More general contractors are using the Web not only as a marketing tool, but as a project management device. The same can be said of local contractors. Those few think the possibilities the Internet offers them are unlimited and are paving the way to make their sites an interactive communication tool. They envision a time when their Web sites will be a home away from home for managers overseeing projects located hundreds of miles away from the home office. But just a few are planning to use the Web for anything more than a promotional device.
Officials admit their industry has been slow to incorporate the Internet into their operations.
According to Engineering News-Record, a trade magazine, the construction industry is ranked 87th in adapting to new technology. It's a statistic of which industry officials are well aware. Day says the biggest barrier to general contractors and the Internet is their size. As more contractors adapt the Internet into their daily operations, competition will demand those smaller firms use the Internet as part of their business strategy, Day adds. And the Internet offers contractors lots of opportunities.