4 ways smartphones and tablets benefit contractors: Part 4

Everywhere we look tablets and smartphones are being touted as the next best “tool” in construction.  This comes as no surprise when study after study has shown that companies who take advantage of the technology smartphones and tablets provide are seeing higher profits and faster turnaround times on projects than companies who haven’t embraced the benefits of technology.  

What are the benefits that smartphones and tablets provide?

1.  Real-Time Information Transfer

2.  Reduce Paperwork

3.  Location Syncing

4.  Utilize the Camera

In an earlier blog, we talked about documentation and the important role it plays in mitigating risk.    A picture is worth a thousand words can be changed to a picture is worth thousands of dollars.  This is especially true when a picture resolves a situation that could have gone to litigation. 

AboutTime Technologies, a mobile resource management software company, had a client who recently shared an experience where using the picture feature on their app saved them thousands of dollars.

A roofing business had performed patchwork for a customer.  After the next rainstorm, the customer called the roofing contractor upset that their roof was still leaking and demanded that the contractor come back and re-patch the roof.   The contractor had taken pictures of the patch locations to make sure the work was done to the customers’ specifications.  When they looked  at the pictures, it was clear that the leak was in an entirely new location than the previous repairs.   Instead of putting out money for warranty work the roofing contractor received money for patching another hole. 

The best thing about using the camera feature on smartphones and tablets in conjunction with a mobile resource management software, like AboutTime, is the ability to attach the photos to customer accounts making them easily accessible when you need them.