long email attachment chains and cluttered desktops. Everybody is clear on where the data they need is located and where it will be stored. Reports are no longer passed from one employee to another. Instead, they’re a shared, accessible resource for everyone who needs it. The cloud clears up report clutter and gets your departments working from the same data for better communication.
Expand your construction toolkit
What we’ve gone over here is just scratching the surface of what technology is doing for construction companies. From automating AP processes to creating AI-powered forecasts, technology is here to help construction companies unlock more profit in their business. Briq is the toolbox built to bring these benefits to construction companies across the industry.
If you’d like to learn more about how digital tools can connect your teams, check out our recent eBook. Or, if you’d like to see these tools in action, speak with our experts and see a Briq demo live for yourself at briq.com/demo.
