TECHNOLOGY
day and all that comes with it – be it drops and spillages , punctures , scratches , dust or water submersion . Consumer smartphones may be attractive and now boast IP ratings but they are too fragile to survive in these environments . Professionals who are entirely dependent on their phones to get the job done , whatever the weather or location , need the peace of mind that their phone won ’ t be water damaged , suffer a cracked screen , or lose signal or battery .
A connected device is inadequate unless it is robust , reliable and rugged . Rugged phones on the market are built with the construction industry in mind . They are less easily damaged than today ’ s latest smartphones , and many are MIL-STD-810 tested so can withstand drops from two metres onto concrete , extreme temperatures , chemical spillages and vibrations .
SEAMLESS COMMUNICATION Like other industries , construction is increasingly reliant on realtime updates and the constant connectivity offered by mobile technologies to improve operational efficiency . Due to the complex
nature of construction projects , they require the involvement of multiple disciplines ; from builders , architects and designers to engineers , investors and legal teams . All skillsets working on a project need to be in constant communication to ensure the job runs smoothly , whether it ’ s releasing updates on blueprints , sharing diagrams , images of a building site , tracking where equipment is or to supply orders .
These professionals are often entirely dependent on their phones for essential services that allow this real-time visibility including email , Google Sheets , invoicing applications and OTT messenger apps such as WhatsApp . If a device is broken or has a dead battery , the communication between teams is lost and the device is rendered useless – hindering productivity and potentially halting critical business operations .
The standardised features offered by a rugged smartphone can help
18 March 2017