Author posts Daria Ivantsova

Top Factors Affecting Labor Productivity Losses on Construction Projects and How to Avoid Them

Top Factors Affecting Labor Productivity Losses on Construction Projects and How to Avoid ThemInefficient work with construction labor and resources can result in low productivity and financial losses. It is important for contractors and construction managers to clear evaluate the productivity of the equipment and the laborers in different processes. They bid a scope of work and payment based on this evaluation. There are some factors affecting labor productivity losses on a construction project. An accurate management and timely response can help avoid or adapt to them and reduce any losses.

Weather

Adverse weather is one of the causes of lost productivity on a construction project. It is difficult to deal with this factor, but it is quite possible. The construction project contract can contain some special points about additional time for “unusually severe weather”. This will reduce the negative impact on the schedule and finances.

Poor project management

Diverting from plan, mismanagement, changes in scope of work, increase in manpower or work areas without right supervision can lead to loss of labor productivity. The way to fight with this is a clear and accurate management of reliable managers. An ability to keep every aspect under control is not just an advantage but a strict necessity.

Attitude and positive atmosphere

Stress and unfavorable atmosphere on the jobsite may create an environment that doesn’t contribute to productivity. Increasing conflicts between the workers, disputes, over-inspection, excessive hazards, multiple contract changes, poor site conditions, disruption of work rhythm and more can even lead to the failure of the project. Encouragement, discipline and communication are the ways of smooth construction projects without productivity losses.

Hazardous work area

Another important factor that contributes to the loss of productivity in a construction project is a hazardous work area. Workers may face special safety requirements, usage of special equipment and various restrictions. It is advisable to take these into account at the planning stage in order not to face delays and additional financial expenses.

Mobile solutions for smooth construction projects

It has long been proven that mobile solutions are a tool which contributes to increase of efficiency at the construction projects. Special construction apps can help avoid labor productivity losses and complete projects in time and on budget. Snappii is a leader in the market of construction mobile solutions and offers a plenty of ready-made apps with a set of impressive features. Most of Snappii’s construction apps are customizable and can be easily and quickly modified to meet any needs. Also Snappii team is ready to create a custom app from scratch in accordance with specific requirements. Contact us here to learn more and discuss.

3 Tips to Motivate the Employees to Fill in and Submit Timesheets

3 Tips to Motivate the Employees to Fill in and Submit TimesheetsFilling out timesheets is a major challenge among employees, especially working in the field. However, whatever the reason of this process, whether it’s to be specific rules compliant or to better understand the efficiency of workflow, the end result is the same – all employees should get on board, track their time and deal with timesheets. Sometimes a team may need a kick of motivation to inspire them to submit their timesheets in a proper way and on time. Here are some tips that could come in handy.

Explain the purpose and benefits

One of the main steps towards motivating the employees is explaining them why it’s important. Make a focus on the benefits it brings to them personally. For example, clear time tracking methods contribute to more efficient work, increased productivity and profit. Whatever the reasons and benefits, communicate them to your team and implicate employees in achieving better results.

Keep it short and simple

When an employee uses 30 minutes or more to complete a timesheet, he or she gets frustrated and the company loses time that would be better spent on more useful activities. Keeping the process short and simple will be doing the employees a favor as well as the entire business. Avoid too fine granularity and keep it to the bare essentials.

Automate the process

Automation makes various processes easier and more optimized. Automation of work with timesheets will streamline the process, save time for your staff and will ultimately make the business more efficient. Nowadays more and more companies implement mobile timesheets and special apps. They allow employees to complete and submit timesheets in a snap, anytime and anywhere. This accurate and timely data lead to improvement of the entire workflow.

Snappii is the best assistant in automation of various processes. We are able to convert any existing paper form or report to mobile app. Get started with your timesheets or any other forms. Send them to us here and get a free quote.

Home Assessments in the Home Care Service: How to Improve this Process

Home Assessments in the Home Care Service: How to Improve this ProcessThe main thing all families with elderly members worry about

Most of elderly family members value their independence and the ability to live in their homes as long as possible. However there is a plenty of risks when they are living alone in their homes, and this worries all other family members and loved ones. Some of the major risks for the elderly people may include falls, poor nutrition, and poor cognitive function. This way, people frequently hire home care agencies to ensure peace of mind for everyone and make a senior’s home as safe as possible.

