Technology is an essential need in everyone’s life. It gets a bad rap sometimes, but without it we never would have put a man on the moon, we’d still be taking our horse and buggy to work every day and we’d actually have to “like” our friends in real life. Technology makes life easier and more enjoyable, no matter what your lifestyle or career.
We recently returned from the “real-world meets big data” conference of the year, Trimble Dimensions, where innovation was in the spotlight. Although the conference focused on how technology is evolving the construction industry, there are many parallels that can be drawn to any industry. Here are the key takeaways from the conference.
Impact 1: Adopting Innovation Saves Time and Money
Some may argue that the initial investment for new technology is a waste of money. The way we work is ultimately changing, and adapting to that reality could save big bucks in the long run.
At Trimble Dimensions, it was obvious that the way construction operators control and maneuver their equipment must change. Technologies like Cat® Connect GRADE and PAYLOAD assist operators in knowing how they’re manipulating the earth or materials around them. This specificity increases operator accuracy and technique, saving them money and time down the road. Also, monitoring machine health lowers operating costs and extends machine life.
Today you have to do more with less to stay competitive, and adapting to innovation will only help.
Impact 2: New Solutions Increase Workplace Safety
Unless you work in the automotive industry or in healthcare, you probably don’t give much thought to workplace safety. As the need for security and safety heightens, we are finding better ways than ever to use technology. Security in schools is getting better, new measures are put in place for the safety of airline pilots and cyber-security continues to increase.
The construction industry isn’t immune either. Trimble Dimensions highlighted how advancements in technology are keeping operators safe with enhancements like Driver Safety System and Fatigue Risk Management.
Impact 3: Technology Improves Cross Communication
This is a big one, because communication touches every facet of business for every industry. The better the communication, the more efficient the project, the more money and time saved and on and on.
For the construction industry, operators in one machine need to work in conjunction with other operators and machines. The impact of technology-equipped machines creates clear lines of communication. Offerings like Cat Connect Equipment Management Services helps owners understand their machines and moves business forward.
There are plenty of innovative platforms, technologies and gadgets to choose from now. And our options will continue to grow. We feel this as a company, too. We now have remote team members working in five different states, so facilitating online collaboration is key for us. We’ve turned to sharing tools like Egnyte and GoToMeeting to make working together — despite distance — a seamless process.
Impact 4: The Right Platform Helps to Optimize Return
At the forefront of the conference was how to transform data into easy-to-use information, something that is necessary in any industry. It’s difficult to do, but harnessing the power of data is required in today’s data heavy environment.
The main objective for the construction industry is to optimize return on the equipment and the workforce. But how do business owners set a benchmark and know what parts of the operation need optimization? That’s where Product Link comes in. Product Link tracks information about the location, utilization and condition of equipment.
No matter the industry, make sure to do your due diligence on the right platforms and technologies to use. And most importantly, allocate time and money to be able to make changes based on the data collected. That’s the main point of data, right?
So wait, why did Simantel attend Trimble Dimensions?
Why does Simantel send a group of marketers to the Trimble Dimensions conference to learn the technologies that are advancing the construction industry? Because as marketers in the industry, we strive to put ourselves in the place of the customers we aim to serve. We continually invest in understanding the evolving market by hearing our customer’s questions, feeling their pains and walking in their shoes. This level of empathy allows us to produce the best marketing plans possible and stay ahead of industry trends.
The Ultimate Takeaway
Adopting technology will help build efficiencies into everyday work processes, ultimately having a big impact on the bottom line. It’s important to do your homework and make the right decisions for your business and customers. Sounds simple, but the complexity of constant innovation is taking the world by storm. And no industry is impervious.
