Zepth is composed of a host of cutting-edge technologies and features.

Prasoon Shrivastava, Founder & CEO, Zepth

Zepth is a one-of-its-kind solution enabling one to identify risks, analyse cost exposures and map all delays with tools tailored for owners, contractors and consultants. It helps solve persistent problems in a very niche industry like construction where productivity growth has remained stagnant for two decades. “Zepth streamlines and enhances productivity for each aspect of projects, from preconstruction, site management, health and safety, document management, RFIs and reporting,” says Prasoon Shrivastava, Founder & CEO, Zepth. Excerpts from the interview…

How do you assess the evolution of the operational dynamics of the construction industry, especially the integration of processes for different teams and stakeholders?

The construction industry has been lagging considerably in both delivering as committed and the adoption of new technologies but post the initial Covid disruption; the restriction of movement and gatherings; a lot of businesses in the industry have been forced to go digital. From documentation to collaboration, there has been a massive shift towards tech adoption in an industry dogged by legacy systems and processes.

In the coming years, there would be a dramatic acceleration in this transformation towards paperless projects with optimistic tech adoption and implementation, right from project inception to completion. The tech push was long overdue for the industry given the ever-shrinking profit margins, fading delivery confidence and the overall global economic volatility. In fact, as per McKinsey, the industry is bleeding $1.6 trillion annually owing to mismanagement and inefficiency, all the while being unable to deliver the infrastructure and the housing that the world needs.

Integrated digital project delivery will take the industry forward with enhanced transparency and accountability throughout the project team pyramid, whether on-site or off-site, while simultaneously tracking and alerting about any discrepancies. Modular construction like prefabrication, 3D-printing etc. have also been gaining continuous momentum and can also substantially reduce the action and load from the jobsite, further enabling teams to deliver projects on budget, schedule and quality.

How critical is the adoption of various disruptive technologies / software solutions and what contributory role Zepth is playing in this space? 

Construction projects are inherently complex where innumerable parts and people must work in absolute harmony for a stipulated amount of time to deliver a unique endeavour in circumstances that won't be the same for any other project. Delays, mistakes and changes in even the smallest of pieces and processes can have a drastic butterfly effect that can and does break projects at times. External market factors, highly competitive bidding and ever-increasing project complexities have made it quite challenging to deliver projects as committed.

At a micro level, the industry is lagging due to poor budget management, and quality is compromised due to poor tracking systems, while less transparency allows scope for more disputes. Each of these factors has a domino effect on the iron triangle of the project, resulting in 9 out of 10 megaprojects going over budget. The industry must revisit, review and revise how projects are viewed, managed and delivered for a viable and sustainable system.

Tech innovation at breakneck speed is spearheading the transformation in all the sectors, in construction, the pool is very limited with a host of shortcomings; steep price point, nascent technologies, absence of best practices and processes etc.

At Zepth, we are able to create a next-generation construction management platform which offers end-to-end management while still being affordable. Zepth is an intelligent software that integrates processes and people over the entire lifecycle of a project, from the initial planning and design stages to commissioning. It is simple, intuitive, and a compelling user experience that enables adoption and swift migration across multiple levels within teams. With the help and feedback from industry leaders, we have been able to integrate the best global industry practices, which is also being appreciated by our users.

Zepth's digital delivery is genuinely transformational. It revolutionises the way project teams design and build environments, enabling them to not only manage long-standing productivity challenges of the design and construction industry, but also, crucially deliver buildings that are exceptional, smarter, and built at an accelerated pace to meet the demands of the future. 

Being a very late entrant in this space, what do you think the major challenges in creating a footprint in an already clouded space?

We are not a late entrant in the space; in fact, we are the next generation for construction management software. We have truly created best in class and easy to use product which can handle any scale of projects. We are constantly adding layers of intelligence, and we aim to become the most intelligent tool globally.

Could you throw some light on couple of tech-enabled tools from your stable that you are excited about?

Zepth is composed of a host of cutting-edge technologies and features like a multi-channel intelligent virtual assistant Zi Commercial Manager, BIM integration, automated reporting etc. but I do have an inclination towards:

- Drone Deployment: Our 3D Reality capture through drone deployment for creating 3D models of the site which can be exported to any BIM platform. It enables designers and site project managers to extract valuable information as compared to a simple drone fly past.

- Cost Control: Project Cost Control helps project teams achieve business objectives on time and within budget. It involves tracking and measuring financial variances from the project cost baseline and enables to control the costs of the project by carefully planning a suitable budget, monitoring activities and finding solutions to any shortfalls or anticipations.

Brief us on any project where your solutions have been used and the techno-commercial benefits of the same? 

One of the projects where Zepth has been deployed at is Anichi Resort & Spa- a Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel in West Indies. The 160 million dollar project is utilising Zepth for cost control which is very crucial for a site located on an island where most of the project requisites like material, labour etc. are all imported, and the tool continues to ensure that all contracts are able to deliver within the budgeted time frame.

With the advent of IoT, Big Data Analytics, AI, AR /VR etc, how do you envision the future trends?  

We are already using machine learning-based assistant 'Zi' across all modules to deliver key project information while with the drone deployment, we are facilitating reality 3D capture. In future, we hope to translate the 3Dcapture through mobile devices and enable the use of AR/VR for BIM models review and collaborations.

What was the impact of the pandemic on the industry as a whole and on your business performance?

The pandemic has been a favourable situation for Zepth growth as the construction industry rapidly shifted towards digitisation, and we are noticing more and more inquiries from India and the Middle East.

What are your core strengths and competencies and why should a customer opt for your solutions?

Zepth streamlines and enhances productivity for each aspect of projects, from preconstruction, site management, health and safety, document management, RFIs and reporting. The integrated software utilises the current project data to help make informed decisions, predict future outcomes and match job
progress with the project costs. With cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, drone mapping, and sensors can also highly enhance site productivity while making them more safe and quality compliant. Zepth also enables project teams to effortlessly document and log all the information that they process, capture and communicate. Other Zepth USPs are: easy to use, best in class, best industry practices, cost-effective, and strong support and training modules.

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