Five Benefits Rugged Tablets for Construction Crews

In the world of construction, crews of the past would travel to the job site with pencils and clipboards in hand, hard hats, and tools to see a project through. Today, with the ever-changing needs and demands of the industry, technology that allows field crews to be well equipped to complete a job with improved and faster processes is needed. 

The technology used on construction sites should match the hard work and dedication that construction crews show up with daily. From the office to the truck to the job site, crews are looking for ways to speed up project times, collect payments faster, document their workflow throughout the project, and increase the efficiency of the project. 

Rugged tablets answer that need. Many of the infrastructure projects that are currently taking place across the US require large teams to complete the job. From widening roads to repairing potholes to replacing old bridges and expanding major highways – construction crews start early and leave late. Information about the project used to be transferred from the field to the office by a pad of paper and pencil to a computer through a project manager requiring longer hours and more manpower, now with the latest products in technology, the transfer of information has become easier requiring less office time, less crew hours, and more time in the field. 

Rugged tablets make it possible for field crews to communicate directly with their management team in real-time. Presenting an issue as they arise, communicating parts of the project that have been completed as well as updates to project timelines without ever leaving the job site. Rugged tablets make it possible for teams in the field and in the office to communicate with each other within minutes instead of days, improving decision making on the project because all team members are aware of project updates at all times. 

Three Benefits of Rugged Tablets for Construction Crews:

  1. Measurements: The need for accurate measurements on a construction project is one of the most important elements in completing the project. Human error can occur when taking measurements by tape measure or survey stakes when marking the sides of buildings, sidewalks, roads or utilities. Implementing the use of rugged tablets for construction crews minimizes human error, rugged tablets take more accurate and faster measurements of the project than a person can. Because the measurements are so accurate, the team can move forward with the project without the need for a surveyor to verify the accuracy of the measurements taken, saving time from stopping the project to wait for the surveyor and crew time needed to complete the project. 
  2. Real-time Tracking: A construction project has many moving parts and changes constantly throughout the term of the project requiring teams to be flexible with their plans. With the use of a rugged tablet in the field, teams are able to update the project plans in real-time allowing for anyone who is on the network to see the updates and changes within minutes. This allows management to advise on issues that arise or make changes with the crew within minutes in a day instead of waiting to communicate through a team meeting or days later. This also reduces the amount of time needed to go back and have to re-do a section of the project due to changes. Less time is involved in communicating through a project manager, and more time is spent completing the project. Communication is everything when deadlines are approaching and being able to make decisions faster and communicate them to everyone involved in the project as well as update the project plans/drawings in real-time means fewer mistakes made and faster completion times. 
  3. Accounts Receivables Collection: Getting paid throughout the process of a project is of high importance to avoid delays in the project and ensure deadlines are met. Prior to rugged tablets for construction projects, collecting payment throughout the various stages of a project could be cumbersome and take months to collect. Due to the real-time updating of each deadline that is met and the ability to sign off on that specific part of the project without needing multiple people to check the accuracy of the plan, rugged tablets shorten the billing cycle allowing the accounts receivables department to send invoices when a section of the project is completed, updated and approved within the system. This keeps the project moving forward allowing for crews to continue working rather than waiting on the next phase to begin.

Rugged tablets for construction teams improve the daily processes on a construction site, improves the ability for teams to work together, and collects payments faster.