Businesses are beginning to understand the importance of technology in their day to day operations. From the cost and time management to efficiency, accuracy of data, and better customer experience, there are so many benefits that come with using mobile forms instead of paper transactions.
Accessibility
One of the best things about going mobile is the ability to access data real-time, anywhere you are. Whether you’re in the office working on the details of a new project or on site to check on your crew, you can always pull up data anytime you need. If you meet a potential client during a trip and he wants to get a quote instantly, with a mobile form it’s easy to deliver an accurate estimate for the project. Also, if you have employees working from different locations, it’s easy to organize and pull up data from a cloud-based system, than if you are relying on paper.
Accuracy of Data
Paper forms filled by hand can lead to human error. Paper forms are not only less convenient, they also often lead to accuracy issues especially during site inspections. One problem with using paper forms is that workers might report inspecting a site they never visited. Mobile inspection apps, for example, allow you to build in time and date stamps and even track GPS location to ensure that the inspection is done correctly. With paper forms, there’s also a big chance of there’s a tendency to write the same information repeatedly. Hard copies (including carbon copies) are also at risk of being lost or misplaced, and the texts are hard to read.
Efficiency
Using mobile forms also make the estimating process more accurate most especially for new contractors. If you struggle with calculating the cost estimate of a project or if it takes you generally a few days before you could return to the customer for the estimate, a mobile form saves you time and effort while ensuring accuracy. Mobile apps create a standardized process of collecting data so you don’t miss a thing, from customer information to project request details, location, estimated timeframe for the project, and so on. Thanks to the technology advancements consider automating your business processes, which can boost your business performance.
Cost
How much is the cost of paper hurting your business? Think about the cost of paper, printer, ink, and all other supplies you need to complete and store forms. Plus, did you know it takes an average of 18 minutes to find a paper document? Switching from paper to mobile forms can be daunting, but the material, storage, and time cost of paper is a great reason to switch to mobile forms. Instead of purchasing these items, you can use your cash or personal loan to finance more important tools, such as construction equipment.
Customer Invoicing
By going paperless, you can easily bill your clients from your mobile phone. This is not only beneficial for you but also for your customers as they can pay conveniently and securely. Every contractor will agree – invoicing is a time-consuming process. You need not work overtime during the weekend just to catch up on this task. What’s more, you can easily track which invoices are outstanding and which have been paid. You can even send reminders to your clients to gently nudge them to settle their bills.
Security of Data & Information
There’s no denying that paper forms are vulnerable to being lost. In one snap, these documents can get damaged over time, burned, or washed away by water. Having a cloud-based app allows you to securely store forms and data without worrying that it will be lost after sometime. By using a mobile form app, you can also limit people’s access to confidential information.
Fast Professional Reporting
There’s more to going mobile than streamlining processes. Because mobile apps have various capabilities now (more than collecting and storing data), such as analyzing trends and creating reports. This report generation feature, which you can’t get from paper forms, is greatly helpful in providing speedy professional reporting.
Conclusion
As you can see, mobile forms have many advantages over paper forms. They make every contractor’s life easier by improving efficiency and accessibility, lowering the cost of collecting information, streamlining processes (including invoicing), ensuring the data and information are secure, and so on. What’s more, cloud-based business app solutions are more powerful than ever. Using these apps boost your productivity, give you convenience, and make a great tool that will lead your construction business to growth.
