Is Your Contractor Connected?
Nearly 70 percent of contractors now use smartphones as part of their workday, according to a recent survey cited on Yahoo Finance. That number is up 35 percent from last year. Being connected isn’t a mandate to have the latest technology at your fingertips, although it certainly helps. Being connected means being accessible, knowing the very latest status of every job, and communicating quickly and efficiently with clients. We know younger clients will expect that connectivity. They’ll expect to communicate by text and be able to upload job-site progress photos to their favorite social media networking site.
Builders who don’t have access to technology run the risk of missing regular day-to-day communications. At the very least, your contractor should have access to e-mail on-the-go, and be able to make phone calls or text you. On-line scheduling is a big plus for contractors who have a number of teams in the field – it makes it much easier to see other people’s schedules and can bring meeting arrangements to an immediate resolution. If your contractor does design or billing electronically, embrace the effort. Not only is he saving many trees in the process of doing business, but he is also forcing the entire team to become more technology savvy.
Mobile applications offered for smartphones range from time-saving schedulers to service locators, with more on the way. Companies are introducing apps that will connect tools and smartphones. They are designing project management applications that will eliminate hard-copy notes and allow all parties to be privy to the scheduling and planning. Ask your custom remodeler how connected he is and plan your communications strategy using what you and he have in common.
