Adopting new technologies and leveraging them has recently become the norm for many service-based companies. This, however, still follows the traditional path for many MEP construction and design companies. And the problem doesn't stop there. The amount of patience customers need to have is frustrating for them. If you have been providing these services for a few years, you should have first-hand experience of the scenario.
MEP Design and the construction industry largely follow the same traditional approach as before. Customers still wait for their quotes (with lengthy proposals, a detailed and expensive solution and extended service delivery time) to arrive from companies. The process takes so long that it becomes tiring for customers.
People in the industry are addressing the same discussion we'll talk about in this article; On-demand engineering – could this be the future? Let's understand!
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Addressing the problem
The traditional method of offering engineering design services occurs step by step. It is extensive and time-consuming, and the next stage only begins after the previous one is completed.
It involves many resources (engineers) needed to ask questions, examine the project, prepare necessary proposals, and make changes to plans. The requirement for signed and sealed designs and (civil) engineering permits has also been increasing lately.
This all adds up to a prolonged procedure, which obviously requires considerable time, money and effort.
For some projects, customers require immediate assistance. Services for such projects should ideally be offered within 2 weeks (maximum), which again is a bit difficult due to offering services through traditional practices. The time spent on discussions is time-consuming. And, in case of changes, the estimated cost per hour of the project becomes very high.
Documents stored manually and in countless email chains pose a risk of miscommunication, which can create obstacles in offering proposals and services.
There has also been an increase in people's awareness about real estate, insurance and construction due to the increase in natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc. This puts additional pressure on authorities to follow the building code, which includes the need for sealed plans, proper site inspection and a thorough review of everything.
The reviewers authorized to verify the authenticity of the plan chose to inquire about the plans and projects by asking detailed questions to the authorities.
Added to this scrutiny, components such as roofs, decks, cladding, windows, solar panels, etc. are also subject to the requirement for a sealed engineering plan to obtain permit.
Furthermore, performing crucial tasks like correctly determining load calculations to avoid chances of short circuits, arc faults, etc., requires a technical resource to ensure accuracy and precision in the task.
Finding the solution
For engineers, technology has created an extraordinary prospect in the form of exceptional CRM frameworks to offer technological support to customers.
Just like e-commerce companies, pioneering MEP engineering design companies are offering a series of similar services for customers to choose from, purchase the services and get delivered easily.
Added to this advancement are several other project management and file sharing tools, such as Dropbox, that help companies keep track of project sharing. Sharing also becomes easier and therefore keeping an eye on every advancement that happens in the project seems easier. Sharing projects directly through the mail encourages paperless sharing, with as many resources employed in the project as with a single click.
This technology-backed support reduces the chances of miscommunication, inaccuracies and disorganized services. Furthermore, customers could get their cargo letters approved within a short span of 5 days with 100% accuracy.
While customers have the relief of submitting their plans to get expert reviews on them, what is an added benefit is paying only for what they need. Payment gateways are secure and offer the ease of payment from anywhere at any time. This reduces all the inconveniences associated with check payments.
Technology has also supported the digital transmission of plans and designs so that engineers can review them and reverse solutions easily. It enables a seamless connection between resources and customers to offer them an interactive experience through a series of solutions selected and designed to meet individual customer needs.
What helps these companies offer unbeatable services is their enormous years of experience combined with expertise in design solutions. The vast collection of calculations collected in similar projects helps in the development of secure interfaces for both the internal team and customers.
The developed utilities available in the form of tools and software are regularly updated to integrate the latest additions in compliance with region-specific building codes and are controlled and monitored by experts to meet industry standards.
It has certainly helped companies to offer technology-backed solutions to fulfill on-demand engineering requirements, even on complex projects, through one-on-one consultations.
