Stuck in their Ways
The construction industry has always been a little stuck in its ways. There’s a way people do things, and old-timers don’t like to change their methods unless they have to. Technology has never been central to the industry; construction companies have always kept it at arm’s length. That was never going to change unless something drastic happened. And, well, something drastic has happened.
The Pandemic
That ‘something drastic’ is Covid-19. Unless you’re just coming out of your cabin in the woods from an eight-month-long isolation stint, you’re well aware of Covid and its impact on society. There have been a lot of negatives because of Covid, including a sharp economic downturn. However, for the construction industry, one good thing could come out of the pandemic: the adoption of digital technology in day to day business.
Managing Customer Relationships from Afar
Previously, all contractors did business face to face. You would make sales calls, have client meetings, and show designs in person with your customer. The pandemic has now made that nearly impossible, and construction companies are having to adapt.
What does that adaptation look like now, and what might it look like in the future?
One of the most significant changes is that job sites now need to be surveyed from afar. Whether it’s new construction, remodeling, or repairs in a home, contractors now have to view job sites from a distance.
Technologies such as drones and digital measuring are making this possible.
- A foreman can survey a new job site with a drone without having to be on site.
- A client can send a contractor a photo of the area that needs to be remodeled or repaired; then, the contractor can then use digital measuring to determine what he needs to buy to complete the project.
What we will see in the future is a significant improvement in digital measuring technology. Right now, it’s suitable for rough measurements but nothing specific. The necessity of remote surveys will boost the development of this technology. In the future, we’ll see digital measuring that is accurate down to a thousandth of an inch.
What comes next?
An industry that is stuck in its ways needs a strong motivator to cause change. Covid is that strong motivator, and the industry will never be the same because of it. If construction companies want to survive, they will have to adopt modern technologies that make working remotely feasible.
Technologies such as drones and digital measuring will be two of the biggest influences of remote construction. Going forward, these technologies could develop in such a way that whole construction sites, regardless of the size or location, could be viewed from afar. Post-Covid, these changes will enable companies to work more efficiently and save more money.
