I know it’s human nature to hang onto things we’ve outgrown or no longer have use for. Be it some emotional connection we have to the tattered pair of jeans that no longer fit, or the fact we’re just too lazy to change mobile phone providers or switch from the energy supplier who is clearly charging too much. We’ve all been guilty of it at some point.

But many construction companies also tend to hang onto the software they have used for years, despite the fact that it may no longer fit the size of the business and type of work they are doing, or that it hasn’t kept pace with the changing nature of the industry. But in this economy it makes no sense to stick to software that could ultimately be costing you time and money.

So how can you tell you’ve outgrown your project management software and that it’s time to part ways? Here are five telltale signs…

1. Loss of productivity
Many older style applications require employees to enter the same information more than once, which ultimately leads to a loss of productivity. You should be able to integrate your project management software with your accounting system to avoid duplicating data, as well as giving you accurate reporting of costs with one version of the truth. If not, you are unnecessarily paying employees to do the same job twice.

2. Inflexible software
There are so many developments in software nowadays, such as workflows, that there should be no reason for a software application to dictate the way you run your business. If you can’t add customisations to your software and choose how you interact with it, it could be costing you time and money by hindering your efficiency.

3. Inability to access data remotely and from a central database
The nature of construction means there are times you need to access data when you are not in the office. If your current solution is to save information in spreadsheets on your laptop, there is a better way. Software that can be used in a web browser is far more efficient, and IPM’s central database means you can access the same information as everyone in your office. If there is no access to the internet, simply use it in offline mode and it will automatically sync up to the main database when internet access is restored.

4. Inability to provide accurate, real time reporting
It’s no good finding out at the end of the month that your project spend has overrun by 40%. You need to be able to access that information quickly and easily and with up-to-the-minute accuracy. Only solutions with accurate and easy to use reporting facilities can give you this information when you need it.

5. The software is not user friendly
If your employees still can’t find their way around your current software solution and are spending countless hours on menial tasks to get the right information in the right place, and then can’t find that information again later, your software is not user friendly. Software with a simple and familiar look and feel throughout, and that takes less time to do more work is definitely in order.

If you recognise these symptoms in your own organisation’s current software solution and would like to see how IPM cures them, please don’t hesitate to contact IPM Global for a free demo.