If anything is certain about AEC companies today, it’s that technology will be part of their business operations. Like it or not, technology advancements are here to stay, even when it comes to creative expression of design.
Ultimately, it’s up to the business owner to take advantage of the innovations that will increase their company’s market share. That’s why it’s important to be intentional in the adoption of technology.
Obviously, no business owner wants to start over from scratch, but a visionary owner may reap rewards in structuring their company to take advantage of the tech that helps them reach their business goals. Many AEC companies are finding they need to be tech centered – in other words, put technology first.
Most people working in construction have not been schooled in business. However, building upon an entrepreneurial spirit – whether it’s the owner, management or other staff – results in on-the-job business training that benefits the entire company. Without that willingness to test out new technologies, many companies in the AEC industry today are missing out on finding new solutions that can help them survive and thrive.
Developing the growth mindset of a company, plus increasing the focus on culture, is likely to result in some people moving outside their comfort zone. But it’s an excellent way to unify your construction business operations, harness the expert knowledge you have inhouse, and improve your workflows to take full advantage of the technology that’s emerging on the business scene.
Using best practices and focused planning, you can identify workflows and processes that are not working and then leverage technology to make them work. The idea of consistently reviewing processes even after they’ve improved – in essence solving problems before they happen – may be a new concept to some, but it will enable companies to do more than continually scramble just to keep up with the competition.
If you don’t have an answer about why you can’t do something a different way – other than the standard, “we’ve always done it this way” – then you’re in a good position to investigate the possibilities. In addition, the company is poised to benefit from the best possible solution to a problematic workflow, which will lead to discovering ways to generate profits differently than it has been.
Even if you’re not an owner or manager, when you’re willing to suggest that the company try something new, everyone in the company has a chance to excel at their jobs beyond just keeping up. Because the certainty of technology innovations and the role they will play in the future of the AEC industry, is no longer a matter of “if” for architects, engineers and contractors. It’s a matter of “when.”
Listen to episode 4 of AEC Disruptors season 3 to hear Anthony Zuefeldt’s take on being intentional in the adoption of technology.
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