Why Finding the Best Construction Software Solutions Comes from Finding the Right Construction Technology Partner

Today’s construction is increasingly supported by technology – from the initial design and budget to project scheduling, site management and more.
Trusting the right construction technology partner for your business is just as important as identifying the best construction software solutions.

Large, medium, and even many smaller firms in construction and adjacent markets such as engineering and manufacturing have already adopted a range of construction technologies to improve efficiency, provide better visibility for managers, and boost overall profitability.
Others are still seeking the best construction software solutions that can shape around their specific needs.

Making smart software choices today means much more than simply looking for product features and seeking to improve operational efficiency.

In a world where long-term sustainability and management are a key part of planning the built environment, it is important that information flows freely beyond design and build, through fitout and towards long-term maintenance and asset management too.

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Seek out the Best Construction Technology Partner, not just the Right Product

The broad range of available software solutions for different purposes and stages can make the software selection process daunting.
But there are some cues that can help the would-be technology purchaser know they’re making the right choice.
Today’s selection criteria must go beyond features, pricing and licensing and look towards whether a supportive long-term relationship is possible.

One of the most important indicators is the responsiveness of the technology vendor after the sale – both in terms of customer support and future development.

Evidence is mounting that customer experience is a strong competitive differentiator, and it is now a high priority for more than 70% of companies.

Elecosoft believes in customer satisfaction, with a product development process that has closely tracked changing construction customer needs for decades.
It regularly solicits feedback from customers – at user conferences, user advisory panels, and through everyday discussions – to ensure that its products and services remain aligned to the industry.

As a result, many Elecosoft customers like Bouygues and Woodbase have found Elecosoft to be a perfect construction technology partner.
They been using its software solutions, such as Powerproject, for many years.

“We prefer Powerproject on the client side at Bouygues UK because it’s very quick and easy to knock out a simple programme rapidly. We can make a quick programme that has almost all the logic, certainly enough for client reporting purposes, to submit, then we can play with it later. The main advantage is the sheer rapidity with which you can create a programme.”

»» David Izaguirre,
Senior Planning Manager,
Bouygues

The Best Construction Software is Customer-Driven

Beyond meeting the usual requirements for critical features and competitive pricing criteria, the best construction software is usually customer-driven – meaning it was purpose built for this industry and its typical user types.
It is also regularly updated based on input from those users.
This ensures that the software works the way the users need it to and can grow with the company.
This was confirmed by construction company Willmott Dixon’s National Planning Manager Paul Hoskins.
The company formerly used Microsoft Project, before moving over to Powerproject as its standard a few years ago.

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Evolving to Meet Evolving Construction Software Needs

Construction and engineering both have unique sets of challenges.
Software developers must have a clear understanding of where the industry is headed, and which new features will actually be most helpful.
This has led in recent years to significant re-orientation of project planning software around BIM, including the evolution of the 4D planning capability within Powerproject’s BIM module.
It has seen 3D visualisation become integral to design software for everything from interiors to staircase design, and necessitated integration with emerging standards in ERP and other business systems.
Meanwhile 4D planning, which enables builders to track progress visually over time, is slowly moving to the mainstream.

It is worth remembering that just because something is technically possible, it doesn’t always mean it is helpful to end users.

Elecosoft has often found that it is the small features that are most valued – such as a one-click reschedule button, or the ability to jump up and down a long, complex schedule of thousands of activity lines, for construction planners.
These and other features, like drag-and-drop schedule building and the ability to cut-and-paste from Excel, were direct requests from Powerproject customers.
But this responsiveness extends across the portfolio too.
Easy ways for designers to show customers a visualisation of their timber-framed home or envision a complex staircase have become integral to our Framing and Staircon solutions, respectively.

At companies like Elecosoft, customers drive change.

Regular user group meetings, conferences, and an active customer advisory board ensure that the development roadmaps for Elecosoft’s whole portfolio stick close to the evolving needs of users.

Traditional joinery business Woodbase Joiners Ltd. has stayed with Elecosoft because, according to managing director, Simon Bartlett: “Elecosoft has developed, updated and upgraded its software many times over the years, and it has done absolutely everything we ever asked it to do.”