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Focus Stephanie Cornwall looks at how technology is changing businesses in fit-out, and why the coronavirus impact has upped the pace of change. ADAPTING TO THE DIGITAL AGE 16 www.thefis.org D IGITAL technology has proved its worth throughout industry over the past six months, as COVID-19 forced businesses to look at new ways to keep their operations running smoothly. The fit-out sector has been no exception, with many taking steps to move more work practices off-site. But even before the outbreak of the pandemic, technological advancements were starting to be regarded as something that many in the sector couldn’t live without. So how is digital technology changing the sector and are some of the changes we’ve seen during lockdown now here to stay? Brandon Oliveri-O’Connor, Director of UK and Ireland at construction project management software company Procore, believes it’s now a critical part of helping all businesses transform and that changes in operations enabling more off- site activity are here to stay. “In any area of construction, such as fit-out, both contractors and subcontractors face perennial challenges around productivity, from identifying and mitigating safety risks to keeping a project to schedule or within budget,” he said. “A key element of this is trusting that all Brandon Oliveri-O’Connor, Director of UKand Ireland at Procore Photo by FernandoArcos stakeholders, including customers, have access to the latest information, in one place and in a format that everyone can understand. This is why technology itself is so critical.” Brandon said manual processes such as using pen, paper and spreadsheets, stifle productivity, and research by his company revealed that 80% of construction managers surveyed in the UK believe platform technology – connecting business applications and stakeholders in one place —will shape the future of work. “We’ve seen this become increasingly recognised in the fit-out sector as the level of transparency and connection that a single platform can offer keeps everyone on the same page and journey — delivering even greater customer experience. However, this isn’t specific to fit-out, the industry in general is acknowledging digital technology’s power,” he said. “The level of transparency and connection that a single platform can offer keeps everyone on the same page and journey.” Brandon Oliveri-O’Connor, Procore