The Status Quo: Hidden Costs from Analog Processes
On many construction sites, manual data collection costs up to one hour per employee every day. Loose papers and unstructured WhatsApp messages lead to information loss and an error rate of up to 15% when transferring data to the office. These inefficiencies quickly add up: For a team of 10 employees, this results in over 200 lost work hours per month.
The consequences are severe, ranging from project delays to legal disputes. Inadequate documentation is one of the main reasons why legitimate change requests fail in court. Without a comprehensive legally secure construction documentation , the evidence is lacking, which can cost companies tens of thousands of euros. Digital capture closes this gap by storing data in a tamper-proof and traceable manner.
Core functionalities of mobile data collection for the construction site
A modern solution for mobile data collection in construction covers all central processes and turns the smartphone into a multifunctional tool. This reduces the administrative burden for foremen and site managers by up to 80%. The main application areas include:
- Digital Site Diary: Capture weather, personnel, and daily events in under 5 minutes directly on site.
- Photo Documentation: Photos are automatically tagged with timestamps and location and assigned to the correct project.
- Defect Management: Record defects by photo, dictate a note, and assign the task directly to a person.
- Time Recording: Employees clock in their times directly via the app, which speeds up payroll processing by up to 75%.
- Measurement Recording: Digitally record measurements and avoid transfer errors that lead to 5% of all material losses.
- Equipment Management: Keep track of the deployment and condition of your machines and tools.
These digital helpers make the paperless construction site a reality and create seamless processes from measurements to billing.
Legal Certainty at a Click: Meeting Documentation Requirements
The German Construction Contract Procedures (VOB) impose clear documentation requirements that are mandatory for public contracts. Mobile data collection ensures that all entries, from disruption notices to acceptance, are legally valid. Every entry is stamped with an immutable timestamp and GPS data, greatly enhancing its evidential value. This is crucial, as documentation serves as the central piece of evidence in case of disputes.
Digital systems also guarantee compliance with the GDPR, as employee data is processed securely and not in private WhatsApp chats. With central and cloud-based storage, all project participants have access to relevant information at any time, increasing communication efficiency by over 30%. A clean digital construction documentation is thus not an additional effort, but a safeguard for your entitlement to compensation.
Efficiency Gains in Practice: Saving Time and Costs through Digitalization
Studies impressively demonstrate the impact of digitalization on construction sites. An analysis of over 30,000 projects showed that digital task management reduced average processing times by 17.6%. For a medium-sized construction company, this can mean savings of several hundred hours per project. Automating data collection reduces the administrative burden for site managers by up to 10 hours per week.
This freed-up time can be invested directly in quality assurance and coordination on the construction site. Mobile data collection with a construction app ensures immediate data transfer to the office, eliminating manual rework and sources of error. The result is faster and more accurate billing, which can improve the company’s cash flow by up to 20%.
Acceptance on the Construction Site: The Key to Success
The best software is useless if it is not accepted by the team. Over 50% of software implementations fail due to a lack of employee acceptance. Complex applications with long training periods are impractical on the construction site. This is where Valoon’s key advantage lies: we rely on WhatsApp, a tool already used daily by over 90% of construction professionals.
No new app installation or training is required. Employees communicate and document in their familiar environment and even in their native language, thanks to integrated live translation. This simplicity leads to an acceptance rate of nearly 100% from day one. Thus, the photo documentation construction via app becomes a breeze and data collection seamlessly integrates into the daily work routine.
Conclusion: Your Advantage with Valoon
Mobile data collection in construction is not a trend but a necessity for competitive construction companies. It not only increases efficiency and reduces costs but also creates the legal foundation for your success. With Valoon, the transition is seamless, as we use the simplest and most widely used communication platform: WhatsApp.
Your advantages are clear:
- Maximum Efficiency: Reduce documentation effort by up to 80% and accelerate your processes.
- Comprehensive Legal Certainty: Create VOB and GDPR-compliant documentation with just a few clicks.
- 100% Acceptance: Benefit from a solution that requires no training and is immediately used by your entire team.
Stop wasting valuable time on paperwork. Secure your projects legally and increase your productivity. Book your free demo now and discover how easy mobile data collection with Valoon is.
More Links
Fraunhofer IESE offers a blog article on a study about digitalization in the construction industry.
Das Statistical Federal Office (Destatis) publishes an article on the digitalization potential in construction activity statistics.
PwC provides a press release on a study about the construction industry 2023, highlighting digitalization deficits and progress in sustainability.
Der Central Association of the German Construction Industry (ZDB) offers a position paper on the topic of digitalization.
de.digital, an initiative of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, informs about the digitalization index.
Statista presents a statistic on the implementation rate of digitalization in the construction industry in the DACH region.
Haufe offers an article on legally secure documentation in occupational safety.
Wikipedia provides a comprehensive article on mobile data collection.
Der German Construction Industry Association provides industry information on productivity in the main construction industry.
Das Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) publishes an online publication.
FAQ
How does mobile data collection work with Valoon?
Valoon uses WhatsApp as an interface. Your employees on the construction site send photos, videos, voice messages, and texts as usual via WhatsApp to a project-specific number. Our AI automatically structures this information and creates legally secure construction reports, defect lists, and other documents in the Valoon web application for the office.
Do my employees need to install a new app?
No. This is the key advantage of Valoon. Your team on the construction site continues to use WhatsApp, an app they already know and use daily. No installation or training is required for the employees on site.
Is the documentation via WhatsApp legally secure?
Yes. All data processed via Valoon is stored on secure servers in Germany and prepared in a legally secure manner. Each entry receives a timestamp and is archived in a tamper-proof manner. Data processing is fully GDPR-compliant, unlike the direct use of private WhatsApp groups.
What does it cost to use Valoon for employees on the construction site?
The use of Valoon is completely free for employees on the construction site. Costs only arise for users in the office who manage and evaluate the prepared data in the web application. This pricing model lowers the entry barrier and promotes acceptance.
Does Valoon support multiple languages?
Yes, Valoon has an integrated live translation feature. An employee can send a message in their native language as a text or voice message, and the site manager in the office receives it in German. This overcomes language barriers and significantly improves communication in international teams.
Can I test Valoon for free?
Yes, you can test Valoon and all features without obligation. Just book a free demo on our website, and we will set up a test access for you so you can see the benefits for yourself.
