A working day at a connected construction company
What does a work day of a connected site manager, business manager and technician look like? Discover here which technologies and Orange solutions they use.
The company
This contractor firm installs central heating, plumbing, solar panels, ventilation, air conditioning and the associated home automation. The company often works for private individuals but is also active on large sites as a subcontractor.
The company has 15 employees: 11 engineers, two site managers, a business manager and one assistant. They follow the digital evolution in construction. One example is its use of Building Information Modelling (BIM). BIM promotes cooperation between the various construction partners because a project is first digitally designed and shared among the various parties involved. In this way possible construction errors can be identified and corrected in time.
The business manager chose a Shape & Fix subscription for the company. He and his employees thus benefit from an all-in telecom solution with fixed and mobile telephony and a powerful broadband Internet connection. In addition, they also enjoy Data Bonus, which gives them twice as much data, without additional costs. And finally he chose the Business Insurance option for the “fleet” of three mobile phones because an accident on site with a mobile phone can happen quickly.
There are also SIM cards in their most valuable work material and vans, so they can track them at any time, just as in the three tablets used by the engineers on the construction site, for example to download a manual for a technical product, etc.
The company has 15 employees: 11 engineers, two site managers, a business manager and one assistant. They follow the digital evolution in construction. One example is its use of Building Information Modelling (BIM). BIM promotes cooperation between the various construction partners because a project is first digitally designed and shared among the various parties involved. In this way possible construction errors can be identified and corrected in time.
The business manager chose a Shape & Fix subscription for the company. He and his employees thus benefit from an all-in telecom solution with fixed and mobile telephony and a powerful broadband Internet connection. In addition, they also enjoy Data Bonus, which gives them twice as much data, without additional costs. And finally he chose the Business Insurance option for the “fleet” of three mobile phones because an accident on site with a mobile phone can happen quickly.
There are also SIM cards in their most valuable work material and vans, so they can track them at any time, just as in the three tablets used by the engineers on the construction site, for example to download a manual for a technical product, etc.
Bart, the site manager
Bart, 42, also has a company smartphone. It is a ruggedized device for use at a construction site. Bart often uses his smartphone for private purposes as well, which is why, with Invoice Split, his Shape Intense subscription charges are divided between his personal calls and those made for the company.
Jan, the business manager
Jan, 52, has a smartphone with specialised apps that make his work on the go much easier (at construction sites, in the car). He also uses tools and apps on a tablet with a SIM card and mobile data. At the office, he has a desktop computer with the necessary specialised software and an Orange Shape & Fix landline.
Jan is extremely familiar with the latest technological developments. He has a Shape Intense subscription with 10 GB of data and a 10 GB databonus and unlimited calls and texts in Belgium and Europe.
Jan is extremely familiar with the latest technological developments. He has a Shape Intense subscription with 10 GB of data and a 10 GB databonus and unlimited calls and texts in Belgium and Europe.
Peter, the engineer
Peter, 34, has his own personal smartphone, which he bought with a voucher he received from his employer. The Business Buyback Program offers a discount on the value of a previous device when it is traded in, so Peter did not have to pay much for his smartphone. He often receives last-minute information on the construction site, the works. The business manager and site manager want to be able to reach him at all times during the day. Therefore, his employer covers some of his Shape Ultimate subscription costs with Invoice Split.
Tuesday
7.25pm
Jan checks his emails at home
Jan quickly checks a supplier email on his tablet at home. The supplier says that he can only deliver in three days, rather than tomorrow as originally planned. This means some of Jan’s engineers can’t get started at construction site A tomorrow, and they will have to go to site B.
Tuesday
7.30pm
Jan updates the schedule
Jan updates the schedule online with cloud-based planning and communication platform BuildEye to inform the site manager Bart at site B that he will receive more manpower.
Tuesday
7.35pm
Bart receives the new schedule
Bart receives a BuildEye notification: his boss Jan has updated the schedule. Bart will receive some additional staff at his site tomorrow. That is good news: he can definitely use the extra manpower.
Peter receives the new schedule
Peter receives a message on his mobile from site manager Bart: there has been a change to the initial schedule and he needs to go to site B rather than site A.
Wednesday
6.30am
Bart sets off for the site
He uses the Coyote sat nav app on his smartphone. He has a Shape Intense subscription, so he never has to worry about his data usage, when he’s on the go. Thanks to Orange’s high-performance network, he can be reached anytime and anywhere.
