Are You the Bottleneck in Your Construction Project? Here’s How to Fix It
TL;DR:
In construction projects, architects and project managers often unintentionally become bottlenecks, delaying progress, increasing costs, and causing frustration. The root causes? Over-reliance on email, delayed communication, and lack of clear workflows. Tools like Ziggu can help centralize communication, structure decision flows, and ensure all stakeholders have access to relevant information without being overwhelmed.
The Problem: Bottlenecks That Slow Projects Down
In construction, delays aren’t just inconveniences—they can lead to significant financial losses, rework, and strained relationships. Architects and project managers play a central role in coordinating communication and approvals, but this responsibility can quickly turn into a liability.
Here’s how bottlenecks typically arise:
- Email Inboxes Are Silos
Relying on email for communication fragments project information. Important updates can get buried, and only those copied on emails are in the loop. What happens if someone is out of office or forgets to forward a crucial message? These silos create gaps that disrupt workflows. Karolien Verschueren from BAU shared her experience:
"With a growing team and more projects, using email became unsustainable. Ziggu brought structure and helped us work more efficiently, without errors or lost information."
- Delayed Quotes and Approvals
A typical example: A customer requests changes to their bathroom layout. This requires notifying the showroom to prepare a new quote. The quote needs to be approved by the customer, the architect must update the plans, and the contractor needs the changes before work begins. If this process isn’t well-coordinated, it could result in the wrong version being built, causing rework and extra costs. Judith Wauman from Bauwsteen highlights the risks:
"In construction, hundreds of emails are sent. The risk is that I only forward quotes months later, and by then, certain jobs have already been completed, leading to rework, extra costs, and wasted time."
- Lack of Visibility and Accountability
Without a centralized system, it’s hard to track who’s responsible for what. Questions like “Who’s in charge of this update?” or “Was this already approved?” create unnecessary delays. Teams need a system that provides real-time visibility without overloading everyone with irrelevant notifications.
The Solution: How to Break the Bottleneck
Addressing these challenges requires a combination of better tools and smarter processes. Here’s how Ziggu helps architects and project managers overcome bottlenecks:
1. Centralize Communication and Data
Ziggu eliminates silos by centralizing all communication and project data. Whether it’s a request for changes, quotes, or plan updates, everyone involved has access to the latest information in one platform.
"Ziggu brought structure and helped us work more efficiently, without errors or lost information." – Karolien Verschueren, Head of Customer Care at BAU
2. Structure Decision and Approval Flows
Take the bathroom layout example: With Ziggu, the process is streamlined. The customer requests a change, and the showroom is immediately notified to prepare a new quote. That quote is automatically sent to the customer for approval, and once approved, the architect is notified to update the plans. These updates are instantly shared with the contractor—ensuring the changes are implemented before work begins. This structured flow prevents costly errors and delays.
"With Ziggu, we can share and follow up on quotes directly, significantly reducing delays that used to cause issues in the past." – Judith Wauman, Owner at Bauwsteen
3. Improve Visibility Without Overwhelming Notifications
Ziggu’s platform ensures that team members only see what’s relevant to them. For example, contractors won’t be inundated with design revisions until the final version is approved. At the same time, project managers can track progress across all tasks, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
4. Automate Repetitive Tasks
From sending reminders to tracking approvals, Ziggu automates administrative tasks, freeing up time for higher-priority work. Notifications and task updates are logged automatically, so no one has to dig through email threads to find out what’s next.
Why Ziggu Works
Ziggu isn’t just a tool; it’s a solution built for the unique challenges of construction. By providing a centralized platform for communication, document sharing, and task management, Ziggu helps architects and project managers:
- Avoid delays caused by lost emails and manual processes.
- Save money by eliminating rework and late-stage changes.
- Build trust with clients and contractors through transparency and timely communication.
Conclusion: Stop Being the Bottleneck
As an architect or project manager, your role is critical to a project’s success—but it doesn’t have to be a source of delays and inefficiencies. Ziggu empowers teams to communicate clearly, manage approvals efficiently, and avoid costly mistakes. By centralizing information and structuring workflows, Ziggu ensures that every stakeholder has what they need, when they need it.
Don’t let silos and delays slow you down. Ready to see how Ziggu can transform your workflows? Let’s talk.
