Delivery - FREEBIE

10 FREE Tips & tactics to improve the quality of your delivery (free excerpt)

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HOW SUCCESSFUL CONTRACTORS DELIVER PROJECTS

WHY SHOULD YOU BOTHER READING THIS?

Just in Case You’re Wondering…... Who made this? A team of construction people, with years of experience of growing construction businesses and managing millions of pounds of client-side projects. Do I have to read the lot? No. You can do as you please. You’ll be getting tips and tactics from the first few pages. It just depends on how much you want.

96%

of businesses believe they get real, immediate benefit from investing in process improvements. Source - Capgemini via The Telegraph, March 2017

How Successful Contractors Deliver Projects - Tips & Tactics to Improve the Quality of Delivery

Starting a Project First impressions count. Help gain your clients' trust by building confidence in your abilities from the outset. Don't create an uphill battle for yourself, spend the time to perfect how your business starts a project.

Getting Started Right Successful contractors are continuously refining all elements of their business, but the delivery of work is one which immediately sets them apart in the eyes of their clients. The quality of your work is not just the finished product but how this product is delivered - the journey for your client is just as important as the destination! A strong and consistent approach to starting your projects will ensure the following: Client trust and confidence in your abilities begins to develop - creating an increasing credibility around your business and the likelihood of repeat business.

Remember, it's a marathon not a sprint. Whilst getting out of the starting blocks is important rushing and not considering how you're going to pace yourself is a disaster waiting to happen. Think about the road in front of you, try not to run up against your problems and start right. The following section provides tips and tactics used by successful contractors during the preconstruction period and the initial stages of a project.

A clear set of objectives and expectations for your team which will improve both team and individual performance. Slack & flexibility within the programme, which becomes invaluable as the project progresses. Cost savings - A more efficient and effective approach to the scheme will reduce waste and ensure optimum delivery conditions are created without unnecessary time pressures.

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Understanding Your Client

First Impressions Count

Creating the perfect conditions for a successful project starts long before you arrive on site. Demonstrating that you understand the demands of the project and your clients' business will create trust and confidence in your abilities.

Operating in a professional manner through all your activities is key to developing client relationships. You need to ensure that all employees and members of the project team understand that they are representing your company!

Your company's understanding of the client's project requirements and the needs of their business should be clearly communicated in the tender return or proposal; this will set you apart from the pack. Supplement your return with case studies and practical examples of how you've added value in similar projects.

When wearing your company clothing or driving a company vehicle they need to conduct themselves with professionalism and integrity. Remember, how they conduct themselves is a reflection on your business!

Do not undervalue your own experience and expertise. Your ability to think ahead and provide solutions for potential issues is invaluable to a client and their business. Make sure you communicate this wherever possible and carve out a positive image for your company from the outset. Think about the sector which the end-client operates within and think about their clients. If your organisation demonstrates this level of understanding, it will be immediately evident that you care about their business and customer needs.

This can be communicated in a number of ways through short (but) regular weekly workshops and employee conduct guidelines. How do you want your clients or prospective clients to perceive you? When you're starting a project - how you setup your site is effectively your shop window. If you're not presenting a professional image early in the scheme, doubts over the quality of your final product may be begin to arise.

A simple checklist Understand your clients business and/or that of the end-client. Demonstrate your knowledge and expertise from Case studies and testimonials. Ensure your employees understand what is expected of them and to abide by the company's rules and expectations. Make your client look good and they'll look after you.

Get your site setup looking sharp! Look tidy, look organised and be self contained. Create a company-wide standardised 'site setup' manual so all sites are setup consistently.

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Stakeholders - Make Yourself Known The term 'client' can often be an umbrella term and generally refers to a broad range of people within the client organisation but doesn't necessarily capture all the influential people within the project. Stakeholders are generally referred to as "any one who has an interest or concern within a project". These can be a mixture of both external and internal stakeholders with a mixed range of influence and power. Understanding the stakeholders within a project can be an invaluable exercise (see stakeholder mapping), as it allows your project members to focus their attention on managing certain individuals and their expectations. When certain situations arise on a project or you encounter issues, your project team will understand which stakeholders they need to consult and/or inform to make sure minimal disruption is caused. If an issue is stopped in its infancy through effective communication any potential repercussions are reduced. Have your project team introduce themselves to the various stakeholders and build relationships. Whether this is 'the client team'

or a local neighbour to the project - making yourself known to these individuals can help create a smoother ride throughout the project. For example, the nature of construction works often creates noise on the project and this can be disruptive to local residents. Undertaking these works without informing them would create animosity. Keep stakeholders engaged and informed and the repercussions will be minimised. For example, use a letter drop to keep people updated with site developments.

