The construction industry forms the backbone of modern infrastructure, but for builders, success isn’t always as straightforward as laying bricks and pouring concrete.
Amid the complexities of managing labour, resources, and administrative processes, builders can face a series of mental barriers that halt business growth and hinder success. In this article, we delve into the unique cognitive challenges faced by builders and how apps like ProntoCalc offer solutions to these barriers, helping to propel businesses forward toward greater success.
What cognitive barriers do builders experience?
- Financial mismanagement and value perception
One of the main mental blocks faced by builders is living in a culture of inadequate financial management. Many builders have a strong, solitary focus on the physical aspects of their work, often neglecting proper financial practices. As a result, they struggle with accurate invoicing and have a lack of perceived value for their services. The most frustrating part is that simply and easy-to-use technology, such as ProntoCalc is now readily available to provide up-to-date industry rates, helping builders generate accurate estimates and invoices that showcase the true value of their work in real-time.
- Ineffective build process management
A profitable construction business relies on accurate project pricing and efficient project management to survive and grow. Builders must navigate a web of tasks, from material quantities and labour attendance to coordinating sub-contractors and liaising with customers. Often, they find themselves caught up in the complexities of an in-effective process that leaves little room for strategic business management. Instead of constantly chasing your tail, the key is for builders to nail precise project pricing that enables them to make informed decisions, ensuring that hard work translates into tangible profits.
- Underestimating administrative importance
While builders excel in hands-on construction tasks, they often overlook the critical role of applying effective administrative processes to their business. Neglecting these responsibilities can lead to missed opportunities and inefficiencies. The solution is to realise the equal importance of onsite work in comparison to the work that needs doing when off the building site, even if it does mean tackling some tasks at home.
- Resistance to technology and change
Despite their ability to handle complex sequencing in construction projects, some builders exhibit resistance to adopting new technologies and embracing change – including using a PC and smart phone apps. This aversion to technology can hinder progress and decrease efficiency. Solutions like ProntoCalc present a ready-made opportunity for builders to leverage technology to streamline their processes, saving time and enhancing accuracy in project pricing and management.
- Disregarding proven business methods
Many builders enter the industry with exceptional technical skills but lack business management experience. This cognitive barrier prevents them from implementing proven methods for success, thinking they can either survive without them or simply not wanting to try in the first place. Taking a structured approach to business management provides builders with the tools they need to effectively manage costs, track budgets, and adapt to changes that make a real-life impact on their productivity, and profitability.
In the journey of breaking down the cognitive barriers faced by builders, we’ve explored challenges that often hinder their progress. However, what if these barriers aren’t a result of inherent shortcomings within the building community, but rather a consequence of inadequate access systems? It’s a thought-provoking perspective that encourages us to consider the design of the tools we use.
While the construction industry relies on skilled builders to create physical structures, the digital landscape requires a different set of skills – coding. Unfortunately, when coders develop access systems without truly understanding the cognitive landscape of builders, the result can be complex and non-intuitive interfaces that hinder rather than empower. ProntoCalc has taken a different approach, striving to simplify both access and functionality. Developed by a team of clever coders in collaboration with builders, it exemplifies the power of merging domain expertise with technical acumen.
It’s regrettable that the perception of technology within construction has often limited its uptake, depriving the industry of the numerous benefits it brings. Imagine a world where technology offers quick, detailed project pricing for effective cost management, records executed works to accurately track progress, compares costs against established budget items, identifies new works and associated costs due to design changes, evaluates item profitability, and alerts to potential cost overruns. These lessons in cost control are invaluable, yet the cognitive barriers created by poorly designed systems have limited their accessibility.
However, the winds of change are blowing. With enhanced access to user-friendly technology and a shift in behaviour, the construction industry can step into a realm of more accurate project pricing and efficient management. As we remove the shackles of cognitive barriers through inclusive design, websites and tools become bridges rather than barriers.
As a result, ProntoCalc emerges not only as a solution to streamline building processes but also as a torchbearer of change. By bridging the gap between builders and technology through intuitive design and expert development, it paves the way for a future where cognitive barriers are dismantled, access is universal, and success in the construction landscape becomes attainable for all.
So why not take the leap? Discover the transformative potential of ProntoCalc for youself. With a 14-day free trial, you can explore its capabilities first-hand, empowering your building projects with accurate estimates and efficient management.
Join us on the journey of breaking barriers and building success, one keystroke at a time.
