Three Questions Construction Companies & Design Firms Should Ask When Choosing A New Software Application
Before entering into a contract for services, your clients want to know what experience you bring, that you’ve earned the necessary certification and approvals from reputable organizations, and that your reputation is a reflection of excellence. In turn, you apply the same due diligence when determining which vendors and software providers you work with. After all, you are the company you keep! Fortunately, today’s robust network of highly-regarded online marketplace solutions makes it easier for users to find trustworthy technology. In fact, the Edelman Trust Barometer’s 2022 global report found that 74 percent of the global population say they trust the technology industry – up four percentage points from the year prior. Believe it or not, according to the same report, the technology industry is even more trusted than the education (69 percent) and healthcare (69 percent) industries.
Why People Trust Technology?
Software applications make our lives easier. From simple utilities downloaded on our smart phones to software designed to improve efficiency and productivity at work and at home, technology touches nearly all aspects of our lives. But, with so many choices, how can we know which apps can and should be trusted?
Online marketplaces have grown in popularity over the years and there continues to be a concerted effort to deploy practices that promote trust across the many solutions being offered. Highly reputable marketplaces like the Microsoft AppSource, Procore’s App Marketplace, and the Autodesk App Store are great places to find trustworthy tech solutions – particularly if you are looking for an application to address construction-specific needs. To be listed on many online marketplaces (including the examples above) tech companies must meet a series of strict requirements that are then reviewed and approved (or rejected) by the organizations in charge of marketplace management.
For example, according to TechTarget “[the] products and services sold through the Microsoft Azure Marketplace come from either Microsoft directly or its technology partners. Before they become available for purchase on the Marketplace, all services and products are certified through the Microsoft Azure Certified program.”
Additionally, people tend to trust the technology that’s listed on online marketplaces because of their willingness to promote a transparent buyer experience. In addition to the high-level oversight provided by managers of online marketplaces, users are encouraged to share their experiences, rate their purchases, and engage with the listing through a number of methods, including email and social sharing. It’s this culture of transparency that continues to promote trust in technology.
Why Businesses Need To Trust Their Tech
In the era of cybercrime and bad actors, there are countless reasons to be wary of new or previously unknown technological business solutions. Perhaps at the top of the list is, at scale, businesses simply have more at stake. Generally speaking, they are at a higher risk of being targeted by phishing scams and Ransomware attacks. And while the FBI reported a 300 percent increase in cybercrime since the COVID-19 pandemic began, among businesses, software applications actually pose a minimal threat. This is because most software solutions businesses use have been heavily vetted by other businesses (users) and regulatory authorities. In fact, 95 percent of all cybercrime and security breaches are actually the result of human error. Employees are at the top of the list when it comes risks related to a business’s data security.
Trust is a critical component of all relationships, including those between your company and your software providers. Furthermore, choosing the right software applications for your AECO organization is essential as your organization seeks to:
- Propel digital transformation forward.
- Do more with fewer people and at a lower cost.
- Promote improved communication and collaboration across internal and external project team members.
If you’re still wondering whether a particular application is trustworthy, factor the following three questions into your decision-making process.
1. Is the software application being recommended by a trusted partner or reputable business?
Business relationships are rooted in trust, particularly those operating within the AECO. Across a project’s lifecycle, there are numerous organizations in play to push the project over the finish line. If you trust another company or firm to align with them on a project, chances are good that you can trust their opinions on a number of other topics – including the validity and integrity of their recommendations and the software they choose to use to manage their own organization. This is not to say that you should blindly agree with their preferences. What works for them might not work for you. But perhaps their suggestions or requests could result in a deeper conversation that can provide you with more clarity into the integrity of their solution of choice.
2. Is the application being offered on one or more reputable business-minded or product-centric App Store?
As mentioned earlier, there are numerous app marketplaces available these days. Unfortunately, not all of them perform high levels of due diligence when determining which applications to offer on their websites. First, consider the reputation of the online marketplace on which a solution is being offered and how their offerings are governed. For example, Microsoft, which has built a strong relationship across the global business world, holds the apps it features on its AppSource to a higher standard so as not to diminish its own reputation. On the other hand, construction industry specific marketplaces like Procore or Autodesk, provide the necessary oversight to ensure transparent and honest listings that truly integrate into their platforms.
3. Does the solution you’re considering maintain a secure web presence independent of its App Store listing?
An app marketplace is a great way to see a full menu of solutions that are out there today, but it certainly shouldn’t be the only factor that weighs into your decision to download a solution for your own use or whether to allow a third-party to grant the application access to your organization’s existing solutions. Instead, research the validity of the developer organization independently of its presence on your chosen app marketplace. Moreover, when in doubt, contact the developer directly to learn more or even just to hear an actual person at the other end of the line.
Reputations Built On Trust
You owe it to your team, your clients, and your partners to develop relationships built on trust. The applications your organization uses, the people and companies you work with, and your ability to honor commitments weigh heavily into your reputation.
ProjectReady is working to provide the peace-of-mind that comes with users knowing that they are working with a trusted application. As a mainstay on Microsoft AppSource, a featured Autodesk Appstore solution, and Procore’s App Marketplace resource, designers, builders, and owners can learn more about the ProjectReady solution for collaborative project information management before reaching out directly to a team of friendly ProjectReady professionals to see how the application works.
If you would like to learn more about ProjectReady, please visit our Solutions page. To schedule your free, no obligation consultation, click here.