Time is money in the CONSTRUCTION industry.
Handling complex projects, ensuring timely completion, and maintaining accurate records are difficult tasks for construction companies.
Manual data entry and processing of documents can take up a lot of time and resources.
Surprisingly, technology has changed… the way construction companies work. One such powerful tool to do this is Optical Character Recognition technology.
In today’s article, we will talk about how construction businesses can… save time, enhance productivity, & have an advantage over their rivals in the industry with the help of OCR technology.
Paperwork in construction – a challenge to construction
Allow me to take you back to a discussion with my friend Jack … who runs a mid-sized construction firm.
Over a coffee one day, he complained about mountains of paperwork that would seem to … multiply overnight.
From invoices and contracts to blueprints and INSPECTION REPORTS… the inches-high stack of documents was overwhelming!!!
Jack explained that his team spent hours MANUALLY entering the data from these documents into their computer systems… time not spent on more important tasks.
I could feel his frustration as he spoke.
Something needed to CHANGE.
What is OCR technology?
OCR technology can become so powerful that …. it changes the paperwork processing of any construction company.
But, you see, what is OCR?
Well, put simply, OCR digitizes various sorts of documents into EDITABLE & SEARCHABLE data.
Jack’s transformation
Jack was feeling a bit anxious at first, but after a lot of persuasion…. he decided to give OCR a try.
The results were nothing short of MIRACULOUS.
With an OCR JPEG to Word converter tool, Jack’s team could quickly SCAN & DIGITIZE their documents.
Now, instead of manually typing out data, they could scan a document and let the tool do the heavy lifting.
This dramatically reduced the time the company spent on DATA ENTRY… so his team could work on other important tasks in project management and client communication.
- Streamline document management
One of the enormous advantages of OCR technology is the ability to… streamline document management!!!
Construction projects generate so much documentation – everything from ARCHITECTURAL PLANS & permits to purchase orders & time sheets.
Traditionally, organizing & storing these documents has been quite a LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE.
Using the tool to scan documents easily into digital format and storing them digitally.
WOW!!!
This saves not only PHYSICAL SPACE but also makes retrieval a simple task.
Want to find an invoice?
A quick search in the digital archive… there it is.
This level of efficiency was something Jack’s team quickly grew to APPRECIATE!!!
- Improve accuracy & reduce errors
Human error is unavoidable… especially in the case of repetitive tasks such as data entry.
A misprinted digit or decimal being out of place can be very expensive in terms of errors.
But OCR technology REDUCES THESE RISKS.
With the automation of data entry, one ensures that information will be captured correctly.
Jack has witnessed an ‘astronomical’ reduction in errors since the implementation of OCR and an exactly corresponding increase in PRODUCTIVITY & CONFIDENCE in their data.
- Greater collaboration & communication
Effective communication and collaboration are essential in the construction industry.
Now, OCR technology is just one of the aids that may be instrumental in bringing improvement to these aspects.
How?
Well, these digital documents can share files easily among members regardless of geography.
This means that everybody, from the site manager to the project architect, gets to have the very same information.
Jack’s team started to begin realizing a remarkable difference in how they did their internal communications.
In fact, with all documents digitized and accessible, the team could collaborate much more efficiently. No longer did they have to wait for PHYSICAL DOCUMENTS to arrive or be concerned about misplaced paperwork.
A seamless flow of information aided them in staying… on top of their projects & meeting deadlines more effectively.
- Save time & boost productivity
The greatest benefit of OCR technology for construction companies, at its core, is saving time.
In automated form, OCR frees time that is much better spent on other critical activities.
Jack shared how his team now had more time to focus on PROJECT PLANNING, quality control, & client interactions!!!
The saved hours of manual data entry were reinvested in activities impacting their growth in business.
This NEWFOUND efficiency translated into increased productivity & ultimately… a better bottom line.
- Cost savings & ROI
Implementing OCR technology also brings along with it some major cost savings.
While there is a little bit of investment involved, the return on investment is quickly realized.
By cutting down on the time spent manually entering data, reducing errors, & increasing efficiency… OCR technology can bring about severe cost reductions.
That was TESTAMENT in Jack’s experience. In a few months of running OCR, he noticed appreciable drops in operational costs.
Yes, investment paid off in the form of enhanced productivity, fewer mistakes, and a more streamlined workflow.
The future of OCR in construction
The future of OCR technology in the construction industry is promising.
As time progresses and technology advances, OCR itself will mature to provide further features and functionality. The other integration with digital tools and platforms eases workflows and increases efficiency. Construction companies that adopt OCR will now be well-placed in the future.
The capability to save time, cut costs, & enhance accuracy will, therefore, be very valuable in an industry where efficiency is paramount.
Conclusion
OCR technology holds immense potential for construction companies… looking to save time & improve efficiency.
In digitally converting paper documents, OCR automates the process and solves the timeless problem of paperwork management!!!
Stories like Jack’s demonstrate the real-life benefits of adopting OCR… from document management streamlining to improved accuracy, better collaboration, and enhanced productivity.
Join the move today and see how OCR can revolutionize your construction business.
