A pioneering new initiative is helping architecture, engineering, and construction professionals get the very best value from their digital editing tools.
Cloud-based automation tools have become essential for architects, engineers and civil construction planners, but many firms aren’t utilising them to their full potential because their employees simply aren’t aware of all the features they offer.
The reduction in administration and enhanced data analytics made possible by minimising manual processes can transform operational efficiency, but often there’s even more functionality that could be unlocked.
Such missed opportunities can be costly, hindering growth, innovation and ultimately profit. But one company has found an ingenious way to address the issue through a strategy of ‘knowledge sharing.’
Construction software leader Bluebeam began the initiative two years ago and has seen spectacular results. It involves workflow-specific educational sessions that help teams gain even more value to drive better results.
Additional customer support
“They’ve been a great chance to showcase aspects of our digital editing tools and explain how they could do even more to help large-scale businesses,” said Shanoc Halliday, Bluebeam’s Enterprise Customer Success Manager.
“It’s not about giving them the hard sell as they already subscribe and receive free Bluebeam University training. It’s about additional support for those larger businesses with unique requirements to open their eyes to possibilities. After all, if you don’t know about something, you’re not even aware you’re missing out!”
Bluebeam has been at the forefront of the digitalisation of the construction sector for more than 20 years. It’s currently used by more than 2.5 million people in 160 countries.
Its collaborative end-to-end project solution platform Revu allows multiple stakeholders in different locations to simultaneously review and amend PDFs with searchable mark-ups through the whole process of design, build and handover. They could include anything from a builder’s site plan analysis or a library of concrete mixes to architectural diagrams of office furniture placement or drainage plans for a new highway.
The concept of knowledge sharing was born out of Bluebeam’s Australian operation when it discovered some industry-leading organisations weren’t utilising the software to its full potential.
“A common phrase we hear is ‘We’re only using 40 or 50 percent of the software’ so it’s wonderful for us to be able to walk them through functions that’ll make their jobs that much easier,” said Halliday.
The team set out to partner with customers to help them identify and address knowledge gaps with a customised educational program.
Improving customer experience
A series of 30-minute product awareness meetings on key topics were delivered, each carefully curated for different audiences. Each session typically attracts an average of 150 employees, with hundreds more viewing them afterwards. And demand is growing.
For Aurecon engineer Abdul Rehman Khan, the bite-sized knowledge shares helped improve the efficiency in his day-to-day work.
“The sessions ranged from intermediate to advanced levels, with very useful work hacks using Bluebeam tools that I wouldn’t have tried otherwise,” he said.
It’s a sentiment shared by Ryan Lenihan, Digital Delivery Technical Director at Jacobs.
“Bluebeam’s expertise, dedication, and enthusiasm were consistent throughout, and the knowledge shares have been invaluable for our teams.”
Some groups prefer highly-detailed technical information, while others look for more of an overview.
“They really want to get the most out of their technology investment to boost their competitive advantage,” Halliday said. “Knowledge sharing is all about improving their experiences, so we’re guided entirely by individual needs.”
Feedback is gathered so the content can be finessed to make it as useful as possible. The response has been so positive that Bluebeam is rolling out the scheme to applicable customers globally.
“There’s also scope for expanding it into in-person, upskilling workshops,” said Bluebeam Technical Sales Engineer Yashar Rahmati. “Sharing our passion for knowledge is something we really enjoy because we see every week what a difference it makes. I love it when I hear someone say ‘Wow, I never knew I could do that!’ It also helps us as we can only be successful if our clients are successful.”
