Effective contractor management is crucial to the success of any construction business. If done right, it builds the company’s reputation, opening new opportunities along the way.
Do you feel like your contractor and subcontractor management is not working as well as it should be? Are you tired of spending too much time and effort on the same tasks? Have you tried to make changes but failed to see the results you want? If so, it might be time to consider adopting these effective tips for digital overhaul of how you manage and collaborate with your construction site team.
The first step is to identify the areas of your business that could benefit from a digital transformation. Think about what your contractors do every day, what they need in order to get their jobs done, and how they interact with your company’s systems. Once you have reviewed those key areas, it’s time to develop a plan for improvement!
A digital system to manage your construction contractors means less time spent manually delegating tasks, fewer hours processing admin information, and more time spent analysing project workflows and making informed, fast-paced and accurate decisions on site. In addition, switching to a digital platform can help construction businesses streamline processes and increase your on-site efficiency.
We all know that digital work is the future. But what if you could use it to make your contractor management seamless and achieve better results with less input? We’ve got you covered! Read on to explore some of our favorite tips for digital transformation that will help you adapt to a new era of business.
How can technology help manage construction contractors?
Construction management software can be a key time-saving tool in contractor management. Construction management software is a tool that helps you store and maintain contractor data digitally. It also allows employees to connect with contractors to digitally carry out pre-screening, invitation and onboarding processes.
Using software to manage your construction team allows you to capture daily work records that are more accurate (saving unnecessary costs), it can offer easier assignment and monitoring of contractor deliverables; it can also help teams with implementation of cost and schedule control; it improves communication across teams; allow regular compliance monitoring, and it also delivers detailed project requirements that are accessible to contractors at any time.
How can I use project management software for contractors?
Construction management software is a solution that helps businesses manage their contractors in a digital format. If you’re looking for ways to improve your company’s efficiency and productivity, it’s time to automate contractor management activities.
Here are seven proven tips on how to effectively get the best results out of your contractor management software:
#1: Grow, maintain and review your subcontractor network
Any construction company can benefit from a vast network. Having a wide network of subcontractors and specialist installers ensures there is always someone they can call whenever a new project begins, but collecting and filing contractor information could be time-consuming when done manually.
Having a dedicated software and cloud storage platform for your contractor network will help you grow your network without having to worry about storage limitations or data loss. You can save as many contractors as your company needs—maintaining old contractors that perform satisfactorily, removing ones that don’t, and adding new ones as they come.
#2: Send contract drafts, paperwork and documentation ahead of time
Contractor management software is a must-have for any business that uses third-party workers, contractors or specialists.
It can send documents, paperwork, approvals, checks and compliance straight to the right people at the right time. This way, contractors have a complete overview of their guidelines, expectations and scope of work at hand any time they need. This also leaves clear and transparent trails of activity to ensure everyone has the appropriate sign-offs before commencing work.
#3: Set detailed targets and timelines for all teams on a project
If you are a subcontractor, you know how important it is to keep your clients informed of the progress of their project. Construction planning software can help you do this by breaking down the deliverables into smaller segments to be accomplished within shorter timeframes.
You can easily track the progress of your contractors and monitor if they meet the set schedule, allowing you to act immediately in case the project is lagging behind. Contractors can also benefit from digital progress reports so that all teams on site can be kept in the loop if any part of the construction project scope or deadline changes.
#4: Maintain regular and open communication with your team
Automation allows construction companies to maintain regular and open communication with contractors even when they are not available for onsite visits.
When using contractor management software, you can digitally hold morning briefings to tackle yesterday’s activities and set the tasks for the day ahead. This way, everyone on or off site will have access to the information they need.
Setting daily objectives and collaboration are known to motivate workers throughout the day – helping your team perform better while also improving overall construction site productivity.
#5: Keep everyone accountable and on the same page
Contractors are an integral part of the construction process. They need to be trusted and accountable for their work.
We know that keeping everyone accountable for on-site construction activity is a faster way to make sure projects are completed to code, specifications, and in a timely manner. By using a digital platform to monitor tasks and track progress, you’ll also have detailed audit trails available if any stakeholders or clients would like to check the progress of site activity.
#6: Monitor and manage potential site safety risks
Effective field project management means that any potential site hazards or risks are identified before the actual construction starts.
Workers on a construction site need to be adequately informed, prepared and equipped for all outcomes. They should also be aware and have full access to site safety processes and protocols at all times, and be able to communicate immediately with site safety officers if the need arises.
By digitizing your safety processes and existing records, you’ll not only have all relevant information available for contractor management, but also for compliance and audits in future.
#7: Keep detailed performance records of contractors for future jobs
Any construction company will be working with many subcontractors before you can build a list of the most qualified and trusted contractors in your network. You’ll be able to call on these contractors for work on future projects and also keep detailed records of their areas of expertise, how they can work in a team environment and how they take on feedback or site project changes.
Conclusion
Project management software can be used in many different ways to automate repetitive tasks and reduce human error. It can also be used for predictive analysis so that employees know when there might be an issue with one of their clients before it gets out of hand. When applied correctly, digital project and contractor management have the potential to revolutionize any industry – especially construction!
Working with contractors can either make or break your construction business. By digitising your construction contractor management, you can save time, costs, and manpower while at the same time delivering the best value to your clients on time and on budget.
Construction management software is tailored to handle the challenges involved in working with any range, number, and scale of construction contractors on a job site. If you’re looking to take the first steps towards digitising how you manage your project contractors, you can book a free demo, where you can learn more about our digital construction and contractor management solutions. Get started today!
