Job site productivity hacks: Start with better delivery

The construction industry is growing in demand, and with tight project timelines comes the need to be highly productive. There are many ways productivity declines on site, and many of those ways revolve around delivery logistics. Here are seven of the most common ways poor delivery slows down job site productivity, and how to pick up the pace with a modern solution. 

7 productivity killers on every construction job site

1. Delivery schedule changes

Scheduling construction supply deliveries takes meticulous planning, as dozens of vendors could be involved in a given project. If a material integral to a particular phase of the project needs to be rescheduled, it could derail the entire project timeline. 

Planning and re-planning require unnecessary labor from project managers. For the majority of construction projects, the work is linear and must be executed in consecutive steps. When schedules change, workers and specialty contractors need to be re-booked, which means initial planning is rendered irrelevant. 

2. Unnecessary trips to and from the work site

Failure to order the right construction materials means additional trips to and from the job site. For quick trips to obtain additional supplies, workers are pulled from the site to make the trip. This wastes gas, wastes time, leaves the site short-handed, and ultimately puts employees at risk of a traffic accident. 

If the workers on site choose a courier service to address the order issue, many conventional services end up being costly and have slow turnaround times. While it would be the safer option, and keeps all hands on site, the wait times slow work on the job regardless.

3. The wrong vehicles for the job

When suppliers opt for delivery vehicles not suited for the material, it slows down the project entirely by creating congestion on-site. It could also balloon operational costs. The wrong vehicles also often lead to mis-handled product, and can sometimes result in materials being damaged. 

Using vehicles that are too small for the total load, too large for the job site, or equipped with the wrong handling equipment can lead to vehicle breakdowns. The loading and unloading process could also be needlessly tedious, and the chaotic work environment could mean the completion date gets pushed back.

4. Delays on the road

Delays on the road are primarily outside of both the supplier's and the builder’s control, but without visibility into the delay, productivity on the job site slows. When material delays happen, specialty contractors are needlessly scheduled for work and timelines for everyone are pushed back. When the delivery does finally make it to the site, there’s a greater risk of congestion at dropoff and potentially mishandling of the delivery. 

If job site managers are made aware of road delays, they can make quick schedule changes, re-book other material deliveries, and keep the completion date in sight. 

5. Scheduling by email or phone call

Many builders and developers lack modern delivery planning software and technology, resulting in planning and scheduling deliveries being handled through phone calls or emails. When suppliers are slow or unresponsive, it wastes planning time and risks creating unnecessary complexity in the schedule. 

In addition to the slow planning, deliveries scheduled by phone or email also mean builders are uninformed or late to be informed of delays or cancelled orders. 

6. Missing delivery confirmation

Many wholesalers and material distributors are left without confirmation that their deliveries made it to the right site. In the event a delivery is late, delivered to the wrong address, or is mishandled, suppliers are unable to sort it out or ship a new delivery in a timely manner. 

This means project managers are trying to place phone calls to job sites, get a hold of drivers for the delivery status, and are generally left in the dark about what the next best course of action is. 

7. Lack of hotshot delivery availability

A hotshot delivery is a straightforward delivery from point A to point B, usually with a quick turnaround. Many scheduled deliveries involve more complex routes with multiple stops, but hotshot availability is becoming increasingly popular for last-minute deliveries that the workers on site may not have anticipated. 

Hotshots are usually booked either the same day or one or two days in advance. This type of availability is seldom available with conventional delivery, and job sites could be left waiting days or weeks for the materials to arrive.

How Curri fast-tracks construction material delivery

Curri is a modern solution to the conventional delivery problems that cause delays and unproductivity. We offer a comprehensive logistics platform that builders, wholesalers, distributors, and other businesses in the trades rely on daily. 

And businesses that are slow to adopt new technology need not worry. We offer dedicated support and an extensive resource library. 

Features and services that go the extra mile

Curri offers many construction delivery features and services, and we’re adding more regularly, such as LTL services and Parcel delivery (new!).

Key features of the product include:

• Live tracking: Builders and contractors can track delivery progress live, and be made aware of delays or reroutes when they happen.
• Proof of deliveries (PODs): Curri drivers take pictures of every successful delivery, so suppliers can be confident their products arrived as they should. 
• A nationwide fleet of drivers: If you need out-of-state or cross-country deliveries made, Curri can make it happen. 
• Live chat: Need support? It’s just one click or tap away with our live chat functionality. 
• Real-time traffic updates: Gain visibility into the traffic conditions for your delivery. Delays on the road are no longer a surprise. 

As far as services go, Curri offers route planning, dedicated routes, FTL and LTL service, carrier management, and more. We also offer hotshot service for those needing quick point A to point B deliveries. Curri is competitively priced, and businesses typically reduce operational labor by 15% by working with us. 

Try Curri today and have your construction delivery logistics streamlined

If you’re a builder or supplier looking to simplify your delivery logistics process, get Curri. We offer around-the-clock support, a nationwide fleet of drivers, all on an easy-to-use software platform. 

Never worry about your construction project falling behind schedule again. Book a demo with our team today.