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The Role of Software Technology in Transforming Global Construction

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Global Trade Daily, Software, Technology

The Role of Software Technology in Transforming Global Construction

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Software technology has dramatically changed the workplace experience. Here’s how it impacts productivity, safety, training, and labor shortages. 

Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, an unsteady economy, and ongoing disruptions to the supply chain market, the global construction market saw substantial growth between 2022 to 2023. In fact, the market grew from $14503.87 billion in 2022 to $15461.84 billion in 2023 – a significant uptick from the years before, with no signs of slowing down. 

Thanks to the implementation of new technology and tools, the global construction market has been able to mitigate challenges while improving workplace productivity. This technology has been a driving force for innovation and has opened doors to new opportunities for on and off-site construction industry employees. 

Since introducing Computer-Aided Design Software in the late 1960s, the industry has seen a steady flow of new technology. This software is invaluable to construction sites and must be taken advantage of to stay ahead of the trends and streamline workplace success.

Let’s talk about the role of software technology in the global construction market.

What is Construction Technology?

Construction technology refers to various automation tools, software, processes, and techniques used on and off-site in the construction industry. These tools help with different aspects of projects and have been the driving force for helping construction companies build bigger and better buildings over the years. 

With the adoption of construction technology, site managers can monitor their sites with construction drones, engineers can visualize data with 3D modeling, and on-site employees can get the help they need with mundane, everyday tasks. 

Whether it’s basic on-site tech or advanced computer software, this technology is a must-have in this digital age and is changing how we work and think about the construction industry. 

To truly understand the role of software technology and how it has impacted the construction industry, there are two tools we need to consider:

Computer-Aided Design Software

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Software helps develop digital models and designs. This helps individuals create 2D and 3D designs with precise detail and accuracy. These models help engineers visualize projects from multiple angles, providing a new perspective on the design components of a project. 

Since the late 1960s, this CAD technology has completely changed construction. It was a stepping stone for the tools to follow and has revolutionized the design process to allow engineers to tap into their creative side and visualize their progress in real-time. 

Building Information Modeling Software

Building Information Modeling (BIM) software is similar to CAD software. In 1982, ArchiCAD was developed and became the first BIM. By the mid-1980s, this technology was starting to be widely used in the construction industry.

This AI-based software tool helps architects and engineers envision and understand every structural component of a building or structure. This includes materials and performance characteristics. These digital models can then be analyzed, modified, and utilized throughout the entire building process. BIM also helps contractors manage information about a project in real-time and stay ahead of construction maintenance and operational components. 

Other Types of Construction Technology 

Many other 21st-century construction technology tools have also impacted the construction industry. Tools like 3D printing, robotic arm extruders, and drones have changed the workplace dynamic and have helped construction sites keep up with demand, lower costs, and improve building quality.

Major Areas Where Technology Is Impacting and Improving the Construction Industry

As construction technology becomes more accessible, it will dramatically transform the construction market. Since the late 1960s, we’ve seen a significant shift in productivity. However, studies suggest that over 78% of contractors still use a mix of software automation and spreadsheets, while 13% still rely solely on spreadsheets. 

Introducing new technology into the workplace is a daunting task. But it’s sure to change the workplace dynamic for the better. Instead of ignoring technology, it’s best to find a way to use this technology as an advantage and to allow your business to grow with the transformations. 

Here are the core areas in that construction technology is changing:

Keep up with the Demand

The construction industry needs to build roughly 13,000 buildings every day to keep up with the global population of 7 billion expected by 2050. With the labor shortages and supply chain disruptions: This doesn’t seem feasible. However, with the help of technology, construction companies can build lean, hard-working teams and automate the mundane tasks of the workweek. This will improve workplace efficiency and help enhance the production process. 

Improved Project Management 

BIM software is an Ai-based software tool that can help team members plan projects and better utilize resources. With BIM, engineers can visualize every aspect of a product, allowing them to create detailed plans, combat challenges, and make data-driven decisions. 

Improve the Safety and Training Process 

Technology can also help identify safety hazards and minimize the risk of workplace accidents. With the addition of sensors and other monitoring technologies, contractors and other on-site employees can reduce the risk of accidents and fatalities, saving sites time and money.