Create 'Raging Fans' Managing and engaging with stakeholders should be actively encouraged within your organisation. Not only does it reduce project disruption but it also expands your sphere of influence and can actively create marketing opportunities through public relations. Positive feedback on how you manage situations will go a long way to promoting your organisation in wider circles. Construction businesses have a poor reputation for weak communication - go against the grain by creating 'raging fans' rather than enemies by calendarising face-to-face meetings at key intervals.

A simple checklist Create a stakeholder map - contact Contractors Club for support & advice on this. Consider who the stakeholders are within a project and their power / influence. Introduce yourself / your team to various stakeholders and build relationships. Keep stakeholders informed throughout the project. Use the positive relationships that your business develops during a project for marketing purposes - get them to tell people about you!

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How Successful Contractors Deliver Projects - Tips & Tactics to improve the Quality of Delivery

Maintaining Pace - The Construction Phase Every project is different but successful contractors understand the importance of approaching each project with a consistent mindset. Setting a pace for your project team with the right preparation will ensure your performance doesn't drop as the scheme progresses.

Maintaining the Pace Setting up all your projects in a consistent manner and creating the right structure around how you deliver your schemes will become evident as you progress through the construction period. Planning and preparation ensure that your team understands what needs to be done at which points and by whom. Construction does have a tendency to throw up variables - it's just the nature of the industry! However, building a team that can adapt to different situations and solve problems through foresight is invaluable. The following section lists tips and tactics that are used to improve performance throughout the construction phase of the project.

A strong and consistent approach during the construction period will ensure the following: The creation of a project environment which everyone is proud to be apart of from both clients and employee perspectives. It provides for a more memorable (positive) experience for your client and helps build lasting relationships. Maintains a strong health & safety record for your business - one which you can be proud to stand behind. The quality of your finished products will increase as a more considered approach is taken by removing the haste! Become the contractor of choice. Financial benefits are achieved by reducing costs associated with defects and effective use of resource and time. Build retained knowledge amongst your team. Projects that are delivered in a considered manner allow an environment where tensions and unnecessary pressures are removed.

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Keep Compliant We all know the mention of 'Health & Safety' is generally met with groans across sites. The bureaucracy that surrounds the theme has left a lot of the industry unclear as to what is actually expected of them - rather than what is simply false reporting. Despite this, keeping people safe and remaining compliant should take primary importance at all times. Successful contractors understand the importance of maintaining standards and continually looking to improve their performance. Not only should the health and well being of your team/employees be of primary importance anyway - but it also makes excellent business sense. Creating a structure and clear processes for the management of your business' health & safety practices is ideal. Remember, it's not about 'what you can get away with', but it's about making sure that everyone gets home at the end of everyday. The financial benefits of maintaining a clean record are high as well. Most clients now will want to understand your H&S history. If there are any 'black marks' against your name, the chances of them looking to alternative contractors dramatically

increases. Our research into clients found that many client organisations are likely to reject a tender if they discover a contractor has received an improvement notice within the last 2 years and has failed to put in place appropriate responses. This part of the document does not intend to give you a A-Z of H&S requirements - but you may want to ask yourself some of the following questions: Is your documentation up to date? Does it take account of any changes in legislation? Are your documents reflective of the work you're undertaking? Do you undertake regular audits of your sites to make sure your teams are working safely? Who is responsible for issuing & actioning your company's H&S reports?

A simple checklist Instil a strong culture of good Health & Safety practice throughout your business. Health & Safety is everyone's responsibility. Don't scare potential clients away - a clean bill of health makes financial sense and helps secure work. Ensure you have a process for checking and reporting on your businesses H&S practices. Keep your employees training and training records up to date.

Have you kept your teams training up to date?

