The main problem with relying on email? It doesn’t provide a central location for information gathering or dispersal. Emails can be sent out to multiple people, but the resulting chain of communication is confusing at best, if not downright unusable. McKinsey & Company hypothesizes that the average worker spends 28% of their workweek managing email, and almost 20% searching for internal information (or other workers who can supply them with that information). Using cloud-based software for communication streamlines this process by keeping all information and history on a project in one location that can be accessed by everyone. It reduces the time employees spend searching for information by 35%, minimizes confusion, and ultimately saves both time and money.


​Email also struggles to consolidate information that might be necessary to reference a specific issue. For example, an RFI or punchlist item may need to link to a document, sketch, markup, or photo. Emailing these things out at different times and to different people can lead to information being lost, resulting in disjointed communications. Thankfully, with cloud-based construction software, all reference materials can be tied to a specific RFI or issue number so nothing gets left behind or lost in the mix.
 
The ideal software program would also provide space for team members to communicate directly via the RFI or issue in a more efficient and reliable way. Instead of an easily misplaced email in an already cluttered inbox, comments and project history would be attached to the issue number — so that the entire team has access. A program with these types of features — as well as the ability to set due dates — enables accountability, transparency, and ultimately a more time and cost-effective project.
 
For many industries, email is a wonderfully efficient communication tool, but when working on construction projects, it’s often the cause of more heartache than success. Do you use email for work? How do you communicate with your project team?

Like most things in life, not all apps are created equal, and a construction app that doesn’t include cloud–based project management capabilities might be bottlenecking your team’s efficiency. So, if it’s on your mobile device, it’s automatically part of the cloud, right? Not always. It’s easy to be deceived; both cloud computing and mobile computing involve initially accessing the Internet with a device and using wireless systems to get to your files and data. While a construction app or software might look like it has all the bells and whistles with a sleek interface, without being powered with cloud computing, it’s a lot like using a pen without the ink. If you want to work and collaborate remotely, visit a jobsite and have the details you need or even communicate with your team while you’re at a conference or on vacation, you’ll need both a mobile device and a cloud–based construction management platform to get the job done. 

So, how many construction companies are benefiting from end to end use of cloud computing on their projects? According to a recent study from Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), 85% of construction contractors use or plan to use cloud-based solutions. While this statistic is promising, looking at the extent of cloud usage paints another picture. In fact, the survey cites that only 10% of contractors say they use software apps that are fully cloud-based ​Whether your company is fully immersed in cloud–based construction management software or just starting to dip your feet, a thorough understanding of how the cloud enhances your project is critical to staying ahead in the future of the construction industry. In our post, we’ll help you understand the difference between a pure mobile app and cloud–based software. We’ll also explain the specific benefits of the cloud for the construction industry and your projects.  

Mobile vs. Cloud Computing in Construction: How to Determine the Difference 

Although there is overlap, plain mobile apps vs cloud–based project management apps are distinctly different and construction professionals today are finding unique jobsite benefits that only the cloud can offer. However, while they are two different types of technology, when they are used together, they allow you to access the data you need from anywhere.  

The easiest way to tell the two apart is by the role they play in communication: 

• Mobile computing includes the devices you use to access the internet. This could be a phone, tablet, or laptop. 
• Cloud computing is the virtual storage space that holds your applications, files, and data and allows you to securely access it when needed.

When choosing a construction app for your cloud projects, it’s not about choosing mobile over the cloud or vice versa. The sweet spot involves the combination of these two technologies: mobile cloud computing (MCC). But before we get into the benefits of combining mobile and cloud computing technologies, let’s take a closer look at their differences.  

Importance of Building Construction Apps
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• The mobile app for construction business reduces the dependency on manual processes and paper forms.
• The unnecessary expenses like paper usage can be reduced with construction mobile app development.
• Growing demand for the construction mobile app development, Android, and iOS app development companies are engaged in developing apps.
• Construction mobile apps are grasping higher attention of the construction firms, as the numerous benefits, they are providing to construction firms.

Here is the list of benefits of developing mobile construction apps benefits of Mobile App in the construction business.
Depending on the type of task required to be accomplished, mobile apps need to be developed in a customized way. Have a look at the following benefits of mobile applications in the constriction business.

• Construction delays reduction: Delays and rework in construction projects can cost millions of dollars, thus lost revenue, which eventually affects the construction company’s reputation. Moreover, the construction manager has to track lots of thing like projects, equipment, working hours of the team, and many more. Traditionally, construction companies maintain everything in paper to handle the information. It was proven that manual systems could quickly get errors, and the mistakes can be too expensive. Using the construction management app development, the users can enter, update, access, and approve information in real-time. So that it can reduce the chances of errors and data can be saved in a centralized network.
• Increase Collaboration: Previously, the paper works such as timesheets, projects, and other documents used to be completed in the office that creates misalignment and inefficiencies between project. Maintaining cloud-based construction management software development apps streamlines the information between teams both in office and on the job site, which reduces the problem of inefficiency. Using mobile app development for construction business provide you the real-time management and give users comprehensive visibility into the project.
• Improves the communication between the teams: Completing the daily reports at the job site on construction mobile app design and sending the automated emails can tighten the communication loop with the project stakeholders. There will be a reduction of errors when all the parties involved in the project can get the same data at the same time, and also the issues that require the attention can be addressed faster.
• Improves back-office efficiency: The mobile construction app is capable of reducing the hours that the team employ in data entry and also provide insights into the currently running projects. For instance, while reviewing your project management system, you realize that the number of projects is operating behind. By understanding the insights of the projects, you can directly allow other contractors to work on the new project and keep an eye of their progress.
• Smart invoices and smooth payments: By maintaining construction app development, you can quickly generate invoices in real time. By using cloud-based construction, mobile app invoices can be sent immediately from the mobile device of the field workers to the billing system. Even the construction mobile app enables you to capture a signature for some of the payments to be sent back to the office.
• Enhance tracking and allocation of resources: Construction business can handle multiple projects at the same time as the work involved a lot of materials, supplies, equipment, and employees. With the construction app design, you can observe the resources and find out how much support is being utilized at a particular point in time. You can keep track everything in real time with the help of the construction management app development.
• Work from anywhere: With construction mobile app design and development for the construction industry, it never matters where you are. You can work from anywhere and also work while moving. You can easily access the required data of the project from anywhere all across the globe. You can connect to the work field and office in real-time.

Summary 

Indeed, construction mobile app designs are more powerful and easy to use. You can increase the productivity of the construction industry by developing mobile apps. The construction mobile app development has supported the construction business in several tasks, including project management, safety inspection, time tracking, scheduling, and many more. Now iOS and Android app developers are using emerging technologies like react native, blockchain, and IOT to make these apps robust and efficient. The construction firm has started to adopt digital tools, and construction mobile app design and development can assist as the backbone for huge growth and productivity.
If you are employed in the construction business, a mobile app can ease out various tasks. With the mobile app, you can handle many projects concurrently and growth.