What is home assessment

Home assessments are an important component of home care service. It helps determine the degree of safety and comfort of seniors in their homes, and also the need for assistive equipment and tools. To conduct proper home assessment and ensure patients’ safety, home care specialists use special forms and checklists. They can contain the following fields:

– availability of clear paths free of obstructions for safe moving,

– availability of notes and labels with emergency numbers by large print,

– frequently used items are easily accessible,

– availability of grab bars in the shower and beside the toilet,

– all rooms are brightly lit,

-etc.

The benefits of mobile apps for convenient and efficient home assessments

Today the most convenient, fast and efficient way of home assessments is using special mobile apps. They allow specialists to avoid lugging around a plenty of paper forms. All necessary forms and checklists are right in their mobile devices. Specialists can quickly fill them out in a few clicks. It is the way to get accurate and timely data and have constant access to it.

Keeping in mind the problem of tedious and inconvenient paperwork, Snappii has created In Home Care Providers app with 30+ ready-made forms. This smart app allows its users to fill out mobile forms on any mobile device and share them as PDF files with anybody via email, cloud, WhatsApp, etc. In Home Care Providers app helps never lose documentation and always be ready for any State or federal inspection or compliance audit. Here is a short video about the app.

Moreover, Snappii is ready to transform any existing form to its digital analogue. For example, we can convert your home assessment forms and checklists to the app. We will meet your specific needs in the shortest possible time. Send your forms and requirements here. Learn how Snappii helped Sunny Days Home Care Agency scale the business at a rapid rate and get into the Inc. 5000 list.

3 Useful Practices for Managing Construction Projects

3 Useful Practices for Managing Construction ProjectsManaging construction projects is not a small process, frequently dealing with unique challenges. It includes hundreds of actions to be done, timelines to be met and projects to be delivered. There are some practices that ensure efficient management and the entire team moves fluidly.

Agility in planning and fast response

Managers prepare a preconstruction plan based on real information. However, anything can happen on a construction site. Fluid planning, fast response and instant changes will help continue a successful implementation of the project while maintaining all deadlines. Special mobile apps can make it possible. Construction apps allow managers to get timely data and make accurate changes. Thanks to the apps, all construction team stays synced and instantly meets all important points.

Keep a favorable atmosphere

Stress and unfavorable atmosphere on the jobsite create an environment that doesn’t contribute to productivity. Nobody wants to work under strong duress and oversight. When the team is treated with care and respect, and when it is motivated, workers try to do their best and achieve better results. Managers should regularly request feedback from the team and discuss the ways of workflow improvement. Also they should always keep the atmosphere of teamwork and show employees how their work fits into the overall picture.

The right balance between time, quality and expenses

Pay special attention to time and budget, and try to find the right balance. Manage your expectations. Quality, time and expenses are always competing. High quality work can’t be the cheapest and fastest. Carefully think through what you can afford and what are you ready to bet on at a certain moment.

Try the features of Snappii’s construction apps

Snappii offers smart and powerful mobile tools for construction managers. Snappii’s construction apps will allow them to keep any project detail under strong control and have a constant contact with the entire team. Among the major features of the apps are:

– pre-made mobile forms to instantly fill in right at the jobsite,

– in-build calculators to make quick calculations on the go,

– push notifications for immediate notifying of anything,

– an ability to capture photos, make marks and draw right on them,

– an ability to generate professional reports in a PDF or Excel format and email them,

– work with limited Internet connection,

– and more.

Snappii team creates custom apps in weeks and in accordance with specific needs. Need a useful construction app for efficient project management? Contact us here.

Empower Your Team with Incident Reporting Mobile Solutions

Empower Your Team with Incident Reporting Mobile SolutionsThe importance of proper safety culture and timely response

Unfortunately risks and incidents occur at various types of work. And the main issue is whether your team will be ready to respond effectively. Nowadays effective incident management has quickly become a prerequisite for success. Poor issue reporting policy or concerns of employees about negative repercussions lead to broader safety issues and inevitable incidents. Proper safety culture and timely and effective response to any issues require companies to deliver the right tools to enable employees to always be aware of what is happening and have an established system of reporting.

Empowering employees with the tools to catch and report incidents can help respond to challenges faster and prevent negative effect on productivity. It also helps identify incidents trends and make changes in the right direction. The best solution, containing the mentioned features, is mobile apps.