Jan checks his emails at home
During breakfast at home, Jan quickly goes through his mailbox. He has received an updated version of a manual for a new heat pump model. He emails his assistant to have the manual entered in the Document Management System (DMS).
Wednesday
6.40am
Peter sets off for the site
He also uses the Coyote sat nav app on his smartphone.
Wednesday
7.45am
Jan checks the camera footage
At the office, Jan checks the camera footage of the sites on his PC. Two years ago, the company started installing cameras at all construction sites with equipment and goods worth more than 10,000 € to discourage theft. Fortunately, this has turned out to be an efficient measure. Last night’s footage looks fine.
Peter registers his entry
He does this by holding his smartphone near a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) reader.
Wednesday
7.50am
Bart checks in the technical staff
This is mandatory practice for social security reasons at certain sites. He uses his smartphone to go to the Checkinatwork website and submits the information regarding the on-site staff to the social security authorities.
Wednesday
8am
Bart calls his boss
The solar panels they need today should have arrived at the site, but he can’t find them. He is worried that they may have been stolen. Jan confirms that he did not see anything suspicious on last night’s security footage.
Jan completes a number of other tasks
At the office he completes a few administrative tasks and speaks to his staff on the phone.
Peter consults a manual via the tablet
Peter needs to install a new ventilation system model that he has never installed before. Fortunately, he can use one of the tablets to consult the manual in the DMS.
Wednesday
8.05am
Bart uses track-and-trace
Thanks to the RAM Mobile Data track-and-trace app, which uses IoT chips in work equipment, he finds the exact location of all the material. Fortunately, it is still in the van.
Wednesday
9.30am
Jan sets off for site B
There’s a site meeting with all contractors, the client and the architect.
Peter calls the manufacturer
When the ventilation system is started, an error code appears that is not featured in the manual. Peter calls the product manufacturer in the Netherlands.
Wednesday
9.40am
Jan calls his employees
There is a lot of noise at the construction site, but the Orange HD Voice system filters out any external noise. They can understand each other very well, considering the circumstances.
Wednesday
10am
Bart checks a few things
He checks the ventilation channels that were put in place at the site, and then sees Peter to ensure that the ventilation system is installed correctly.
Site visit
Site visit with the other contractors, the client and the architect. The main contractor offers on-site Wi-Fi. This allows everyone at the meeting to consult the building’s plans in BIM with their tablets via the Pocket Hotspot 4G/Airbox.
Wednesday
10.20am
Jan checks his emails at the construction site
There is some doubt about which product the client had chosen. Accordingly, Jan uses his smartphone to go through his emails and quickly finds the answer.
Wednesday
12.10pm
Bart’s smartphone has not been running as it should
He looks up the nearest Orange shop on his smartphone and uses the Coyote sat nav app to drive there.
Jan has a lunch meeting
Jan lunches with an important supplier. The Xpenditure app allows him to immediately scan and upload the restaurant bill. This means less subsequent administrative work for his assistant, so more time can be spent on other matters.
Peter checks his private calendar
During his lunch break, Peter takes a look at the shared Google calendar that was set up for the parents of the players in his son’s football team. He checks whether he has to drive the boys anywhere tonight.
Wednesday
12.30pm
His smartphone will be repaired
The Orange shop employee tells Bart his smartphone should be taken in for repair. The Business Insurance covers any damage up to 1,500 €. Bart receives a replacement device, so he will not be without a smartphone at any time.
Wednesday
1.45pm
Jan creates a price quote
The accounting system in the cloud ensures that the quote can be viewed anywhere.
Wednesday
3pm
Jan adjusts a rate plan
For several months now, one of the site managers has needed more data than allowed under his plan because he started using all the digital tools more often. Jan adjusts his Shape rate plan in the Customer Zone.
Wednesday
4pm
Salary calculations
It is the end of the month and the salaries need to be paid. Jan and his assistant double check the payroll calculations and travel expenses. The Aidoo Mobile app directly integrates the hours spent in the car and at construction sites in the system for the payroll. This saves Jan’s assistant a lot of work.
Wednesday
5.15pm
Jan has an appointment with customers
They are private individuals with a small construction site.
Wednesday
7pm
Jan sends the price quote
After his customer visit, he sends the customers a quote from home to confirm what they agreed verbally.