Assessing the Tech-readiness of Your Construction Business Is a Smart Move

Before moving forward with "smart" technology, assess what’s right for your business so you can make informed and intelligent choices.

Smart technology entered the lexicon of construction buzzwords some time ago. But it wasn’t until bauma 2016 in April that Doug Oberhelman, Caterpillar chairman and CEO, officially dubbed this the “Age of Smart Iron” in a presentation highlighting the company’s strategy to become the “industry leader in digital solutions for its customers”.

While Oberhelman singled out iron, he was really referring to the world of big data and how it relates to the machines. Telematics delivers reams of operating data, and equipment suppliers like Caterpillar are eager to step in to help customers decipher how to use it.

Komatsu America coined its own “smart” concept at its press event in May, where it outlined its “Smart Construction” initiative. Telematics is one component, but this multi-pronged platform will also serve as a foundation to deploy other technologies (aerial surveying with drones, 3D modeling, intelligent Machine Control, etc.) and support for North American customers.

With “smart” terminology being bandied about so much these days, it may be difficult to determine what it all means for your business in practical terms. Is it investing in iron equipped with all the latest bells and whistles (telematics, payload monitors, machine automation, etc.)? Is it utilizing augmented and/or virtual reality tools as a safety measure on your work sites? Is it incorporating simulators into your training programs to get operators up to speed before turning them loose in the field? Is it flying drones across your sites for surveying and inspection? Is it all, or none, of the above?

As numerous companies have learned the hard way, jumping on the technology bandwagon simply to be on the leading edge is not a guaranteed formula for success. Technology can provide a competitive advantage under the right circumstances, but it requires careful consideration to ensure the best fit for your operation.

Before making any major investment in smart iron, software or systems, it’s important to evaluate where your company stands currently on the technology front and how ready it may be to move forward. Look at the forms of technology already in place within your organization and the comfort level of your workforce in using them. Take time to assess whether they are ready to move on to the next step, or even further, or if additional time and training may be required.

As a starting point, Caterpillar developed a simple quiz that you can take to assess your company’s “technology acumen” and tech-readiness, at least from a telematics perspective. Even if the quiz isn’t appropriate to the technology you’re considering, it can get you thinking about the types of technology your workforce is already using both on the job and off that can serve as a building block for new equipment or systems in future.

Technology for technology’s sake is rarely a smart move for most businesses. But the “age of smart iron” and other “smart” tools is upon us. Before moving forward, assess what’s right for your business so you can make informed and intelligent choices about its implementation.

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