There are many software companies adding the word “integrated” to their marketing campaigns lately, but there is an important distinction to be made between integrated construction software and construction software that integrates. These days, successful software companies should consider offering both options to their customers.
Use of a spectrum of standalone products is what our company has found to be contractors’ preferred direction through numerous customer focus groups and conversations over the years. Customers have made it clear that they want the freedom to search and choose the appropriate product for their business, and, of course, they want that product to work smoothly with their other systems through integration. Let’s take a look at the differences between each type of integration, and I’ll share why I think offering both types of integration is necessary for providing customers with choices.
Integrated Construction Software
The advantages of integrated construction software are probably obvious to most people in the construction industry, particularly IT managers and technology decision makers. Having software that is “fully integrated with Microsoft products and other business applications,” for instance, means that the data flows through all the linked modules or components without a hitch. The workflow is defined, and information is accessible across all departments. Accuracy is improved because data needs to be entered only once, and efficiencies are gained because there is one login.
Integrated construction software products are important for every mid- to large-sized customer, but the need for products that integrate with their current systems is growing. Construction businesses require more than accounting, operations and project management software to stay competitive, win bids and complete projects on time. Leading contractors are looking for solutions to complex issues on the jobsite and ways to collaborate with stakeholders, so the products that help accomplish these goals have to integrate with their software. Not all customers are ready to change their core software platforms, but many are looking to add capabilities that integrate with their systems even if they’re made by a different company.
Construction Software that Integrates
The best construction software products that integrate offer innovative solutions for solving specific problems. To benefit the customer, the software needs to work well with other systems and have little or no overlap in functionality. Customers are looking for flexibility in how they design their technology platforms.
We’ve learned that many customers want software that provides the benefits of integration but enables “bite-size usage.” In other words, they want software that integrates, rather than just integrated software. Customers are rightfully demanding integration across all their technology platforms and are not interested in the frustrations of traditional “bolt-on” software solutions that don’t share data with their other software investments. Software companies need to provide the kind of flexibility customers are asking for by offering software products that integrate along with their integrated software products. It’s an important distinction that addresses the complex issues of today’s contractors.
