In the rush and pressure of project delivery, it’s easy to see software as an overhead cost. But building smarter, more connected teams drives better business outcomes.
With the widespread adoption of digital tools, a broad range of user types has developed. Those users vary from individuals who adopt the software for a simple, single use, to teams that have a powerful, shared strategic purpose behind their choice of technology.
It’s the latter group that is discovering new levels of competitive advantage, says Shanoc Halliday, Senior Customer Success Manager at Bluebeam. With a background in engineering project delivery, Halliday knows how critical drawings, and the clear communication of changes, are to project delivery success.
It’s those using software to re-frame the way they think about the data held within drawings who are reaping the real benefits.
“A misconception is that when I’m doing a markup, it’s just a markup on a page,” Halliday says. “But the reality is that a markup is data entered by highly skilled staff with project-specific knowledge that they need to communicate.”
“That data has particular attributes, including who made it, when they made it, who it’s assigned to, when it’s to be completed, how it affects other parts of the project, and more. All of a sudden, when clients invest in using Bluebeam to collate, review and extract data, they can achieve significant project and productivity improvements. ”
Software: More than the sum of its parts
Imagine an engineering or construction firm has a strategic goal of reducing rework by 15 per cent over the next 12 months. Rework is a major contributor to cost and time blowouts on projects, meaning such a reduction would have a measurable positive effect on bottom line, and on reputation.
When Bluebeam’s Customer Success team is brought in to conversations early in the piece, and when they’re provided with information around strategic goals, the software implementation, integration and training assists with strategic focus.
“If you just want to do markups on a PDF, you can get simple software and it’s a lot cheaper,” Halliday says. “But if you understand that a PDF is a vessel that can collect meaningful and powerful data from valuable contributors in collaboration, you can then think about how you can utilise that data.”
“You might use it visually, to build new models. You might use it from a search point of view, or for trackability, accountability, or reporting and closing out all comments and changes to ensure the project is delivered on time. Suddenly, the software becomes something that is of far greater value to the entire organisation.”
Bluebeam is not simply designed to be a paper replacement, he says. It improves levels of communication, enhances collaboration and reduces rework, and that’s just the
Success comes from a mindset shift
When engineers, construction professionals or project managers are willing to engage with the Bluebeam team to explore potential opportunities, the outcomes tend to be significant, says Bluebeam Global Account Manager Leander Starr.
“When the customer provides us with their desired outcomes, with their business goals and challenges, etc., we can help them,” Starr says. “They’re the ones that we often find are very, very successful with the tools.”
There are three pillars of strategic software success, he says.
“One is communication. Customers that are open and willing to communicate, who ask how can Bluebeam help them achieve their business goals – increasing revenue, winning new jobs, partnering with vendors, etc. – they’re the ones thriving in the market,” Starr says.
The second pillar is collaboration. “We’ve been doing some work with customers on building customer success plans, really working with them on a strategic level to identify what their goals are. With them, we can work out how they can get the best out of Bluebeam.”
The final pillar is feedback from the client to Bluebeam, because success is not all about one-way improvement.
“Collaboration is two-way,” Halliday says. “We improve when customers work with us. We value the collaboration just as much as they do. If a business wants to work with us, we focus heavily on them.”
Software is often upgraded, but for firms currently using Bluebeam only as a tactical, mark-up tool, that shift in mindset toward collaboration with Bluebeam could be the biggest upgrade of all.
“Clients are really beginning to understand the power of the data that can be held within a PDF,” Halliday says.
“Not only is Bluebeam incredibly easy to use, but its data can be reported upon, actioned and used to achieve a strategic goal. When teams combine Bluebeam’s various functions into processes and standardisation, it becomes a very powerful project delivery platform.”
Want to see how Bluebeam helps teams work smarter and achieve more? Click here to learn more.
