Maestro Technologies - Intelligent management software for the construction industry.

Introducing a New Technology

In a company where time does not stand still and where efficiency is sought at any cost or almost, technology quickly finds its place at the centre of all construction projects. For workers on the job site to office staff, as well as the various partners including professionals, sub-contractors and customers, gathering information, discussing and communicating in various ways are now essential activities for a well-functioning job site of any size.

Increasingly affordable, technology is now becoming a differentiator between powerful and not-so-powerful companies. This is why it is important to stay informed, not only in terms of what is available on the market today, but also about what is coming. In fact, an emerging technology today could quickly find its way into the hands of your competitor, who will use the advantage to differentiate himself.

When should you acquire a new technology? You must not be complacent. Acquiring a technology involves significant potential risk. For one thing, it is often available from different suppliers and in different flavours.

Should you choose the supplier first, then the technology proposed by the supplier, or vice versa?

Should you favour a local purchase or purchase from another country?

Should you settle for average performance at a lower cost if your requirements are met, or should you choose the best on the market?

How can you determine if an investment is cost effective?

Once you have made a choice, should you implement it yourself or should you hire a consultant?

How should you approach the project to solicit enthusiasm instead of resistance from those affected?

There are many questions and you should take time to conduct research and ensure success in introducing a new technology. Planning the project carefully and organizing the work properly are key to a successful outcome. Handling the issue badly could restrict the company technologically, which would make it less competitive.

This vision for introducing new technologies is not foreign to the manufacturing world. The industry has known for a long time that growth can only be achieved through efficiency. It all started with the introduction of more powerful machines. However, improvements in production equipment alone is not sufficient. Fully optimizing production through improvements in the use of resources and better time management are now used throughout the industry. And not only in large companies. Manufacturing management technologies, which are becoming more affordable all the time, are now accessible to SMBs. The construction industry is more open to this trend in efficiency, performance and continuous improvement. This change in direction becomes even more necessary as competent and efficient employees become a rare commodity.

What factors should you take into account when selecting a new technology?

That is the question every good manager, even every good visionary, should ask. Here are the main characteristics of a relevant technological innovation:

It must be practical
When introducing a new technology, you cannot avoid changes in the company, either in work processes, the workload of some employees or in the tasks of employees. The final result must provide an improvement in the company’s efficiency, but also in the efficiency of individuals. It is therefore necessary to conduct a good analysis of existing processes before the acquisition and to determine how the new technology can be integrated into these processes or modify them. The people affected should participate in the process to ensure they support the project and are involved. Always remember that the introduction should be simple and progressive. Changes cannot be forced.

It must be cost effective
While this can often be difficult, it is important to calculate the return on investment (ROI). How? The return is usually calculated by evaluating the benefits or accrued profitability after introducing a new technology, taking into account the costs of the acquisition and introduction.

Benefits may be in many forms:

• The first is direct profitability due to an increase in production or lower operating or maintenance costs.
• There is also indirect profitability, which is the result of prevented costs or errors. While this is more difficult to calculate and difficult to prove, these costs are no less significant. For example, badly organized work teams result in unnecessary costs due to lost time, while forgotten billing causes the company to lose income.
• Increasing productivity could allow the company to expand its activities without having to inject significant new resources. The last point is often critical for growing companies. It is essential to see beyond the present.

Regarding costs, you must consider all costs of introducing the new technology:

• Acquisition costs
• Employee training costs
• Costs associated with the disruption of daily activities
• Costs for maintenance and support

Whatever the acquisition cost, what is important is that the return is obtained within a reasonable timeframe. For some companies, this should be within one year, while others are prepared to wait for several years.

It must be sexy
This concept is difficult to define, but very important. Users of a new technology must enjoy and feel pride in using it. While we all find it normal for an operator to get excited about new equipment, we do not think much about someone using new software. After all, this can make a huge difference in motivating people to support a new tool.

It must be functional
Companies are not research centres. Wherever possible, they must adopt a technology that is available on the market and that has already been proven. Furthermore, you must pay attention to the advantages offered by certain emerging technologies that can quickly put us in a better position against the competition. If their introduction presents a risk for the operations of the company, a preliminary project could resolve it by testing the technology and ensuring its optimal operation. If certain risks remain probable, mitigation measures can be used.

It must be simple
The choice must be made based on the ability of target users. If the technology is strategic for the company, competent employees must be hired to ensure smooth integration. The best technology can be completely useless if users are unable to make it work.

It must be adapted to your industry
When faced with two choices, it is always best to choose a technology that is adapted specifically to your industry rather than a generic product. After all, the functions will have been designed to meet your specific requirements. It is also very likely that these same functions have been confirmed by other companies in your sector, ensuring a better adaptation to your requirements.

It must have potential for longevity
Since the investment in time and money is often significant, you must have a certain assurance that the technology will be supported by a competent supplier and that it will be improved over time. Similar to equipment, maintenance is crucial when hoping to benefit from this type of investment.

Therefore, the issue is not about knowing whether a company should integrate new technologies into its operations or not, but when and how. It is important to properly gauge the ability to do so based on available monetary and human resources. It is also important to determine the company’s tolerance for potential problems in introducing the new technologies and to make a comfortable choice in relation thereto.

To conclude, introducing a new technology in a company is a serious undertaking that deserves a great deal of attention. Devote all the time necessary and energy required, compare the quality of the various solutions available, analyze the impact on your operations, and, finally, involve the people who will be affected in the process by taking their opinions into consideration since the success of the project depends mainly on their willingness to make it a success.