| Customer Service, It is About the Little Things |
| Posted by:cpierce on 3/10/2010 3:21:52 PM | Number of Views:86 | Rating:4.0 out of 5 |
Customer service in a service industry is the key to success. As specialty contractors, the service we provide is sometimes the only thing that makes us different than our competitors. So what is Customer Service? I would have to assume that everyone is doing the big things like answering the phone, being polite, responding when you should respond, wearing appropriate clothing in Customer's offices, etc. I am not sure I would even consider them part of Customer Service an
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| Cost Control is Construction's #2 Rule |
| Posted by:cpierce on 3/8/2010 2:45:44 PM | Number of Views:130 | Rating:5.0 out of 5 |
In Construction the #1 rule is safety. Without the principal of safety, the things we build and the people we employ will not be around once we finish. I hope that fact is not up for debate in 2010, so then the question is what is the second rule of contracting? Cost Control.
This past weekend millions of citizens went to their local Home Depot, Lowes, or other hardware store to purchase a new light fixture, plumbing pipe, or windows. Every one of them doing the work o
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| Best and Final Offer, Are They Ethical? |
| Posted by:cpierce on 3/4/2010 4:32:39 PM | Number of Views:174 | Rating:4.5 out of 5 |
If you have been involved in bidding work you have probably at one point in time been apart of the Best and Final Offer (BAFO) routine. In private work it is typically called "scoping out" the sub numbers. It is a process where you are expected to give your best and final proposal for the work after you have turned in your actual bid number. It may be preceded with a list of questions or changes in the scope of work, but it typically does not involve substantive scope
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| What Makes a Specialty Contractor so Special? |
| Posted by:cpierce on 3/2/2010 3:48:43 PM | Number of Views:184 | Rating:4.5 out of 5 |
In construction there are the general trades and then the infamous specialty subcontractors. Ever think what is so special about the specialty trades? The construction industry is one of the most challenging industries out there to perform well, yet due to regulation and general cultural thought most people believe they can do it.
When it comes to the general trades (excavation, rough carpentry, general drywall, etc), the skill involved in installation is not too specific and most
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| How to Improve Construction Productivity |
| Posted by:cpierce on 2/25/2010 2:34:10 PM | Number of Views:135 | Rating:4.0 out of 5 |
pro·duc·tiv·i·ty (prō'dŭk-tĭv'ĭ-tē, prŏd'ək-) n.
The rate at which goods or services are produced especially output per unit cost of labor. Or if you prefer how much does it cost to install a unit.
For subcontractors this is a very critical item since the majority of our profit is dependent on the productivity rate. It is also much more difficult in construction since the units and the ability to measure are not static, like they would be on an assembly line floor.
En
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| Construction News U Can Use: 2.24.2010 |
| Posted by:cpierce on 2/24/2010 4:29:38 PM | Number of Views:226 | Rating:5.0 out of 5 |
Some of the more interesting news from around the Construction Industry:
Margin Pressure Will Worsen for Nonresidential Contractors
Reed Construction Data is reporting that 2010 looks to be the worst for commercial contractors. With project completions being more than project starts and material and labor costs increasing, profits will be affected.
January’s Construction Starts Rise Led by Commercial Projects
Reed Construction Data is reporting that January's starts have improved f
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| Are Trade Shows a Waste? |
| Posted by:cpierce on 2/23/2010 3:43:22 PM | Number of Views:179 | Rating:4.0 out of 5 |
As spring approaches so does one of the two trade show seasons. With the economy difficult, it begs the question: Should we spend money on attending a trade show? Just a business question my friends. Like any other expenditure it depends on whether you can achieve more value than money you spend. So I guess the real question is what kind of value can you get from a trade show?
Trade shows take place in some good spots (San Diego, Las Vegas, Miami, etc), but there is no
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| Bid Work? Risk Taker, Price Taker! |
| Posted by:cpierce on 2/15/2010 4:10:54 PM | Number of Views:192 | Rating:5.0 out of 5 |
If you are bidding work out there, you are going to be a price taker and not a price setter. In fact throughout the construction industry whether it is bidding, negotiated, time and material, or any other means of procurement you are a price taker and not a price setter. What do I mean by price taker? Someone where their price is dictated by others whereas price setters dictate the price of their good or service.
In competitive markets, the sellers are price takers and not
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| Construction: My Valentine |
| Posted by:cpierce on 2/12/2010 3:28:05 PM | Number of Views:114 | Rating:5.0 out of 5 |
As I sit here and package up chocolates for the wife and hope she got me that hoodie-footie I have been seeing so much on TV, I have been thinking about my 2nd love Construction. It seems like the other 364 days of the year construction gives us plenty of reasons to complain and sometimes hate it, but let's reflect on Valentine's Day all of the reasons we love this dynamic industry.
We build stuff! There is nothing more satisfying to me than utilizing our hands to make something f
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| Treat Construction as a Science |
| Posted by:cpierce on 2/11/2010 3:23:45 PM | Number of Views:165 | Rating:5.0 out of 5 |
Construction is a massive industry and has promoted innovations in tools, equipment, products, and of course the structures that are built. With all of that said it is not hard to state that Construction is a science. Of course to those of us in the industry we would argue that it is also an art form. What I would really like to focus on the is the science part of construction and see if we really treat it like a science.
The dictionary defines science as "sk
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