Software is a must in today’s construction industry.
It helps you increase your efficiency and productivity, as well as improve your communication with your team and your clients.
Some builders are afraid of integrating new software into their company, because it can be a little bit confusing. And then, there are some who are just not fans of venturing into something new.
Learning new software is like learning a new language. Even if it could be confusing at times, there are things that you can do to make learning new software easier.
1. Knowledge is Power
As with anything new that you want to learn, you have to know more about it. Read up on forums and articles about how the software works and what it can do for your business.
Once you’ve decided if it’s something that you want to use and see the real value in it, practice on it a lot. Being confident on what you’re doing helps you think more positively about learning, instead of seeing it as something that causes more stress. Get used to the interface by using it on a simple task instead of jumping right into the more complicated areas.
2. Read the Instructions
When you think that what you’ve read from the forums and what you’ve experienced so far is not enough, then read the official instructions. Sometimes, you might get carried away and go through all of the information other people have provided regarding the software, when in fact, the information you need is already right there in the instructions.
You don’t have to remember every single word of it. Just read through it thoroughly one time, even the areas you might not really need, to help familiarize you with what the software can do.
3. Keep It Simple
Remember how you learned things back in school? If taking down notes works for you, then take down notes regarding the software. If you’re the type who’d understand things by drawing them out, then do that. Do what works for you. Just because other people learned it differently, doesn’t mean you have to learn their way.
Also, many construction programs have several ways to accomplish the same task. Just find one that works for you and stick to it. You can learn about the other methods when you’re more confident with the basic interface.
When learning a new software, it pays to keep everything simple instead of thinking too much about how complicated it is or thinking negatively that you will never understand it. And again, what works for somebody else might not work for you. So find your own method of learning the software and stick to it. What matters is that in the end, you’ll be able to use the software to improve your business.
Successful Software Integration
Once you have learned how to use a new construction software, the next thing to think about is how to integrate it successfully into your business.
Here are some tips for a successful software implementation:
1. Define A Successful Software Integration
How do you know if you have a successful software integration if you don’t know what difference it should make in your business? The easiest way to do this is to define what tasks or systems would it improve once you have implemented the software. For example, when sending out invoices, a software would be able to do it automatically and precisely, does eliminating mistakes and delays from doing it manually.
2. Clean Your Data
Take time to clean up your data before you start moving into a new software. This helps you eliminate errors and unnecessary data that might end up duplicating into the new system. You wouldn’t want to carry old information that would not help your business anymore.
This also allows you to start fresh and have a better grasp on what to do with things like bills you might have missed or receivables that needs to be collected.
3. Set a Schedule
You don’t implement a construction software immediately. You have to practice on it, test it, and other things like migrating old data to the new one. Set a schedule on when to go-live with your software. Consider things like how long will it take to train your team for the software or how complex the software is. Just make sure that you don’t take too long or it would end up causing you delays instead.
4. Implement in Phases
Implementing a new software in phases would allow your team to become confident and comfortable in using it especially if it’s a bit complex. Don’t just giving it to them and telling them to use it immediately. This might cause more errors instead of trying to prevent one.
Even if the software is awesome with all its features, it would mean nothing if the person who’s going to use doesn’t know how it works. So take time (and possibly money) to train your team properly on the new software. Think of it as an investment instead of an expense.
This is where you might also want to create a new system on how to use the software. This way, your team would have something to go to if they are confused about a feature instead of going to you every time to clarify something. Besides, a better process would make your team more efficient and prevents more mistakes from happening.
Using a new software in your company means that changes would happen for everyone. So yes, it will initially take time to implement. That’s why when you’re thinking of using a new software, make sure that you are really motivated to implement it. Otherwise, you’ll just be wasting time, money and effort. Besides, if you are able to implement the software into your business successfully, you will have increased efficiency and profitability. So don’t be scared about learning and integrating new software!