The benefits of reporting apps

Special reporting apps allow users to capture and process a flow of information, as well as instantly report about the important issues from any location. Timeliness and speed contribute to the better and immediate decisions. All the data is safely and conveniently stored right in the app and is available anytime. Such reporting apps empower the entire team and increase the efficiency.

Increase the safety culture and provide your employees with the tools they need to capture and report incidents in the field. Snappii is ready to help you. We’ve helped thousands of companies in many industries and, now it is your turn to get a powerful mobile solution for your business. Snappii is able to create a custom reporting app in accordance with your specific needs. We do it in weeks, not months. Your iOS or Android app will be designed, built, fully tested, and prepared for instant usage. Send us your requirements to discuss and start our work.

Optimization of Document Management in Utilities Sector

Optimization of Document Management in Utilities SectorPaper documentation steps back

With the utilities industry under constant control from regulatory organizations, it’s quite important to have accurate and organized documentation. To achieve this, utility businesses need efficient and robust data management tools. Some years ago data management processes based on manual paperwork. Today, most of utilities are responding to various tasks with mobile technology solutions. Modern mobile business apps increase productivity and efficiency in daily operations, support business strategy, and help utilities thrive in today’s environment. Digital data and special mobile apps for its management and processing contribute to generation of reliable, accurate and timely documentation, which is always on hands.

It’s time of mobile solutions

Mobile document management equals less paper handling. A single piece of paper is copied an average of 5 times, just imagine how much money is usually spent on it. An automated document management with mobile apps saves time, as well as money and improves the overall efficiency of any utility business. Field technicians can avoid constant office trips and focus on performing their direct duties. Moreover, mobile apps allow businesses to safely store all necessary data in the cloud and have a constant and fast access to it.

Join Snappii on the way of business improvement

Utilities must become more like the products they sell – constant and seamless. It is obvious that mobile apps are imperative for utilities to develop and raise their success. Snappii, a mobile business app development company, offers the foundation for growth to any utility business. We offer custom business app development in weeks. Snappii team is ready to meet your specific needs and create a product to support and optimize any operation. Send us your requirements to discuss your ideas and needs and schedule a quick demo. Let your utility business get the advanced benefits and provide better service.

The Applicability of Mobile Apps to Increase Productivity of Mining Industry

The Applicability of Mobile Apps to Increase Productivity of Mining IndustryThe mining industry continues searching for the ways of productivity improvement. Companies should establish new technology practices that will enable them to become more efficient and productive. According to some studies, 70% of mining and oil industry respondents believe the use of mobile technology has prevented or reduced worker incidents and their related costs, and 86% believe that the use of mobile technology reduces paperwork.

The benefits of mobile solutions

Mobile technology is applicable to different areas of mine operations. However, its main advantage is agility and the ability to get and work with timely and accurate data to make more efficient decisions. Communication is one of the most important requirements for safe and productive mining. If workers encounter problems or find out important information at remote locations on-site, mobile apps become the best contacting tool. One more advantage of using mobile apps in the mining industry is that many of them are accessible offline, so they remain functional in locations without Internet coverage. Some special apps include an opportunity to make specific calculations, such as blasting calculations.

Mining Daily Log app

As mobile technology continues to radically transform mining, Snappii intends to do its bit, and offers a ready-made Mining Daily Log app. It is the ideal tool to generate daily reports that include information about employees, mined minerals and obstacles/issues that happen while mining. Managers or supervisors can select employees from a list to save time on data collecting, record audio and video as well as take pictures of violations to report to the office. Mining Daily Log app works offline that makes it especially helpful to use underground and in areas that have a limited coverage. The app users are able to create PDF and Excel reports that can be shared via email, uploaded to cloud drives and printed out. Mining Daily Log app is available to be downloaded in Apple App Store and Google Play. Moreover, Snappii team can customize the app to meet any specific needs.

5 Steps of Fire Extinguisher Inspection

5 Steps of Fire Extinguisher InspectionA properly working extinguisher could save many lives. To ensure that fire extinguishers are in good working condition, their inspection should be conducted monthly. Businesses can bring external professionals or train their own employees as part of an overall fire safety strategy. It is critical that employees know about the most common issues, identifying during an inspection, and knows how to respond accordingly. Here are 5 mandatory steps of proper fire extinguisher inspection.

