In the construction industry, clients need to feel confident that the companies they do business with are trustworthy and dependable. They want assurances that quotes are accurate and on point, and any issues that might arise will be communicated in a timely manner. Such qualities ensure a positive customer experience — and repeat business.

Flaky subcontractors, missed deadlines, scheduling mishaps, unexpected delays, poor document management and other challenges can lead to a poor customer experience and negative image for the industry as a whole. But modern-day mobile workforce management platforms can help construction companies to erase old stereotypes.

Here are three ways that leaders can modernize and boost customer experience with the help of a mobile workforce management platform.  

Improve accuracy of cost estimates. Inaccurate project estimations can have a detrimental impact on construction firms. Overestimates can drive clients away, while underestimates can drive businesses into bankruptcy. Every project encounters unforeseen costs, but accuracy can be improved. When professionals use reliable data and technology, such as a mobile workforce platform, cost estimates inch ever closer to precision.

Mobile workforce platforms store historical data on job codes, giving companies more predictable costs to work from when putting together new-project estimates. With accurate data that’s easily accessible from anywhere, project cost and timeline estimates become tighter and more reliable. The risk of both over- and underestimating job costs decreases greatly.

Gain transparency from start to finish. By getting estimates, timelines and communication wrong, companies undercut the customer experience and service reliability. By contrast, they can win more projects with honest estimates and realistic timelines. Mobile workforce management platforms can deliver the tools needed to ensure transparency throughout a project's lifecycle.

Such systems, when equipped with live field tracking that allows companies to capture accurate data and manage workforce labor from any device, anywhere and anytime, help firms become even more accountable to clients. Not only can cost estimations be more accurate, but labor adjustments can be made daily if a project is going over budget, or production is behind schedule when approaching a must-meet deadline.

Mobile workforce management platforms can help companies track and manage all assets, from employees to tools, materials and equipment. Companies gain greater control and avoid losses from poor estimates. The technology can also streamline, and even eliminate, processes that lead to heightened costs and project delays. Information and forms can be easily shared across departments, internally as well as externally.

Strengthen communication on progress and mistakes. In order to improve the customer experience, construction companies need to understand their clients’ needs. Being able to communicate on project goals, progress and even mishaps is a critical element to building trust and keeping everyone on the same page. Mobile workforce technology can help, by allowing for the customization of reports and quick sharing of vital information with clients. Reports on project progress, budgets and more can be easily accessed at any time, so that clients are kept in the loop on every aspect of the project, and contractors aren’t burdened with additional unnecessary steps to communicate vital information.

Time can be saved by all parties through the use of virtual site walkthroughs. They’re safer, and can be conducted more frequently and conveniently, than in-person project visits. In addition, users can store photos and videos that can be sent to clients, lenders and inspectors to keep them up to date on project progress. The process builds trust and eliminates doubt about how things are moving along onsite, while minimizing costly errors or oversights.

Teams can glean faster insight into potential productivity deterrents, such as equipment issues and shortages of labor or materials. The key is not to give clients the runaround when a mistake is made.

“We will admit the mistake right up front,” says Steve Little, president of KPost Roofing & Waterproofing, a Texas residential and commercial roofing company. “We will give [clients] a solution for it and then double down to execute on it…. We’ve had our mistakes, but we’ve also had a lot of big wins in fixing those mistakes.”

It’s important to remember that a good customer experience isn’t limited to delivering a positive experience. It also comes down to how the provider deals with the inevitable hiccups, and turns bad situations around.

The customer experience improves when clients are in the know at every stage of a project. From initial cost estimate to completion, how a customer feels about and remembers the experience can make or break the relationship. With that in mind, everyone can get a boost from a mobile workforce management platform.

Mike Merrill is co-founder and chief evangelist of WorkMax by AboutTime Technologies and host of The Mobile Workforce Podcast.