Despite the construction industry being one of the largest sectors in the world, construction technology adoption is falling behind. Find out how SymTerra’s communication platform can turn the tide on digital transformation
When you think of construction, do you think of technology? Not so much. We are forever being told that construction is the second lowest tech-penetrated industry. What people outside the industry fail to consider is that each construction project is unique. Even though the construction sector is one of the largest in the world, where $10tn is spent each year, it is still underserved by software companies. Frequently it is seen as a niche industry not worth the focus and attention it needs, despite it being ~14% of global GDP.
The culture of the industry is driven by physical things being done on site, over everything else. Construction, in effect, manufactures its products in fixed locations, undertaking a large proportion of work in-situ, while at the same time relying on long and multiple supply chains for management and delivery. At the ends of these supply chains is site work – where diverging commercial interests, coordination and assembly problems result in poor predictability, low productivity and low quality.
Construction technology adoption has been hindered by software companies overpromising
The construction industry has been let down too many times by software companies promising the world, only to receive an empty box with which they need to spend months and significant development costs. Many will find themselves still no closer to the promised working product, despite the cost and hours invested in the integration process.
In every other walk of life there are excellent tools – some free or fairly cheap – that make things easier, quicker, more efficient; whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional, you can probably find an appropriate tool to communicate with other groups in your network.
In construction, however, the range is non-existent, the quality is often poor and costs are high. At the start of every project, construction site teams begin with aspirations of singing from the same hymn sheet, one source of the truth, but haven’t been provided with the tools to do so. It is rare that the team that starts on a project is the same as the one that finishes. The result? Low digital adoption.
Only the large companies with back-office teams have the time and resources to implement and utilise complex systems with high usage costs. Most construction tech is aimed at the Tier 1 contractors (construction firms with more than 1,200 employees) but this is only 0.02% of the UK market. This excludes the vast majority of construction businesses, who do not have the capability or finances to use these systems.
After 40 years of suffering the same issues on site, SymTerra was built by directors Sarah and John to solve these issues.
How can SymTerra help construction technology adoption?
SymTerra’s communication platform doesn’t charge per user or per project. It allows unlimited users, unlimited projects and unlimited subcontractors. You can now document works via images and video, cross-reference assets and activities, and share information instantly with who you need to. It is the first Building Information Modelling (BIM) pipeline from site, reflecting how works are delivered.
SymTerra is launching today, which will open the app to a large chunk of the construction market that is digitally unserved and will help eradicate the problems faced by 99.8% of the industry.
Change the way you communicate from site, with unlimited users completely for free, on unlimited projects, forever. Give us a try: https://client.symterra.co.uk/auth_selection
More time. Less hassle. Properly life changing.
John Ryan
Founder
Spencer Suttie
Sales Manager
Robert Crosbie Dawson
Sales Manager
SymTerra
Tel: +447599187687 / +447831288059
*Please note: This is a commercial profile
