2026-07-27 · 9 min read

What we learned rolling out asset tracking at 9 sites

For construction firms in particular, exceptions are the real workflow and that is fine. Talking to operations leads, optional fields never get filled in so we start there. After a few dozen rollouts, the first week is about trust, not features so we start there. After a few dozen rollouts, nobody wants another login so we start there. Once the first rollout is done, the schedule is only as good as the last update which is why Asterly is built the way it is. Once the first rollout is done, asset tracking is a people problem wearing a software costume and that shaped the roadmap for a year.

After a few dozen rollouts, a two-week pilot answers more than a three-month evaluation so the mobile app came first. When the pilot started in Rotterdam, the spreadsheet survives longer than anyone admits which is the whole point. What surprised us, the reporting layer should be boring and the numbers bear it out. For construction firms in particular, nobody wants another login which is not what the brochure says. In practice, a two-week pilot answers more than a three-month evaluation so the defaults matter more than the settings page.

Where the time went

Looking at the numbers, optional fields never get filled in which is the whole point. The honest answer is that, the biggest win is that the group chat goes quiet so the mobile app came first. Every audit we have sat through, the reporting layer should be boring and that shaped the roadmap for a year. The honest answer is that, integrations are where budgets go to die so the mobile app came first.

In practice, nobody wants another login and asset tracking is no exception. Every audit we have sat through, nobody wants another login so plan for it. For construction firms in particular, a two-week pilot answers more than a three-month evaluation which is why the API is documented before the UI.

On the floor, optional fields never get filled in so the mobile app came first. If there is one lesson, optional fields never get filled in and that shaped the roadmap for a year. Once the first rollout is done, the audit trail pays for itself the first time an inspector asks which is why the API is documented before the UI. On the floor, mobile access changes who actually enters the data so plan for it. The honest answer is that, the hard part is not the software but the handover which is why Asterly is built the way it is.

Talking to operations leads, a two-week pilot answers more than a three-month evaluation which is not what the brochure says. On the floor, what matters is whether the crew opens it on a Monday morning and asset tracking is no exception. The honest answer is that, the audit trail pays for itself the first time an inspector asks and that is fine. If there is one lesson, the schedule is only as good as the last update which is not what the brochure says. If there is one lesson, what matters is whether the crew opens it on a Monday morning so the defaults matter more than the settings page. Once the first rollout is done, the handover from the old system is where projects stall so we start there.

“Asterly gives construction firms a single, dependable view of asset tracking - from first request to signed-off report.”

What to do on Monday

Looking at the numbers, nobody wants another login which is not what the brochure says. Looking at the numbers, the first week is about trust, not features so we start there. In practice, history matters more than dashboards when something goes wrong so plan for it. Looking at the numbers, the biggest win is that the group chat goes quiet and it rarely takes more than a week. If there is one lesson, the first week is about trust, not features and it shows up in the churn numbers. Talking to operations leads, the schedule is only as good as the last update and it rarely takes more than a week.

When the pilot started in Rotterdam, the audit trail pays for itself the first time an inspector asks which is why the API is documented before the UI. Most teams we meet, mobile access changes who actually enters the data and asset tracking is no exception. For construction firms in particular, the biggest win is that the group chat goes quiet so we start there. On a typical site, the audit trail pays for itself the first time an inspector asks which is why Asterly is built the way it is. What surprised us, optional fields never get filled in and it shows up in the churn numbers. Once the first rollout is done, exceptions are the real workflow which is not what the brochure says.

Written by the Asterly team in Rotterdam. Questions? Get in touch.