Construction businesses have evolved, and with advancements in construction technology, you may be considering investing in IT support.
However, is managed IT worth it for construction? Are the technology support needs enough to justify outsourcing, or is it more worthwhile to hire an IT person to handle technical issues?
If you're on the fence about IT services for your construction company, here's what you can expect if you bring one on and the roadblocks they might be able to help with.
How To Decide if Managed IT Is Right for Your Construction Business
1. Is Your IT Person Adequately Handling Your IT?
IT management is becoming more and more complicated with the introduction of technologies like AI, digitized construction tools, cloud computing, and more. This is why it's crucial to ask yourself if your IT staff have the knowledge, skills, and continued certifications necessary to resolve complex problems.
Managed IT services for construction offers fully-staffed technical assistance teams with experts in areas such as:
- Cybersecurity
- Day-to-day technical support
- Network administration
- Long-term project management
If your staff don't have all or most of these skills, you might want to look into managed IT services for construction companies to supplement your capabilities.
2. How Deeply Do Your IT Issues Run?
Some IT issues are small fixes. However, others can be indicative of larger IT issues that require long-term project planning. This is where many businesses fall short, because their in-house staff are too preoccupied with day-to-day tasks to fully focus on overarching projects.
Most IT support and services for construction offer Virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO) support. These are seasoned professionals that can oversee these larger projects to help you reach your goals in a strategic way.
3. Do You Feel Confident in Your Current IT Budget & Utilization?
One of the most common mistakes in IT budgeting is failing to properly plan for the future. Experts will tell you that it's much wiser to plan for regular technology refreshes than to wait until a critical failure leaves you with both huge expenses and a long downtime.
This downtime can be costly, as can faulty IT infrastructure from poor budgeting. Managed IT services will help you get a handle on budgeting, planning, project management, and finding the best information systems for your construction company.
To learn how IT expense planning can set you up for success in the long run, check out our blog: Ask The Expert: How Technology Management Can Expedite Your Business Growth
4. Do You Have a Good Idea of Your Cybersecurity Posture?
Most businesses have very little idea of their network security. How prepared are you for social engineering attacks like phishing? Is your network set up to evade hackers? How strong are your authentication tools? Are passwords strong and frequently reset?
You could be especially vulnerable to cyberattacks if you haven't gotten a network assessment from a reputable provider. These assessments can be carried out by IT providers, and evaluate your existing security gaps to determine necessary security measures to take.
To learn more about how to gain an understanding of your cybersecurity posture, learn about network assessments in our blog: Network Assessments: What Insights Do They Reveal?
What is the Role of IT in the Construction Business?
With Internet of Things (IoT) devices on the rise in construction, more technical issues can arise due to increased digitization. Along with new technology, everyday IT issues still come up with problems such as:
- Slow network speeds
- Faulty document management systems
- Disorganized workflows create confusion
- Communication roadblocks from outdated phone systems
These aren't an exhaustive list of issues you could run into that may require IT support, but they illustrate the importance of prioritizing technology management in your business.
How Do Construction Workers Use IoT Technology in Their Work?
There are many technologies that construction businesses rely on that might require technical support. Some of these may include:
- Project management software
- Sensors
- Cameras
- Safety monitoring technology
These tools can offer sophisticated features to assist in construction projects. However, you likely don;t have the time to troubleshoot them when you have other business operations to attend to.
IT providers will often manage vendors for you, calling manufacturers to resolve issues in a timely manner to reduce stress on your end.
Why is it So Difficult to Bring Technology to a Construction Site?
There are many reasons why innovation can be a challenge in construction. The main culprit is that construction companies or workers cling to familiar tools, even when they're vastly outpaced by new technology.
Legacy software is a major piece to this, which can harm innovation since new tools are often difficult to integrate into outdated or unsupported software. The widespread ecosystem of construction also hinders innovation across the industry, with many stakeholders and a disorganized array of tools to build tech stacks.
The industry's cling to old technology and the complexity/unstreamlined nature of the industry contribute to the challenge of bringing new tools and workflows to construction businesses.
Learn how to integrate new technology and roadblocks you may face in our blog: Are Businesses Innovating? See Key Barriers to Tech Adoption
Aside from the use of outdated technology that hinders growth, sometimes businesses are simply resistant to change, making it difficult to implement new technology.
How to Find Managed IT Support for Construction Companies
IT support is a growing need in construction, and it will only become more crucial with the advancement of technology. Some things to look for when researching IT support and services for construction companies include:
- Response times - are they prompt at responding to tickets?
- Reviews - are other companies happy with their service?
- Experience - how knowledgeable and experienced are their technicians?
- Industry specialization - have they worked with construction businesses before?
- Products & services - can they fulfill your technology needs and help you reach your goals?
- Location - are they local to your community?
Once you've ironed out these details, you'll have a good sense of what providers near you may offer the ideal construction IT support you're after.
If you're ready to dive into optimizing and securing your network, click the button below to speak to an IT expert about your business.
