From Surviving to Thriving: Managing Inspections in the Age of Covid-19

As an expert equipment inspector focusing on the offshore, renewable or construction industries, there are strict requirements on how to perform and document your inspections. The global Covid-19 pandemic has brought even more attention to conducting your inspections thoroughly and efficiently while maintaining seamless communication with your customers.

Through this, one major question arises, how can offshore, renewable or construction related businesses thrive in the age of Covid-19? How can opportunities be utilized in a difficult marketplace which allow businesses to thrive and not simply survive during a period of uncertainty?

Global consultancy firm McKinsey notes that businesses should re-imagine their business model in order to come back stronger post Covid-19. While McKinsey highlights four strategic themes, one theme, accelerating the adoption of digital solutions, as it relates to managing inspections is one of the most important things to focus on.

Here are four key elements to accelerating the adoption of digital solutions and why your inspection business should be focusing on this now.

Refocus digital efforts to reflect changing customer expectations
For inspectors, attention must be paid to digital solutions which meet the customer’s expectations. These digital solutions can facilitate paperless interaction, registering and tracking customers equipment electronically and issuing complete inspection reports electronically. This data should be easily shared with others in the organization.

Use data, Internet of Things, and AI to better manage operations
Enabling real-time decision making with instant data availability is key when considering asset management or other aspects of operations management. These efforts provide efficiency in registering and administering paperwork, providing thorough and accurate documentation with instant availability and a complete equipment registry. Executing and completing inspections offline are other considerations.

Accelerate tech modernization
Increasing IT productivity reduces expenditures and makes them variable. Using technology to refine resource allocation means money in the right place on the right thing. Cloud technologies and solutions increase operational flexibility and provide a bridge in decommissioning legacy infrastructure. Data security though cloud-based solutions offer even more flexibility.

Increase the speed and productivity of digital solutions
Inspectors play a role in operational readiness but to thrive, the role the inspector plays in the value chain is just the beginning. How can the work of the inspector help organizations thrive in a difficult marketplace, during an uncertain time – and at scale? When that work is levied on a digital platform optimized for other stakeholders in the value chain as well. Emphasis should be placed on a solution which fosters collaboration synergies for equipment owners, suppliers and inspectors.

Thriving in a difficult marketplace, during an uncertain time – and at scale is challenging for even the most agile organizations. Inspectors must set an ambitious digital agenda and deliver it quickly, in months not years, if their businesses want to come back strong after the pandemic.