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Keep Compliant (Cont)

Tool Box Talks

If the answers to any of the above questions are 'no' then it's more than likely you're leaving yourself and your business exposed. Whilst the construction industry has worked hard over the past few decades to improve practices and increase standards, it still remains one of the highest contributors of workplace accidents due to high-risk activities. Don't let your organisation become part of the statistics.

One way of keeping site information up to date is to undertake regular tool box talks. These can be undertaken weekly by your supervisors to the rest of your team. Try and choose a topic which is reflective of the activities on site. The forum also allows the team/site personnel to raise any concerns they have regarding current works or issues they have noted around site.

Inductions

Display Important Information

The top contractors introduce their team and suppliers to site with a comprehensive induction.

The best contractors understand the importance of a clear and professional health and safety presence on site.

Make sure your inductions are adapted to each individual site - equally, make sure the induction is updated as the scheme progresses.

This can be as simple as a visitor notice board which displays all the necessary information relating to insurances, points of contact and site activities.

It's important that the induction is engaging, try and make sure participants are asked questions to test their ability to understand what is being communicated.

This information provides an accessible method for providing the most up to date information.

Finally, provide the opportunity for questions to be asked as you may get more value from greater levels of input and engagement.

A good example would be 'today's activities' which clearly informs all site personnel what is happening in their surrounding environment for the day ahead.

A simple checklist Inductions should give site personnel a strong understanding of site arrangements and practices. Tool box talks are a good method for keeping site information 'fresh' and current in the minds of personnel. Create forums where people can speak and raise their concerns. Display your essential information clearly and make it easily accessible. Keep people informed - get everyone communicating!

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Project Completion Finishing Strong & The Extra Mile Regardless of your organisation's size, the old saying "you're only as good as your last job" has never rang more true. Finishing strong and leaving a positive memory in the mind of your client is critical don't fall at the final hurdle!

Finishing Strong Successful contractors understand that consistency at all stages of the project is key to maintaining their excellent reputation. The final stages of a project highlight weaknesses in under-performance as timescales become constrained. The more experienced contractors are able to maintain composure in high-pressured environments - ensuring that the quality of the project is not compromised.

A strong and consistent approach to finishing your projects will ensure the following: You separate your company from competitors in the eyes of your clients. The construction industry is full of contractors who 'fall away' in the final stages. The likelihood of repeat custom is significantly increased. The chances of referrals are also increased as your clients act as 'raging fans'. Helping to expand your client-base and secure your businesses future. Team members understand the importance of maintaining consistency throughout the scheme and produce a quality end product that your organisation can stand behind. Use the quality product as a marketing tool - having your clients speak highly of your consistency from start to end with demonstrable quality.

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Managing the Handover

Snags and Defects

The process of handing over the finished project to the client should be an enjoyable experience.

A common frustration with clients at the end of the job surrounds the quality of the finished product. Offering up the scheme to be 'snagged' or checked by the client when it isn't ready - can be a fatal error. Make sure you're implementing your quality checks rigorously to all elements of the scheme so that you do not give yourself a mountain to climb in the final stages.

Thousands of hours of planning and physical labour have gone into the delivery of this product - your company should bask in what has been achieved. However, this period can be undermined when the final elements of the project do not meet the expectations of the client, nor live up to the promises made during the early stages of the project. The handover process in itself should be looked upon as a work activity - nobody walks away until these items are complete. Some organisations dedicate a specific resource to these final stages to ensure the lasting memory of your organisation is a positive one. Others provide handover memoirs such as photographic records of the scheme in development by way of a memorable act.

These should be built into an internal programme so that all team members are aware of their obligations well in advance of the required date. The 'snagging' process should be comprehensively completed by the contractor and then offered to the client for inspection. Agreeing timescales with the client to rectify any defects found during the snagging process will concentrate the minds of all team members. Payment and/or practical completion (PC) are often delayed if the gravity of the outstanding works are too great to simply put aside. Be proud of your finished product - remind your team its not about what we can 'get away with'.

A simple checklist Create a clear and structured handover process, so all team members understand what is expected of them and when! Do not offer the scheme for final inspection if it's not ready - it will only cause embarrassment. Agree timescales with your team and the client surrounding rectification of works - this will focus everyone's mind. Where required - create a commissioning process and build it into the programme. Again, a dedicated resource for this process is a smart move. 10


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