Tight timelines aren’t new to construction. With contractors and suppliers coming together to complete a project, delays at any stage of work can have a domino effect throughout the rest of the timeline.
The COVID-19 pandemic compounded the economic headwinds straining the sector over the last several years, increasing the risk and impact of projects getting derailed. Faced with challenges in materials sourcing, price inflation, labor shortages and rising gas prices, construction pros need to take advantage of every available option to keep projects moving.
That’s where Roadie can help. The longer a project waits on materials, the more likely it is to get caught up in a spiral of rising costs, reduced profit and frustrated ownership. And sending crew members on material runs can cost upward of $31 per labor hour plus expensive fuel costs.
Building product suppliers have a secret weapon to help their customers keep projects on track in today’s tight construction market. With Roadie’s crowdsourced delivery platform for building supplies, suppliers can give construction teams an on-demand shipping option that enables them to get materials and tools delivered straight to the job site when they need them, whether they’re breaking ground or wrapping up the final punch list.
Here are three ways crowdsourced delivery helps construction crews eliminate interruptions to help keep projects running on time, on budget and with minimal headaches — enabling suppliers to be a true partner for years and projects to come.
Direct shipping to job sites
Two- or even three-step distribution may be typical for material delivery. But with the supply chain already disrupted, building product suppliers have the chance to rethink their B2B distribution channels by adding crowdsourced options. Roadie’s platform has a community of on-demand crowdsourced drivers allowing suppliers to connect directly with job site crews for ultrafast delivery of time-sensitive supplies. That lets crews focus on their work and skip the extra time and expense of a warehouse or lumberyard visit. With less downtime, your customers can finish jobs faster while keeping overhead costs down.
Connecting service techs and tools
Construction firms that provide warranty, repair or handyman services can tap into crowdsourcing, too. Traditionally, these smaller jobs would require a technician to visit the property, assess the project scope and then make a run back to the warehouse, big-box store or local lumberyard to pick up any supplies that aren’t already on the truck.
Crowdsourced delivery takes non-productive drive time out of the equation. Roadie’s nationwide network of independent drivers specializes in getting what you need, where you need it and (most importantly) when you need it. That includes big, bulky and difficult-to-ship items. Does your customer need drywall sheets, tape, mud and trowels to meet them at their first job of the day, plus a restock of wiring, replacement fuses, wire nuts and three-way switches to carry them through their afternoon appointment? Crowdsourced delivery can handle it all, without technicians taking multiple detours to the shop.
Deliver replacement parts quickly
On-time, in-full (OTIF) delivery is an important metric for both building material suppliers and the customers they serve. But let’s not forget that those suppliers, customers and all the order fulfillment team members in between are human beings first — and sometimes human beings make mistakes. No matter how you measure OTIF, when incorrect orders throw a wrench into the works, crowdsourced delivery can help correct them. Whether it’s a same-day or next-day delivery of replacement materials to the job site, quickly making things right for your customer helps their job sites run smoothly. More than that, it builds customer trust when they see that you’re eager to correct mistakes when they happen.
The idea that time is money is truer than ever in construction, but supply chain issues and rising costs are working against construction companies at every turn. Rather than struggling to keep traditional processes in place, incorporating crowdsourced delivery to shorten the last mile is one solution manufacturers, lumberyards, warehouses and construction teams can all benefit from.
Roadie helps make it easy for businesses at all points in the construction supply chain to make same-day delivery a reality, no matter the destination or the item.
Ready to take the next step to smart and fast delivery? Download our white paper to learn how to tap into your warehouse to make ultrafast delivery a reality with Roadie, or visit roadie.com.