1. Visibility and accessibility

Ensure a fire extinguisher is present in the area, and it is easily visible. It should be easily accessed during an emergency. Also, prevent the extinguisher from being moved and damaged.

2. Physical state

Closely check overall condition, labeling and physical defects of the extinguisher. Metal parts should be free of any signs of damage, as well as serial number and other notes should be readable. Check a secure connection of all extinguisher’s parts. Ensure a proper condition of hose without any cracks. The pin locks prevents accidental discharge of the extinguisher. It also should be checked.

3. Pressure gauge

Check the gauge to ensure the needle points to the green area. This means that the extinguisher is fully charged and ready for use. The needle in the left red zone means that the extinguisher is undercharged, and the right red zone signals a danger of being overcharged.

4. Maintenance or inspection tag

Ensure the extinguisher has a maintenance or inspection tag with regular marks.

5. Inspection report

Besides the mark on the inspection tag, the general inspection report should be created. It usually contains summarize observations, any comments, name/signature and date.

Mobile solutions for fast and efficient fire extinguisher inspections

Snappii is able to provide a solution to significantly simplify and optimize extinguisher inspection. The ready-made Fire Inspection app is the best tool to ensure that the premises has all fire safety and fire suppression equipment in place and in good working order. The app users can carry out monthly fire extinguisher inspections and collect all necessary data with their mobile devices. Also they can take and attach photos related to the inspection. The completed inspection forms are able to be generated to the report in the PDF format. The report can be signed and shared with anyone, as well as safely stored right in the app. Fire Inspection app is available in Apple App Store and Google Play.

Moreover, Snappii can use your already existing inspection forms and checklists and convert them to the app. Thanks to powerful Snappii Form Converter, it is a fast and affordable process. You can send us your forms and requirements here. Form conversion is available as a DIY option. Anyone can try it yourself. No special skills required.

 

Employee Attendance Management: a Simple Tracking Tool

Employees are the most valuable resource in any company. Managing them correctly can make or break a bottom line. That’s why an employee attendance tracking is essential in employee management. Managers should carefully monitor vacation time, sick days, personal leave time, days off, etc. This influences the payroll and ensures no discrepancies arise. Poor attendance management can lead to a loss of business productivity and profit as well as a higher turnover rate. This way, well-managed attendance system can increase the overall efficiency of the company. Special mobile app can become the best tool for accurate attendance tracking.

The benefits of mobile solutions

Using special mobile apps can significantly simplify, accelerate and optimize the process. Instead of piles of paper forms and reports, all necessary data can be collected, processed and stored on a smartphone or tablet. In addition to convenience, it is also much more reliable. Your employees can even easily create sick leaves, vacation requests and more themselves in a couple of clicks. It is a perfect opportunity to get timely and accurate data. Employee managers can spend time more profitable than dealing with bureaucracy.

Employee Absence Tracking app from Snappii

Snappii provides powerful apps for various industries and fields of activity. To help employee managers, we have created Employee Absence Tracking app. This app is ideal for any manager to accurately estimate availability of employees on premises and in the field. The summary app features include:

– log the time when any employee comes to work and finishes work,

– add a list of available employees or upload an Excel database to save time,

– select employees that come to work,

– mark employees that are on vacation or sick,

– accurately calculate hours each employee works,

– export collected information as Excel files,

– analyze information.

Employee Absence Tracking app can be downloaded in Apple App Store and Google Play.

Contact us if you need any app customization. Snappii team can meet your requirements and provide you with a unique product in weeks.

3 Tips to Improve Restoration Service Fleet Management and Maintenance

3 Tips to Improve Restoration Fleet Management and MaintenanceLike most industries, restoration is rapidly evolving. To meet growing customer demand, restoration companies must operate fast and thorough. Availability of proper-functioning and reliable restoration vehicles in such companies are crucial for appropriate and timely service. Therefore, it’s extremely important to effectively manage fleet maintenance and ensure all restoration vehicles are in good condition. Here are some tips to improve restoration fleet maintenance.

Standardize maintenance schedules

A solid maintenance starts with a good schedule. Some duties, such as checking and topping off the engine oil and filters as well as checking vital systems, etc. should be done regularly without omissions and delays. Today the most convenient and efficient format of schedules is mobile. With special mobile apps, managers can easily and quickly generate schedules, edit and share them. All workers are able to always have actual schedules at their hand and instantly notify about any important points.

