We have the pleasure of working with many contractors that seek to improve how they manage and spend on tech. In these projects we run into many of the same observations that I wanted to share below. Solving this issues isn't as easy as identifying them, and the way to solve for it is nuanced from company to company, but if you want to know the top areas to look at for a better tech management program/process, start with this list. We've performed tech assessments and deeper tech strategies for many contractors of all sizes across the country, from $5M in revenue to $4.5B in revenue. Size does not equal sophistication, so have comfort in knowing that many of your peers wrestle with the same dilemmas when it comes to tech. The common areas of attention we see with tech include (in no particular order):
- Lack of communication and preparedness for upcoming tech initiatives (like an ERP or PM software replacement).
- Inadequate recurring training on technology. Many times good training is accomplished during implementation, but over time new employees join the team, or existing employees forget how to use parts of tech that they infrequently access. Ongoing access to training resources is critical to user adoption, employee satisfaction with tech, and getting the most ROI.
- Lack of structured technology planning and budgeting. Most contractors are not creating annual tech spend plans and sticking to it. Most still allow, rather sizable, tech projects to be added to the plan within the same fiscal year which creates an unpredictable and reactive culture on tech. This leads to confusion, usually a poor selection process, and tech fatigue in your people.
- Redundant data entry across systems. The "open API" answer does not solve this problem. And, this problem is not solved quickly or easily. But in order to ensure consistent quality information (data) in your systems, it is important to reduce the amount of times the same information is entered across applications.
- Many redundant solutions, or underutilized solutions that only exist to meet the preference of just a few people.
These are some things to think about and talk over at your next executive meeting. Of course there are many other observations that could be added to the list, and you may have some unique pressing concerns that you've identified. If you welcome an outside resource to be part of that conversation, we'd love to participate. For a deeper understanding of BBI's Tech Assessment program, check out the attached PDF.
Finish the week strong!
All the best.
Jay
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Jay Snyder
President
BBI - Big Blue Innovations
Raleigh, NC
Direct/Mobile: (919) 980-0037
Office: (919) 692-6129
Email:
jsnyder@bigblueinnovations.com------------------------------