How to select
the right technology
when starting
a small construction
business

Whether learning how to start a small construction business or expanding your company, choosing the right technology and networking infrastructure can make all the difference.  In today's digital-first world where reliable communication and connectivity are indispensable, selecting the right technology is paramount to help create a foundation for success.

And as new digital technology adoption becomes more mainstream in the construction sector, your company's technology choices are not only important for day-to-day operations but also for ensuring seamless construction communication and for enabling innovation which can fuel the growth within your small construction business. 

It's essential to consider your communication technology business needs to be successful. When starting a small construction business, consider the following:

• Fast internet access: This will help keep many parts of the business running smoothly, from the construction office to the field.  Access to high-speed internet can be the difference between superior and poor customer service, and between high or low staff productivity. It’s especially important to consider your download speeds as your business grows and you add more devices which can take up more bandwidth.
• Reliable onsite internet: In order to help build a reliable reputation, you need reliable, stable connectivity. This helps ensure the onsite team can communicate with the office quickly and efficiently for information and data exchanges, while using handheld devices and more.
• Communication and collaboration tools: Communication is the foundation of getting project specifications right the first time, and it's key for not missing out on new business opportunities. A professional construction communication solution typically includes cloud phone solutions like One Talk or RingCentral with Verizon, which both work over a secure cloud connection and make it easier to manage calls on desk phones or through a mobile app. Allowing employees to use their preferred devices (even their personal phones) to work productively from any location is also important.
• Video meeting capabilities: With in-person meetings a rarity these days, having a secure and reliable video calling system that allows employees to connect with collaborators within and outside the organization is critical.
• Security: The construction industry is vital to economic growth and sustaining the nation's infrastructure. Particularly today with so many vectors of risk and bad actors looking for easy access to vulnerable data, helping to keep your supply chain and customer information safe.

It's essential to develop a plan and prioritize your networking and technology needs prior to purchasing a construction communication solution. Enlisting the help of experts can help save time and money, especially as selecting the right technology can take time. The right technology partner can help answer your questions like the following and support your business in achieving your technology goals.

Unified communications solutions provide the value of remote collaboration leading to better teamwork and business outcomes. These cloud-based solutions include voice and video calling, instant or text (SMS) messaging, speech recognition, and audio, web and videoconferencing. Seamless and reliable networking and communication can help your business be more efficient while improving productivity and enabling a better customer experience.

Employee productivity can be further boosted by integrating remote collaboration tools with popular business applications, such as productivity suites and customer relationship management software. Harnessing the power of unified communications can provide similar options to connect, as employees can easily turn to coworkers that are far away and not physically in the same location as them.

From internet of Things (IoT) sensors at construction sites for security and condition monitoring to virtual and augmented reality for construction project visualization, many innovative and emerging technologies can help construction companies compete more effectively. Realizing the potential of these technologies starts with network design strategy first. Network as a Service (NaaS) can help construction companies better scale and manage their connectivity requirements as their needs evolve.

Technologies such as wireless business internet and mobile business communications are ideal. They can help your employees be as effective and efficient at remote sites as they would be in the main office and they can be quickly implemented nationwide for cost-effective scalability. 

Obtaining wired connectivity at temporary work sites like construction site trailers can be challenging. Long installation wait times, limited provider options, and inconsistent service quality can impede progress on setting up a new site. That could result in new, time-sensitive business opportunities being missed. A reliable, business-grade wireless internet connection can help you reimagine how and where your company can operate.

Faster internet speeds can help you scale as your business grows. Verizon's Fios Gigabit Connection provides speeds up to 940/880 Mbps and can handle up to 100 devices at once. Staying connected with clients is paramount and that means evaluating your business’ internet speed, reliability and consistency. Wireless business internet from Verizon is also a good option as it is available nationwide on LTE Business Internet and on 5G Business Internet in select areas, so all your sites can stay connected using one vendor. Plans have no long-term service contracts and are billed month-to-month, so you can scale your business easily.

Wireless routers and networks need to be able to share data securely across job sites and with the head office. Key capabilities that should be included with wireless internet include:

• Data encryption to help protect sensitive company and client information.
• Malware protection to help keep viruses and other malicious software out of company systems.
• Denial of service attack protection to help protect against an attack which could knock a company offline.

Team members with access to reliable voice and collaboration capabilities, whether they work onsite, at the office or on the road, are more able to effectively collaborate internally with coworkers and externally with partners, suppliers, customers and others. Look for solutions that already combine conferencing, calling and collaboration capabilities like document sharing into a single, unified application.