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Having weathered the storms of the global pandemic, the UK construction industry is still up against it, beset by challenges on all fronts. The combination of rising inflation, higher interest rates, labour shortages, supply chain disruption and the ever-increasing cost of materials means that the sector is having to double-down on efforts to stay profitable.
These challenges show no sign of stopping either, with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) predicting that the industry will need 53,200 additional workers each year if it’s to meet UK construction demand by 2026. Add to this the fact that some customers are reluctant to commit to new orders in our uncertain economic climate, in conjunction with increasing project complexity and tighter regulatory requirements, and it’s easy to see why the sector is under pressure.
In light of this, construction businesses are having to work smarter, doing more for less but better. To do this, many are looking to their back-office systems for help, asking how they can increase efficiencies behind the scenes to underpin further efficiencies and smarter working elsewhere. In particular, more construction businesses are opting for document management systems, solutions that store all paperwork in a single, digital location, creating an accessible, centralised repository for all business information.
The best systems eliminate paperwork where practical, capturing and storing a whole host of emails, attachments, financial and other job-related documents. Aside from helping to create the paperless office that many of us can only dream of, the benefits of employing a document management system actually reach right across a construction business, reducing costs, improving efficiency and making for a more streamlined, efficient organisation.
A good document management solution means less time spent on not only filing but retrieving paperwork. Documents of all kinds, including invoices, contracts and purchase orders, to name but three, are indexed and stored in pre-configured file locations, linked to individual jobs or contracts, retrieved in near real-time and reviewed as and when needed. Digitising document management reduces print volumes and costs too, with construction businesses typically seeing a 50% reduction in these.
This move to consistent, accurate digital filing procedures boosts accuracy too, meaning fewer errors due to fewer ‘lost’ or mis-filed documents. Job-related documents are all in one place, with contracts, drawings, presentations, tenders etc all stored in the relevant job file. Additionally, integrated email management means that important information is stored in emails and attachments, as opposed to on paper in shared hard-copy filing systems.
The increasingly complex nature of building projects, with more people across more locations with more equipment can result in significant challenges when it comes to consistent, effective communications. Implementing a robust document management system helps to facilitate seamless collaboration and communication right across projects, no matter how complex, with all relevant documentation stored in an easy-to-access location.
It's not just business-wide collaboration and communication either. This spreads further across the supply chain, affording greater control and transparency to supplier and subcontractor relationships. For example, quality assurance, vendor ratings, and terms and conditions can all be linked to individual supplier records. It’s the same for subcontractors too, with all relevant documentation, such as public liability information and professional indemnity certificates, all linked and stored in a location specific to the subcontractor in question.
The right document management solution can make all the difference when it comes to regulatory and legislative compliance too. Knowing that all relevant health and safety, environmental, HR, taxation and CSR documentation is stored methodically and accessibly is a major bonus to any construction business. The ability to instantly retrieve required documentation is invaluable when it comes to demonstrating robust compliance in one of the most heavily regulated industries in the world.
Faced with a multitude of challenges, the construction sector needs to do what it can to nurture more efficient and resilient organisations. Having a comprehensive document management system in place can help to lay the foundations to build a stronger, more resilient and more efficient business, increasing customer satisfaction and ultimately, boosting profitability.
For more information about Document Management in our construction solution, CIS 5, please contact us today.
Posted On: October 13, 2022
