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Word of
the Week
June
12, 2000
What's in it for me
Living near
the Silicon Valley it seems every other radio commercial or billboard
is a dot com this or that touting how the Internet will save us
time and money. Companies
have always pointed to computer technology as a way to save time
so we can work less. This really has never panned out, we just
do more work in the same amount of time. So in regards to the
Internet, the question many business owners have is "What's
in it for me?". Lots. For one, as more companies realize
the benefits of Internet communications, they will require you
to participate or face additional service charges. Using new technology
will always take some adaptation and changing of our ways. This
will lead us to particular applications of technology that fit
our business. Even the simplest of uses can save hours from our
schedule. Saving your time is only half of it. Properly applied,
the technologies my company and others offer can save your clients
time too. This makes for good business.
I suggest
that construction professionals investigate the Internet and become
familiar with some of the basic problems it can solve. I know
construction is booming and many contractors are booked more than
a year in advance. That is all the better time to start to develop
new methods of doing business. It may take some dedicated learning
and discovery time, but like any new tool it will produce results
quickly.
For example
Mike, at Designed Spaces, a landscape design firm, uses their
web site to show the client progress on a design. If you are an
architect or contractor you know how long a typical client meeting
can take. By posting the drawing, with notes, the client can check
plans at their convenience and send back comments. This saves
scheduling, and travel time while eliminating needless discussions,
saving time for both parties. I know from my experience that sometimes
addressing a 5 minute issue can take hours if scheduling, travel
and small talk is included. This should translate to more time
for your family and personal life if you don't fill it with more
work.
This is just
a simple example. There are a number of project management systems
out there that go further and allow users and clients to mark
up and change documents. The point is that by sharing documents
over the web you can eliminate time spent on certain tasks and
reduce scheduling issues. There is the added benefit that online
communications are documented for later reference.
Do you need
this? I think so. I know in my remodeling company, just having
accurate records of decisions and discussions with the client
would have proven valuable in eliminating misunderstandings. Professionals
in the construction industry know that even the slightest problem
in communications can turn into hundreds of dollars in lost revenues.
Eliminating only one job related problem a year may be enough
to offset the cost of implementing and maintaining an Internet
presence.
Sharing documents
is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many other solutions
in the form of ordering, bidding, estimating, and scheduling that
will have a major impact on the way we do business. While Internet
communications may seem like an optional novelty now, I guarantee
that soon it will be a requirement from your customers and general
contractors. Because of the major cost savings, the time is not
that far off that your local supplier will offer discounts to
online order processing.
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