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Construction Cameras Help Contractors Differentiate Themselves and Give Owners Peace of Mind

The change in construction materials cost in 2009 has been significant, but the real bottom line change is resulting from increased competition between contractors. Our clients who are owners openly discuss the challenges they have related to the increasing complexity and competition during the bid process. A few years ago a K-12 school construction project had 3-5 bidders, today there are 30 firms competing for the same project. The challenge for owners is to determine which contractors are qualified. The ability for a contractor to demonstrate experience and performance from past projects is crucial to satisfying owners concerns and winning bids.

Perhaps one of the most compelling ways for a contractor to create peace of mind for the owner, and to differentiate themselves from the competition, is to offer them transparency and communication which is guaranteed to be timely, accurate and compelling. Contractors who offer construction camera systems are offering the owner additional service. By demonstrating this level of transparency, efficiency and accountability those contractors have one more way to connect with owners needs which helps to build relationships and win work.

The president of an Atlanta construction company, explains how construction cameras translate to real dollars for them: "Our firm has been using construction cameras to monitor progress on all of our jobsites. In order to keep everyone in the office up to date on each site, we setup monitors to display live images from each project. It's paid for itself several times over", says Atlanta construction company president. "A new client who was expanding operations in the southeast interviewed us as part of the bid process. When they awarded us the contract they explained that it was the demonstration of proactive management through the use of live images which was key in their decision."

Why Implement a Construction Camera:
The old adage that everyone expects more for less rings loud in today's construction marketplace. Owners who put their projects out to bid are expecting lower prices, higher quality and better service from the contractors that try to compete for their business. One more way to separate yourself from the pack is to proactively include a construction camera service in your bid in order to:
- Keep all team-members up to date on project progress
- Confirm jobsite activities against other reporting methods
- Review daily progress against schedules
- Monitor jobsite weather conditions
- Document as-built conditions

Need for Reliability:
Any system is only as good as the weakest link. For too many corporate purchases, the weakest link can be the initial implementation, or lack thereof. By selecting an easy turnkey solution, you will have a hassle free implementation and carefree maintenance experience.

There are four key parts to a full construction camera system. The camera hardware at the jobsite, the internet connection, the servers where the images are stored and the software. A failure with anyone of these parts creates a failure of the entire system and construction sites are not the friendliest places for electronics. By using a full service construction camera provider you maximize the client's experience and ensure success while avoiding the problems associated with running the system in house or using security equipment which only has an image quality adequate for a small area.

Once you've chosen a full service provider, power is another issue to consider when it comes to reliability. For camera locations without easy access to power, or in urban areas with utility coordination headaches, a well designed solar power stations can ensure reliability and ease of setup. Additionally, implementing solar construction cameras qualifies you for the 30% solar energy tax credits at the federal level as well as other state and local tax credits where available.

Summary:
As you work on your next bid, or break ground on your next project, consider offering the owner construction cameras as part of the package. It's an opportunity to gain additional efficiency and show everyone what goes into delivering the type of service and quality your firm offers. As a marketing tool it can be a great differentiator so do your research. Review examples of live construction cameras online. Find a reputable provider who offers a turnkey solution and guarantees their service. Then put the peace of mind that a good construction camera experience provides to work for you.

About the Author

Chandler McCormack is an expert in the construction camera industry. His company, OxBlue, is a leader in wireless construction camera and construction digital camera technologies.

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