As a principal of a small geotech firm and the VP responsible for technology, I had a problem. Our CMET data collection processes were very inefficient and our report turnaround was what I considered slow.Typical report distribution to the client was a week. Sure, we’d notify them quickly if there was an issue but a week in the construction schedule can be forever. My first boss told me “Failing tests are the contractors problem. Failing tests not reported quickly are our problem.”

The problem is — exchanging paper between two to three people (tech, admin, pm) takes time.

I’d watch the FedEx guy walk in, have me sign for a package, and the sender be notified immediately that I had received the package and they could see my signature. I knew the technology had to be available but I couldn’t make the available technology fit.

I tried Palm Pilots, Window Mobile devices, and of course laptop computers but none of those were working in the field. I looked at the available software packages for geotechnical “Information Management Systems” but they were all very costly, bloated, or just plain difficult and no fun to use.

I remember clearly the fatefull day – January 27, 2010. Steve Jobs was announcing a revolutionary new product in one of his fantastical keynotes. [sidebar: as a periodic presenter at conferences, I often watched his keynotes to pick up a tidbit or two] When Steve showed the world the iPad®, I said to myself “This is it! This is the device I have been waiting for! It’s the perfect form factor for field use and with the usability of the iPhone, data entry via an app will revolutionize field data collection.”

We sold our geotech firm in 2009 and shortly after I set out to build the CMET mobile data collection and management software I always wished I had.  I’ve put my 18+ years of experience managing projects, dealing with technicians and contractors, and handling paperwork into a software that eases the pain.

We’ve built an easy to use, simple but very effective data collection and management software. It won’t mop the floors and clean the toilets for you but it does what it sets out to do very efficiently, and effectively. I think if you’ll try it out, you’ll realize this is a better way.

Rest assured, the big boy geotech firms are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on developing custom software to improve their data collection efficiency, report turnaround, and thus client service.

If you’re not on the road to implementing mobile technology to empower your technicians with information and make them more efficient, you’re losing ground to those who are.

I hope you’ll try Q-Scribe out. You’ve got nothing to lose and a great deal to gain. Sign up for a 30 day trial and start down the path to CMET data nirvana.

Also be sure to subscribe to my periodic informative emails where I’ll keep you informed on the status of Q-Scribe and share tips for using the iPad to empower your technicians.

If you are a user of Q-Scribe, I’d love to hear from you to know how Q-Scribe is making you more efficient and your life easier. Drop me a line. Heck, I might even buy you a cup of coffee.