Implement daily reporting

Fleet operators are the greatest resource when maintaining and detecting issues in restoration vehicles. They know them the best and are interested to keep them in good working order. Implement a daily reporting program to timely recognize and fix issues. And again it’s worth noting that the best way to do this is using the mobile apps. Special daily reporting apps can allow operators to fill out pre-made mobile forms and generate complete, professional reports right on their mobile devices anytime and anywhere. They are able to instantly share them with managers and other employees.

Organize data management

Ensure maximum visibility into your restoration fleet by clear management of all data. Having necessary data at the fingertips allows managers to analyze how efficiently the fleet is operating and how it influences the whole company. To make data more available and optimize its management, managers can digitize all documentation and store it in the cloud. It will provide fast and constant access all necessary information.

Snappii is able to streamline your restoration fleet management and maintenance. We create powerful custom apps for various industries and spheres for about 10 years. Snappii has earned the trust in the market thanks to its wide capabilities, fast turnaround time and ongoing support. Send us your requirements and let’s discuss how we can help your business.

The Major Safety Hazards of Construction Tower Cranes and the Ways to Avoid Them

The Major Safety Hazards of Construction Tower Cranes and the Ways to Avoid ThemConstruction tower cranes are the backbone of most large construction sites. The jobsites can’t work to their full capacity without them. However, working with cranes poses many hazards. Unsafe practices can lead to costly damage, injuries and even fatalities. Therefore, it’s important to know the main hazards and how to prevent them.

Falling of loads

Falling loads are one of the most common hazards when working with construction tower cranes. It can result in damage of building and property, injuries and fatalities. Also, it leads to delays and extra expenses. It’s extremely important to be sure in operator competency. Operators and all specialists working with cranes should be proper trained so they are able to operate competently and safely. In addition, construction businesses should use only verified and high quality blocking systems.

Overload

The majority of crane failures and hazards are the result of overloading. Exceeding of crane’s operational capacity can cause irreversible damages and a dangerous situation for all workers. Do not take such risks and always observe the established weights and volumes.

Power lines

Around 200 fatalities per year are the result of contact of construction tower cranes. Any workers in the vicinity are at risk when cranes operate near power lines. It’s crucial that pre-job planning takes into account the location of power lines.

Here are some more crane safety tips:

– Appropriate and regular training of all employees,

– Knowing and following the rules of Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER),

– Proper safety plan before starting the work,

– Appropriate PPE for workers,

– Regular safety inspections.

Safety inspection apps

Mobile apps are the best and the most convenient way to conduct safety inspections right on the jobsite. Safety inspection apps from Snappii allow users to collect all necessary data, observe regularity, instantly process data, generate reports, share them and safely store. Visit the gallery and find the ready-made safety inspection apps. Moreover, you can send us your requirements and Snappii team will create a custom app in accordance with your personal needs.

The New Format of Work Orders

The New Format of Work OrdersThe time of automation

Work orders are a key point of any field service operation. They generate a list of jobs to be done and produce revenue. Considering how many work orders are being created daily by various field services, it’s no wonder that managing them has a vital importance. Also it is entirely understandable that this process is seeing the biggest changes moving forward. Today automation of work orders is not just an advanced feature, but also a real necessity for field services.

More working time and revenue and less effort

According to a survey by SelectHub, 50% of field service organizations identify automation as the greatest contributor to revenue growth. Time is money, and field service business leaders are trying to find every means possible to reduce administrative time and increase the working time of their technicians. Modern mobile solutions are the best way to do it.

Mobile apps for work orders

Automation of work orders by using special mobile apps is available and easy to implement. Any worker is able to generate and assign work orders right on mobile devices. It is an opportunity to avoid paperwork and constant movement between field and office. This way, field service employees save a lot of time and optimize operations.

Work Order Assigner app from Snappii

Snappii helps field service businesses by making various processes more streamlined and agile. What about work orders, we offer a ready-made Work Order Assigner app. The app users can easily create tasks and assign them to particular employees, provide details and time frames. After any task is assigned the assignee can login into the app using his/her credentials and see it, once it is completed assignee can add notes about it which will become immediately available to the manager. Moreover, Work Order Assigner app provides the opportunity to generate PDF and Excel reports, print, share and store them. The app is available to be downloaded in Apple App Store and Google Play.

Work Order Assign app can be customized to meet any specific needs. We can modify the functional, or add your own forms. Send us your requirements here.


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