You and your team might rely on tried-and-true methods to deliver projects successfully. But all workflows can benefit from regular checks for optimization opportunities. Blind adherence to the mantra “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” can lead to stagnancy in your firm’s growth — and to its eventual downfall as more competitive MEP contractors move ahead.
Companies with a growth mindset need a technology provider that stays on top of industry developments and continually updates its product offering to support construction’s evolving demands. The right technology provider can bring significant collaboration benefits to your company. Below are three signs that a new technology provider may be in order.
1. You’ve outgrown your technology provider.
When your company first added virtual design and construction (VDC), building information modeling (BIM), or 3D reality capture services in-house, you may have invested in best-in-class equipment or the latest versions of hardware or software. But over time, your capabilities and experience have advanced. Has your provider continued to advance its products, too?
“I want my provider to be on the cutting edge as much as possible, advising me, but also responding when I ask, ‘Hey, have you seen this? Could this be a more efficient approach?’”
“If your existing technology providers are doing a good job for you, that’s great,” says Clair Vander Zwaag, director of reality capture solutions at NOAR Technologies. “But there’s likely something newer, better and greater for you out there. I want my provider to be on the cutting edge as much as possible, advising me, but also responding when I ask, ‘Hey, have you seen this? Could this be a more efficient approach?’”
2. Your technology provider is missing the mark.
You regularly collaborate with your general contractor, clients and other trades. Likewise, a diligent and evolving technology provider should be checking in with you at regular touchpoints, with customer service check-ins and product and firmware announcements.
At the fast rate of advancements in the digital world today, if your technology provider has been touting the same line of hardware and software for the past few years, you can be missing out on innovations that simplify your field and office workflows. Also looming in the backdrop is the threat of cybersecurity attacks: If you haven’t received notices of firmware or software updates for some time, your equipment and network might be vulnerable.
Vander Zwaag, who was previously a reality capture manager at Leica Geosystems, recalls a mechanical contractor that was disappointed with the data captured by another brand’s laser scanner.
“Things had gone sideways,” he says. “Maybe they didn’t have site control or register the point clouds correctly, and their service provider didn’t have the capability, confidence or experience to help them complete the job. Leica’s Cyclone software suite is well-known in the industry as a workhorse. It can fix a wide array of errors and problems, even with data captured by other manufacturers. And we used Cyclone to get the quality of the deliverable that the contractor required.”
3. You expect — and deserve — greater value for your technology investment.
If familiarity with a technology provider is the only reason you’re staying put, then it’s time to explore other providers and product lines to see if they offer better accuracy, speed, range, features, user experience and customer support. A technology provider should become your collaborator, keeping you in the know on industry developments and on smarter ways to work with your internal and external teams.
Leica Geosystems stands out because the company hires subject matter experts and people with field experience to fill its customer support and sales positions, Vander Zwaag says. “These experts have been in the trenches working across different construction verticals and segments. When you call one of Leica’s specialists for support, they can talk you through a workflow or problem because they come from the industry. Leica’s technical staff can advise professionals how to grow and model their business correctly.”
Raise the bar on your future growth
If you have a wish list of features and products that you’d like to see, share it with your technology provider. If they can’t offer the capabilities to efficiently get the deliverables that you and your clients require, start researching other providers. See what technology your peers and competitors use and attend professional events to try instruments firsthand. You know what you need to succeed in today’s MEP industry.
Many contractors switch technology providers because they started out buying products at a lower price point with the intention of pushing the products’ capabilities as far as possible, Vander Zwaag says. “They find out really quickly where that ceiling of growth is,” he says. “In the Leica world, it seems like we never hit that ceiling.”
Ready to explore your options? Get in touch with a Leica Geosystems building construction specialist to discuss your needs.
