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— Photo: Vipin Chandran

E-network: All the parameters of construction are now monitored at the click of a mouse.

The mushrooming realty market in India can easily be termed the ‘Realty Bazaar,’ commented an international real estate consultant recently.

In tune with the outlook, the pre-Rs.50 crore turnover segment of the architect and construction companies is now deep into implementing IT in a big way, because of the burgeoning brick-and-mortar sell.

With the business turnover being heartening for companies, reports of stagnant price markets may make more sense now, as this buyers’ market reflects a feverish building activity, just as there never is a surplus in office and residence sale.

Architectural firms/construction companies are tackling two areas…at the enterprise-level and the design-level. Take the case of Srushti Constructions, for instance.

A company which was till last year having a relatively small turnover, is all enthusiastic in implementing a highly customised ERP solution to centralise its day-to-day working and get information real-time.

Vivek L. Halbe, CEO, Srushti Constructions, and Head, Design & Knowledge Engineering, says, “We are constantly faced with situations of different distributors, materials and wastage tracking at many of our sites. Collating the information and getting real-time inventory data is critical for us.”

There are other issues that dog the companies. Forecasting and supply chain management are matters of concern. “At the team-level too, we plan to grow rapidly from our current 12-member team to about 50. The challenge thus is to define business processes along with the ERP implementations and then outsource them to a partner who can do the job for us,” says Vivek.

With the implementation of ERP solution, Srushti aims to achieve real-time availability of inventory levels of all materials across the organisation; eliminate the need for reconciliation across various branches; improve traceability in sub-contracting materials, etc.

The company is also implementing IT is in its design and client-interaction level with a proprietary solution that it has developed that brings transparency and accountability in all the work done, including the architects, contractors, vendors and the like associated with the team work. Its Project Reporting System (PRS) combines the management practices and is a customised web-enabled application with Srushti’s inputs to track the implementation of projects.

Every collaborator is able to log in and view the status of a project. According to Vivek, “PRS ensures complete transparency, accountability and efficiency. As a tool, the PRS software exemplifies how IT may be used to bring a number of participants and recipients of any industrial process — from construction to conventional manufacturing — on one platform to ensure effective control of project deliverables.”

Every project follows 4-5 levels of traceable design and delivery processes and is a trackable document at the end of each stage. It is available in a hard copy format and available to the client in information-need configuration too.

The whole procedure is done in stages staring with eliciting the maximum information from the client along with 3D images and photographs from within and outside Srushti’s archives. This is then packed with client meetings, with the design brought to the ‘Frozen dream stage.’

The project is then completely visualised and the design is available in drawing format. This document is considered as a final signoff at the design level and becomes the parent document for the generation of the Client Commitment Document (CCD) that acts as a Rule Book and followed to the ‘T.’

ABD (As Built Document) is the final project handover document and would include all final documentation such as relevant drawings, bills and reconciliation of accounts, with Quality Check Inspection reports, relevant guarantees and warranties along with photos of all stages of work, information on building and services maintenance, and telephone numbers of crucial service providers who could assist in case of trouble shooting.

If the methodology adopted talks of accountability, transparency and traceability by outsourcing the entire enterprise resource process, this is an interaction that the IT savvy would prefer, as the age speaks of speed and comfort…after all, this realty business takes the pace from the mouse’s run!

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