Three ways construction companies can benefit from an integrated suite of apps

The construction industry is always on the move, with projects, people, and deadlines constantly in motion. Without the right software, construction companies can run into significant issues with operational efficiency that can threaten their financial success. The right tools and software can help these companies streamline their operations, improve communication, and keep projects on track.

Challenges for construction firms without a proper software solution

Without the right business software, construction firms face several challenges. Managing leads and customer relationships can become chaotic, resulting in missed opportunities and lost revenue. Project execution can suffer due to poor planning, resource mismanagement, and a lack of real-time visibility, leading to delays and cost overruns. Also, communication breakdowns and inefficient collaboration can cause misunderstandings, errors, and reduced productivity. Adopting a tightly integrated software solution can help construction companies overcome these challenges, streamline business operations, and enhance overall performance.

1. Optimised sales processes

Construction companies often struggle with managing leads, tracking customer interactions, and closing deals efficiently. This is where a customer relationship management (CRM) system comes in handy. A CRM system streamlines the sales process, ensuring that every lead is captured, followed up on, and converted into a satisfied customer.

For example, Knight Solutions, a Brisbane-based construction consulting company, uses Zoho CRM to handle its sales process. When a deal is marked as closed and won, Zoho CRM triggers a series of automated actions: it creates estimates and then invoices in Zoho Books and generates purchase orders for contractors. This seamless flow of information saves time and reduces the risk of errors, allowing the sales team to focus on building relationships rather than managing paperwork.

Integrating other tools like Proposify for proposal management has also been beneficial to Knight Solutions. Information transfer between Zoho CRM and Proposify ensures a smooth transition from proposal to project execution.

Zoho PhoneBridge is integrated with Ring Central to ensure all communications are tracked and linked to appropriate client records in Zoho CRM, providing a complete view of customer interactions and improving overall service quality. 

2. Enhanced project execution

Effective project management software is crucial to keeping projects on track, managing resources, and ensuring timely completion. It helps in planning and scheduling tasks, allocating resources, and monitoring progress in real time.

Knight Solutions relies on Zoho Projects and Zoho Books for its project management needs. When a deal is closed in Zoho CRM, a workflow automatically starts a project in the team's custom Projects module, with all relevant data populated from client files. This integration ensures that projects start on the right foot and stay on track. Zoho Projects also integrates with other Zoho apps the team uses every day, providing an updated view of project status and facilitating better decision-making.

3. Improved communication and collaboration

Effective communication and collaboration are essential for business success. In the construction industry, multiple teams often work on different aspects of a project simultaneously. Tools that facilitate quick, efficient communication and document sharing, can significantly improve productivity and reduce misunderstandings.

Knight Solutions uses Zoho Cliq for internal communication, preferring it over Microsoft Teams due to its integration with other Zoho apps. This integration makes it easier for team members to stay connected and updated. For document storage and collaboration, they use Zoho WorkDrive, which allows them to store all project-related documents in one place, making it easy to access and share files from anywhere.

"In terms of the apps in Zoho, for me, the standout product is CRM. That's the hub of Zoho in a lot of ways. Then Zoho Projects and Zoho Books are the other two that make up the core of our operations. Now, when a deal in CRM is marked as closed and won, it starts a flow of automation that automatically creates estimates and invoices in Books, creates purchase orders for my contractors, and starts a project in our custom Projects module in CRM, with all the data automatically populated from the client files."

- Robert Hudman, Founder and Managing Director, Knight Solutions
 

Final thoughts

Having the right software makes a big impact in the construction world, where business is about building better connections, not just buildings. By optimising sales processes with CRM systems, enhancing project execution with project management tools, and improving communication and collaboration with integrated software solutions, construction companies can significantly improve efficiency and productivity. Knight Solutions' experience illustrates how powerful Zoho One can be in facilitating seamless and effective business operations.

Read the full case study about Knight Solutions' use of Zoho One.