If you are a main player in the commercial construction industry you are sure to have heard recent buzz words such as Building Information Modeling, Virtual Design and Construction, 3D BIM , 4D BIM, 5D BIM and so on. Although this may only be the tip of the iceberg in terms of software integration into the construction process, it has made and continues to make significant economies of scale.
Beyond the Core Business
This implementation of software
integration should not be limited to construction operations only, but infused
into every aspect of the business model.
The few organizations that vanguard in this respect will start to pull
away from the competition with increasing momentum. There are many potential hurdles along the
path to full-fledged system integration, but probably the most potentially
destructive one is trying to integrate systems at a level above what the
company culture is ready to support.
There is a fine line between pushing the envelope and driving off the
ledge. Those companies that learn to
strike the balance, typically early adopters, put a strong hold on competitive
advantages and step ahead of their competitors at exponential rates.
This implementation of software
integration should not be limited to construction operations only, but infused
into every aspect of the business model.
The few organizations that vanguard in this respect will start to pull
away from the competition with increasing momentum. There are many potential hurdles along the
path to full-fledged system integration, but probably the most potentially
destructive one is trying to integrate systems at a level above what the
company culture is ready to support.
There is a fine line between pushing the envelope and driving off the
ledge. Those companies that learn to
strike the balance, typically early adopters, put a strong hold on competitive
advantages and step ahead of their competitors at exponential rates.
The inclination of many companies
is to purchase software that professes to contain all the tools necessary
to propel it to the top of the market overnight. The reality is that money spent in this
manner is done so frivolously. When this
approach is taken, your software turns into "shelfware" [1] or at a minimum is severely underutilized. Historically, business technology has served a strictly operational, unbiased, input/output role; if the cost savings in using a software outweigh the number of employees it confuses, there should be adoption.[2]" This approach is very detrimental to the vitality of any organization. As we do with buildings, we need to start at
the foundation. The foundation of successful
systems integration is centered on first reviewing business processes and identifying
problem areas, second evaluating what potential software and human elements
could make the process more efficient, and third implementing the solutions.
Finding a Thought Leader
Finding a Thought Leader
So now you say, I have heard a
lot of philosophy on how I can make my company better, but really don’t know
what the tangible product is. To give a few ideas of
what may be expected, let’s focus on the marketing leg of your company. In specific let’s focus on marketing on the
Internet.
I will consider that your company
already has a website, as this is status quo at this point. Many companies may not already be aware, but
there are digital analytics tools that can allow you to track every aspect of
interaction your website is experiencing. A few tools that provide this functionality are Google Analytics, Adobe Marketing Cloud, Angelfish, and Web Trends. For a more in depth look at each of these platforms and more, Tom Demers wrote an excellent blog entitled "Web Analytics Software Comparison: Identifying The Right Web Analytics Tools For Your Business ."
These software applications track items such as how many people visited your website,
where they came from, where they went, how long they stayed,
where they left to, and so on. If this
information is not being leveraged, now is a good time to think about how your company could benefit from it.
These software applications track items such as how many people visited your website,
where they came from, where they went, how long they stayed,
where they left to, and so on. If this
information is not being leveraged, now is a good time to think about how your company could benefit from it.
Through the use of your digital
analytics software, you can differentiate between people visiting your site for
employment and those visiting to find a contractor. Once you have identified these potential
customers, you can pinpoint the geographical location of the visit, in other
words, you can find out who visited your website and market directly to them
through traditional marketing channels or enhanced digital channels. If you are interested in finding additional insight into this type of digital marketing, just type the keyword "Geotargeting" into your browser.
According to Gary Angel, a prominent web analytics blogger and professional, there are two steps in the digital approach that make the magic. The first is to "Enrich your knowledge of that population (if necessary) with data that can be tied to targetable properties such as attitudes, needs or desires (Name Lookup, Household data, Census Data)." The final step is to "Create a link between the targetable properties, the behaviors you want to incent, and the messages most relevant to each combination of target group and desired behavior (Survey data in our case – most often with additional behavioral data in commerce targeting)."[4]
Another tactic would be to have your
advertising dynamically follow Internet users typing in certain key words. This type of technology already exists! Google's version of it is called "Dynamic Display Ads." Let’s say an owner’s rep is searching for information surrounding
hospital construction and your company’s advertisement is showing up on most of
the searches. Not only is it showing up,
but it is your advertisement specifically geared at this target market. This type of marketing can dramatically increase your ROMI.
What next???
Well, I hope by now you get the point. The opportunities are endless and the companies that really foster these concepts will dominate their market. The key to success is defining your key business requirements and then having people lead the charge with innovation and integration.
Have you ever wondered why Google has been so successful? In a Forbes interview, Laszlo Bock, Senior Vice President of Google's People Operations said:
“Personally, I believe this culture is an insight about the human condition. People look for meaning in their work. People want to know what’s happening in their environment. People want to have some ability to shape that environment...Google has cultivated a creative and passionate workforce that holds the key to the company’s innovation."
It is not a coincidence that Google has become the giant they are. Whether you want to be the worlds largest general contractor or the best in your region, apply these principles and you will get there.
What next???
Well, I hope by now you get the point. The opportunities are endless and the companies that really foster these concepts will dominate their market. The key to success is defining your key business requirements and then having people lead the charge with innovation and integration.
Have you ever wondered why Google has been so successful? In a Forbes interview, Laszlo Bock, Senior Vice President of Google's People Operations said:
“Personally, I believe this culture is an insight about the human condition. People look for meaning in their work. People want to know what’s happening in their environment. People want to have some ability to shape that environment...Google has cultivated a creative and passionate workforce that holds the key to the company’s innovation."
It is not a coincidence that Google has become the giant they are. Whether you want to be the worlds largest general contractor or the best in your region, apply these principles and you will get there.
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[3]http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/johnfkenn114942.html
[4]http://semphonic.blogs.com/semangel/2011/02/web-analytics-and-targeted-marketing-digital-analytic-marketing.html
[4]http://semphonic.blogs.com/semangel/2011/02/web-analytics-and-targeted-marketing-digital-analytic-marketing.html
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