Cloud-based technology offers the construction industry many valuable benefits, most notably saving time, improving communication, and reducing costs.
Multi-site projects, challenging locations and a lesser requirement for technology in the day-to-day labour aspects of construction are some of the reasons why technology has not been a priority for the industry.
Although construction has never been known as a technologically advanced or digitised industry, business leaders in civil engineering and construction industries are now moving forward and reaping the benefits of cloud technology.
What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing is the process of storing and using data and computer programmes over the internet rather than on your computer’s hard drive. With most of the UK having access to excellent broadband networks or exceptional 3G and 4G coverage, it is easier than ever to access the cloud-based systems from wherever you are working and whatever the task, be it remote admin work or collecting information on a construction site.
What is ERP technology?
ERP (enterprise resource planning) technology is a useful form of software that businesses can use to help manage their day-to-day operations, such as accounting, project management, and compliance. By storing and working on ERP technology in the cloud, organisations can access important information remotely.
Information is stored securely and where required can have increased levels of cyber security checks, such as two-factor authentication (2FA) or multi-factor authentication (MFA).
ERP technology allows civil engineering and construction companies to focus more on the running of the business, rather than spending time on IT-based administration. Technology is always improving, therefore investing in the right system for your business needs is an important decision. Using a cloud-based ERP system ensures that the technology that you are using is regularly updated, without the need for you to employ somebody to keep the system up-to-date.
As your business grows and develops, a cloud-based ERP system can scale and adapt to your requirements.
What are the benefits of cloud computing to the construction industry?
Connect multi-sites and improve communication
Using cloud technology brings multi-sites together wirelessly and in real-time. This improvement in communication and the speeding up of admin processes is a valuable resource in project management. Information can quickly be passed to construction sites regarding important updates such as health and safety measures and changes to operational requirements. This fast and accurate connection between job sites enhances the ability to work collaboratively, breaking down barriers of time and distance.
Time-saving and cost-reducing
Being able to securely store an unlimited amount of information and access it from anywhere with an internet connection saves a business a lot of time. Gone are the days of following lengthy admin processes of writing up worksite information, and later communicating it to all of the relevant people at a suitable time for each individual. By storing key information in the cloud, information can be accessed by all relevant parties as and when they require it. For example, project managers do not need to go back to the office to complete paperwork; documents can instead be completed or uploaded to the cloud without the manager even needing to leave the site.
Cloud capability
The cloud is much more capable of processing and storing high volumes of data than a computer alone would be. For example, you can upload large CAD files which can be viewed on-site eliminating the headache of moving these large files between sites, uploading drone footage containing hundreds of images, metadata, GPS coordinates, and more to the cloud with ease. The information is all in one place ready to procure powerful insights and analysis as and when required. Virtual Desktops and the CAD files used in construction and civil engineering are so large it can be difficult for laptops to manage the files, especially if looking at multiple drawings. By keeping both the CAD files and CAD workstations in the cloud, using virtual desktops to work, it can all live together for seamless operation and could save your business money in the process.
Deeper analytics
The volume of data that can be stored securely in one place in the cloud means that businesses do not have to be as selective about what data they keep, and what data they discard. Keeping all of the data acquired allows different areas of an organisation access to greater volumes of information. Individuals can then analyse the segments that are relevant to them without impacting on another department’s access or availability of information.
Unlimited storage
Utilising the cloud provides your company with an unlimited amount of data storage; you will no longer be restricted by hard drive storage limits.
Secure data storage
By embracing cloud-based technology, you will no longer need to rely on your hard drive to keep your information secure. However, robust security measures must always be in place. As we have learned from recent attacks such as that suffered by Kaseya, security is key to business resilience. Multi-layered security measures and proactive monitoring of your systems need to be considered. Internal or external IT support will help ensure that your information and data is as secure as possible.
Backup of information
Working from the cloud does not always mean that your work is backed up e.g. it is a common misconception that OneDrive is automatically backup by Microsoft, this is incorrect. To avoid loss of data it is business critical to ensure your data is backed up regularly, has flexible recovery options, and secure ransomware protection to ensure the business does not suffer costly downtime due to lost data.
Improved organisation
Information that is stored in the cloud is easy to access and search through, which can be particularly helpful if evidence is required to settle a dispute. The information is readily available and stored for as much time as is necessary or compulsory.
Improve company management
As well as using the cloud for storage and communication purposes, businesses can make use of ERP systems operating from the cloud to streamline operational processes. This can include accounting, finance and compliance processes. Processes become quicker and easier with access available to remote workers as well as office workers and site staff.
Workforce management
Real-time access to job site progress and updates makes it easier to manage the team on-site and keep a check on their output. If a project is falling behind the time schedule, problems can be more readily identified.
Technology is constantly improving and evolving to make processes easier and save time for companies. The growth in construction workers, company owners, and management using cloud technology to run their businesses and handle workloads makes them more streamlined. By using cloud technology to save time, teams will have more time to focus on other tasks, therefore increasing their work output. A more efficient workforce is a more cost-effective workforce. This improvement in communication and efficiency makes those businesses more time and price competitive than construction companies who are still working in more traditional ways.
If you're looking for IT and telecoms services and support for construction and civil engineering businesses, contact our team today.