Labor Shortages

It is estimated that the construction industry will need to attract roughly 546,000 additional workers on top of the average hiring process to keep up with the current demand. This ongoing labor shortage can be one of the biggest hurdles for the industry. However, with construction technology, sites can complete more work with fewer workers and improve their training processes. This can help the global construction market attract top talent and build a workplace built on efficiency and productivity.

While construction technology can’t replace your team, it can improve productivity, increase efficiency, and encourage workplace collaboration. These tools keep your team on task during the workweek and can help your business reduce overhead costs and produce better results.

If your construction site isn’t utilizing technology – you risk falling behind. New technology and revelations are paving the way toward a technology-centric workplace. With the growing popularity of artificial intelligence and advanced software, there is no telling where the global construction market will be by 2050.

 

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Global Trade Daily, Technology

Small Businesses – Here’s How You Can Improve your Digital Marketing in the Blink of an AI

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Technology is advancing at an extremely fast pace – just look at how quickly ChatGPT has become a household name. It has dominated news cycles and in only 4-5 months, it’s also heightened our awareness and understanding of where, and how, artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting our lives. From digital assistants like Siri, to predicting customer behavior and preferences, AI is everywhere now.

Whether you know it or not, AI has also been a core technology in marketing for years. Most product recommendation engines run on some form of AI, and we have used AI for years at Constant Contact to power things like subject line recommendations in our email marketing platform. The difference between where AI has been used in the past and its applications today is that it is much more capable – particularly when it comes to creating content.

AI is sophisticated enough now, and has a big enough dataset, that it can decipher text, react to engagement patterns, anticipate responses and recognize images. As you can imagine, this lends itself perfectly to digital marketing, where the objective is to deliver the perfect marketing message to every customer every time. 

With such an in-depth understanding of how a consumer behaves, AI can help businesses make purchase recommendations, analyze product fit, and create better content with more precise targeting. If you’re a small business marketer, there’s no reason to not use this technology to your advantage. 

Here are some easy ways small businesses can start using AI in their marketing strategy.

Personalize messages and offers for your customers

Leverage AI’s deep learning capabilities to amp up the experience your customers have when they interact with your business. One of the best ways to do that is by tailoring your marketing to share content that meets their needs. 

AI can recognize if a person abandoned their online cart, and what types of products they have purchased in the past. It can also determine whether they prefer to be texted, or if email is their go-to channel for reading messages from their favorite brands. That type of analysis is invaluable as a marketer because instead of guessing what your customers will engage with, you can make decisions based on real-world data. Leverage that information to send more applicable messages and deals to your customers, and in doing so, they will be more likely to convert to a sale. 

Banish writer’s block once and for all

Writing is difficult, and as a small business marketer, it can feel daunting to think about having to sit down and write an entire email or text campaign to your customers. And, it has to be good! Luckily, AI is here to help.

Instead of spending hours fighting writer’s block for your next campaign, let AI do the heavy lifting for you. There are several AI-powered writing tools available that can help businesses get a jump start on content creation and save valuable time in the process. Our AI Content Generator at Constant Contact is purpose-built for small businesses. It allows our customers to automate the writing process for their marketing campaigns, which saves time and resources while still creating high-quality content.

Write social media posts

Sometimes, you just don’t have the energy to create an engaging and informative social media post – let alone multiple posts for all the different platforms you are managing. That’s ok, you’re human! So, why not ask AI to do it for you?

Using AI to write social media posts can help small businesses maintain a consistent presence on social media, engage with their audience and even attract new followers. The best AI content generators will even give you multiple options to choose from. However, it’s still important to ensure the content feels authentic to your voice and doesn’t sound like it was written by a chatbot. Double-check before posting, and then move on to other areas of running your business.

One last note on AI content generation

AI-generated content can be informational, informative, and even fun. However, it’s important to note that AI is often just a baseline to get you started. The real value still comes from sharing your story and connecting with your audience.

It’s up to you to ensure that any content you generate using artificial intelligence is not only original and helpful, but that it’s also accurate, honest, and aligns with your brand values. Most importantly, you want to make sure that the content sounds like you and speaks to your customers in a way that makes them feel valued.

Dave Charest is the Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact which delivers everything small businesses and nonprofits need to build, grow, and succeed.