Voice of the Builders are losing out due to slow
adoption of technology Benjamin Dyer of Powered Now believes that builders are their own worst enemy when it comes to using technology to help themselves. Over the years, the impact technology has made on business is incredible. Starting
with encryption and code breaking for the war effort in the 40s, the 50s then saw computers beginning to replace and automate highly clerical tasks. By the time the 60s and 70s arrived, IT departments were common within large businesses. In the 80s we saw the arrival of the PC. Since then, more and more industries,
once seen as completely alien to IT, have been computerised. Small businesses have joined the party and now that smartphones are widespread, nearly everyone has become a computer user. But there is one sector that has been a little slow on the uptake: the building
industry. This is particularly true among smaller builders and construction firms, who could benefit most. The lack of adoption hasn’t been due to a shortage of ambition, a lack of capability
or a disregard for the opportunity. In fact, the reason is that small builders spend a large chunk of their time out on site. Conventional computing hasn’t worked because it was not mobile, was not connected and did not like the environment.
Things are changing Times have changed thanks to the smartphone and tablet. With a focus on mobility
and connectivity at their core, everyone can afford the technology. It’s not only become easier to use but also more familiar. Dirty, dusty and damp environments can also be tamed with a simple case or cover. All smaller builders have to spend painful evening hours toiling over paperwork. No
one likes it, but it has to be done. The last few years have seen an avalanche of new apps to help the building trade. There have been developments in project management, health and safety paperwork, invoicing from site and much more. Millions are being raised to develop technology even further, not least by my own company, Powered Now.
Go for it and get ahead While we may all be a little resistant to change, over time new solutions do really
take off. If you look at the last few decades of the business adoption of computers, it’s absolutely clear that the building trade is next. And there are big potential benefits, including time saving on paperwork, quicker and better quotes to customers, faster payment and less chance of forgetting things. For individuals and small building teams, delaying now means missed opportunities and lost business, not to mention hours that could have been better spent with the family, at the pub, or on a hobby. The industry is ripe for the use of this new technology, so why not take the initiative and reap the rewards of being an early adopter. What’s stopping you from taking
a good look at how technology can help your business get better? Benjamin Dyer is co-founder and CEO of Powered Now, the mobile trade admin app that has one aim, typified by the company’s motto: “Paperwork, simplified.”
www.powerednow.com 0800 011 9036
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What’s stopping you from taking a good look at how technology can help your business get better?
18 ToolBUSINESS+HIRE
www.toolbusiness.co.uk
Industry
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