Why Do People Buy Construction Management Software

Have you ever wondered why a person in a facility owner organization makes a significant investment of time and money to implement construction management software? If you’re a construction professional and are not already using construction management software, my next two blog posts will provide you with a point of reference to help you determine and understand the value.

A prospective customer looking at a construction management system like e-Builder (let’s call this person Joe) falls into the category of (1) sees the value; or (2) does not see the value. We like to say Joe either ‘gets it’ or he does not.

Joe Does Not ‘Get It’

Let me be clear – when I say Joe doesn’t get it, I mean no disrespect. Joe is bright, a hard worker, and very experienced in construction. But Joe’s strength is his weakness. He’s used to doing things a certain way and is good at it – he is efficient. He follows a tried and true process and does not necessarily want to change it because any change would be risky. There may be challenges with his current process, but at least he knows what they are and he’s learned how to deal with them.

So the risk associated with a change in his process is what prevents Joe from implementing construction management software. Joe may even believe in the benefits of a system. He sees how it will improve project execution. He can see how it improves his marketability as a construction executive. So Joe actually “gets it” he just can’t quantify the perceived risks so he does not implement a system.

Most of the prospective clients we speak with prefer to stick with their current system of spreadsheets or antiquated project management tools. This can be challenging for us (no-one ever said that changing the world would be easy). Of course some people decide to give e-Builder a try. In these instances our role as consultants is magnified. We view it as part of our job to help our client identify and quantify all risks, and provide strategies to mitigate or eliminate those risks.

In my next blog post we'll talk about the other side - when Joe "gets it".