About the author
Linda is a Content Writer at Fulcrum.
In its 2021 Global Construction Survey, global auditing firm KPMG reports that nearly 60% of construction and engineering companies interviewed agree that visibility into (and integration of) risks associated with enterprises, portfolios and projects is important for capital project success. Let’s unpack that.
Construction is a risky business, with worries including labor, materials, and the weather, not to mention the occasional pandemic, worker shortage, and supply chain crises thrown in just to keep things interesting. It’s hard enough to get the labor, materials, money, and enough hours in the day together to do work the first time. The thought of needing to scramble to pull resources together to rip up a project and start over is enough to make any PM – or CFO – wince. When margins are thin under the best of circumstances, it has never been more important to make sure you’re covering your bases wherever you can to reduce the risk of costly rework.
Obtaining visibility of construction quality across contractors and subs, through different projects and regions, are integral to reduce risk and costs associated with defective work. And while defective work can be discovered throughout construction, near the end of the project, or during the warranty period, finding out earlier is clearly better for your bottom line.
Quality inspections for the win
Digital quality inspections on construction projects provide comprehensive risk visibility. These inspections are conducted by everyone, from supervisors to field workers. Checklists ensure task completion without missing steps. They verify the correctness and quality of materials. Additionally, they confirm that finished work meets established standards. This approach quickly identifies mistakes or prevents them. Empowering all field personnel to assess work quality reduces future surprises.
Another benefit of digital inspections is streamlined data sharing. This ease further extends to supervisors, departments, clients, or external agencies. With a unified digital platform, inconsistencies across groups are eliminated. Different work groups no longer struggle to integrate varying forms and checklists.
The primary advantage of digital inspections is accessible, versatile information. Raw data is just the beginning, not the endpoint. A digital field inspection platform integrates data into various backend functions. These include business intelligence, invoicing, permitting, and compliance reporting. Thus, the data’s use extends beyond mere collection, offering complete operational visibility to all stakeholders.
Full-spectrum risk visibility
We get that making the move to digital might seem like a risk in itself. But in this time of so much unavoidable risk, digital quality inspections provide the insight and integration critical for the success of any construction project – or construction company.
In a world that’s as risky as perhaps it’s ever been, our aim is to provide the necessary insights for maintaining excellent project quality. We’re here to support your business through these challenging times. Fulcrum’s field inspection management system brings together consistent, automatically geotagged quality inspection data on a singular platform. This data can then seamlessly integrate with other enterprise systems or business intelligence tools. Such integration is key to driving quality programs, finding problems early, and reducing associated risks. And, maybe, let you sleep a little better at night.
Why wait?
Join the over 2,500 Fulcrum customers who have improved field inspection processes and streamlined reporting with real-time, scalable data sharing. Sign up for our free 30-day trial today!