Navigating the Challenges of Construction Tech Adoption: Alastair Blenkin's Experience and Advice

In the current economic situation, the construction industry plays a crucial role in driving growth and development.

Governments at all levels have recognized this and are investing unprecedented amounts of money in infrastructure projects. With a forecasted growth of 2.7%, the sector is expected to generate $243 billion in construction work by 2023.

In light of the challenges presented by the pandemic, technological adaptability has become even more crucial for the survival and revival of the construction industry.

To explore how contractors can navigate these challenges and capitalize on the opportunities presented, we recently interviewed Alastair Blenkin.

Let us discuss Alastair's insights on how to leverage technology in the construction industry.

Let Us Quickly Get To Our Expert’s Point Of View.

Question 1: How do you see the construction industry in the year 2023? Do you think this year will be a “digital year” for construction professionals?

The last three years have thrown up a perfect storm of challenges (disrupted supply chains, cost escalation, labor shortages, increased projects from government, interest rate hikes & inflation, and companies going into liquidation).

In 2023, the Covid induced technological acceleration is only going to ramp up, as companies acutely understand that they’re not able to keep doing the same old things and expect to come out the other side.

Question 2: The construction industry has undergone dynamic changes over the years. What do you consider as the biggest challenge for this industry now?

At the forefront of many construction executives’ minds is financial health and staying afloat - these will always present challenges.

Though in the area we play, often the biggest challenges for mid to large-sized construction companies are around making positive changes and making it stick in their business (whether process changes or technology initiatives). As mentioned above, moving away from just doing the same old things.

We understand that most companies have been burnt by ‘tech implementations gone wrong’ all too frequently, so now the challenge is about overcoming the resistance to implementing new (and better) ways of doing things.

At ProcurePro, we’re working hard to change the narrative by making a significant positive change, enterprise-wide, in just a few months, where project teams love the new way of working, producing exceptional business outcomes.

Question 3: What potential do you see in the latest construction technology trends? Are they capable of boosting the productivity of construction professionals?

On the one hand, we’ve got ChatGPT taking the world by storm, though on the other hand, we still have construction professionals using the Swiss Army Knife (Excel) to manage many aspects of multi-million dollar construction projects. They use it because it works, but it’s by far the best tool for every job.

Procurement software for Head Contractors is one such area that has lagged behind. This is quickly changing as specialist construction procurement software such as ProcurePro digitizes legacy assets such as procurement schedules, the scope of works, tenders, comparisons, recommendations, contracts, and signing.

In terms of productivity - we’ve seen Head Contractors procure 50-70% faster within just months of making the change. It's a low-hanging fruit which is proving to have a massive impact on efficiency and productivity.

Question 4: Where do you see the construction industry in the next five years? Please share your valuable insights with our readers.

With increasing global populations, burgeoning middle class, and global demand for construction drastically outpacing the world’s ability to supply, there’s an urgent social need for the industry to keep pace.

We’re already seeing the best companies move quickly to embrace change (in technology, ESG, social issues, and more) and older incumbents being left behind.

There’s a generational changing of the guard that’s transpiring as we speak that will have well & truly taken hold within 5 years.

A key example - is the millennial and younger generations which will occupy a significantly higher percentage of the workforce, simply will not accept legacy ways of working, and will vote with their feet to employers of choice.

Get to Know Our Influencer

Question 5: In four words or less, what’s your prediction about the transforming construction industry?

Innovators reap the rewards.

Question 6: What's your success mantra?

I have a few personal mantras (e.g.: the harder you work, the luckier you get) though one of 3 core values at ProcurePro is:

“Whole arse it, with ruthless pragmatism.”,

To us, this means a few things:

1. If we do it, we nail it

2. Embrace velocity as our greatest advantage

3. Find ways to simplify & cut the fluff

4. Be a good ancestor & think long term

More Details

Alastair recognized the need for a significant mindset shift to tackle the challenges he witnessed in the legal sector. He came to the realization that technology could be the key to driving real change.

This inspired him to boldly leave his legal career behind and pursue his passion for building technology that could transform industries.

Through his work, Alastair has made significant contributions to the world of construction technology. He has developed innovative solutions, such as the Con-Tech "Happy Meal," which have transformed subcontractor procurement.

He has also questioned outdated practices in the industry, such as why builders are still procuring like it's 1985.

Alastair believes the construction industry has a treasure trove of data that can be harnessed to drive efficiencies and improve outcomes.

He sees procurement as the key to unlocking this data and has been a vocal advocate for leveraging it to its full potential.