Page 17 - The Bulletin #135 Summer 2021

CIVIL CONSTRUCTION ONLINE:
KEY BENEFITS TO
‘AGOING DIGITAL’
s we progress into 2021, it is relatively Facing the global pandemic, business n Increased productivity and innovation easy to recognise and reflect on the owners, managers and employees in within businesses;
changes in the in the way we do practically all sectors have adapted to n Facilitated interaction with and reporting
business. The global outbreak of Coronavirus and subsequent impact on workplaces and economies across the world has changed the international business landscape forever.
Looking forward, two things are certain; the world will never be the same, and many, if not most businesses will never return to their previous ways of working.
Over the past decade the Australian Civil Construction Industry has seen the rise and development of new technological innovations, designed to improve and enhance the way we work. Technological solutions, such as Drone Technologies, remotely operated (unmanned) heavy plant/machinery and laser technology for excavator grade control, have set a new bar in operational initiatives.
These have certainly impacted the way many construction businesses operate, but nothing could have prepared the industry for the unexpected and sudden impact
of Coronavirus, and the almost desperate rush to rapidly bring everyday business practices online.
the new way of living and working. And despite the negative impact of COVID-19 felt across the world, if there ever was a silver lining in such circumstances, it would be the expediated evolvement of human beings further using digital technologies to their benefit.
Examples of practical benefits
offered by the implementation of digital technologies:
n ‘Going digital’ can save businesses time,
allowing people to spend more time on
the business or with family;
n Provides businesses with the flexibility
and mobility to work ‘anywhere,
anytime’;
n Digital tools allow remote teams to
collaborate effectively;
n Improved relationships with customers; n Offers opportunities to work smarter
and more efficiently, increasing cash flow and decreasing time required for administrative tasks;
n Enhanced management and performance of businesses;
to government at the Commonwealth,
State and local levels;
n Potential increase in business’ revenue
by reaching new customers and markets, including the ability to trade internationally;
n Using non-digital methods or even excel spreadsheets to do accounts, invoicing, payroll and other operating processes
is simply slower and less accurate than using integrated digital tools;
n Businesses need to go where their customers and suppliers are - that is increasingly ‘online and on a mobile’. Customers expect to be able to find, interact and transact with businesses online;
n Being online also opens up opportunities to access a wider pool of talent, find different forms of finance and connect with a wider range of supply chains;
n Operating online potentially increases the flexibility to quickly scale up or scale down on resources, depending on circumstances.
THE BULLETIN – Civil Contractors Federation VIC
SUMMER 2020 17
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