Whether you’re an Android enthusiast, or an iPhone loyalist…smartphones of all and any kind have become the communication hub of business, no not in business, in all facets of society. The era of the smartphone is well and truly underway. Lets face it everyone under the age of 70 has one, and most of those over it…even if they don’t quite know how to use it.
It’s condensed the media player, the newspaper, the camera, the radio, the flash light, the watch, the voice recorder, books, GPS, television, scanner, the business card, etc. etc. into something that weighs 8-ounces, 113 grams, or roughly the same amount as a quarter pounder. I think it’s fair to say that for most people the thought of going more than two hours without their handy dandy sidekick would make them queasy.
So it’s not surprising that smartphones in business have become indispensable. In fact, more and more companies are choosing to hand out smartphones as an alternative to laptops. In years to come you may look back and laugh at the days when you lugged around the weighty burden of a computer in much the same way we look back at the car and suitcase phone.
And the construction industry is no different. On jobsites all over the world you’ll find a smart phone right there next to the toolbox, and in the back pocket of every man and woman onsite. After all the construction industry is essentially a mobile workforce. Tasks and events take place at changing, and often-remote site locations. So project managers are using project management software integrated with mobile apps to their advantage.
Set-up right, a dynamic mobile work environment achieves higher employee satisfaction, better client management, and increased productivity and all in under a minute from any location. For example,
- Schedule a meeting invite while you grab a coffee.
- Check job progress while waiting for the elevator.
- Catch up on emails while waiting in line at the shops.
- Check incident and weather reports while waiting for meetings.
- Update site diaries and daily reports on the train.
- Oversee change requests and orders while you’re on the treadmill.
- Give team members access to RFIs, risks, issues and any other functions within seconds.
Many of you are probably already doing these tasks, probably on your brand new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6+. But using a mobile app that is integrated with a project management desktop solution removes the risk associated with BYOD – Bring Your Own Device situations. More security, less chance of duplicates, and a hassle free audit trail. Software such as IPM Project Management separates business and personal tasks on the same device. So your core productivity apps are right there to update when you need a break from candy crush. But most importantly, it’s built on a secure platform so your corporate data is protected. So take a minute, and bring your busy workday into the palm of your day.
