The construction industry is not one of the easiest ones to work in, but it can be one of the most lucrative. But it’s not enough to do good work. Your team has to have a strong foundation. It needs access to partners and resources than can improve and broaden the work it can do. It needs a brand that never fails to bring in leads. It needs a team thoroughly behind its goals.
Good contacts go a long way
So often, contacts are the make-or-break factor that could have you accepting a new job or having to pass on it entirely. More of your time should be spent attending networking events and construction conferences . Not only will you be likely to find potential talent for the team. You’ll get in touch with suppliers, sub-contractors, machinery rental businesses and many more people. These are the people you need on your side when a job requires more than your team alone would be able to handle.
Professional at first glance
Naturally, you have to be getting the leads in before you can close on them. To that end, you have to think about the brand of the business. If your business doesn’t have a recognizable presence, such as branded vehicles, a front office or a general contractor website then you are going to be missing a lot of potential organic leads that could be easier to close than having to hunt them all down yourself. Lacking that professional sheen is going to put plenty of leads off doing business with you, as well.
Think like a client
Good branding isn’t enough, of course. People need to see you can do the work you’re talking about before they entrust their cash to you. To that end, you need to think about what people want to see when hiring contractors . Evidence, whether it be testimonials or a portfolio. An easy method of obtaining quotes. A focus on the services and the qualifications acquired to do those services. Assurances of safe practices on the job. People don’t expect you to work for free, but if they can see that your focus is primarily making money instead of thinking about your customers, then they have one fewer reason to trust your crew.
Your workers are your backbone
We’ve already mentioned ways to source the talent you welcome onto the team. But caring for that team is essential if you want a crew that runs as smoothly as possible. Subcontractors are useful but they might not be as reliable as a crew of real employees. Make sure their rights and needs are taken care of, from pay and HR to safety and ensuring job satisfaction. Construction work is demanding enough. You don’t want to make it more demanding by being a bad boss. The most talented and qualified members of your team will recognize it and take their valuable skills to your competitors instead.
Running a construction crew isn’t just about working on the job. It’s about working on the business as well. If you want to take a step up from working in the company to running one, then you have to make sure you’re ready for the responsibilities involved.
Maria Fonseca is the Editor and Infographic Artist for IntelligentHQ. She is also a thought leader writing about social innovation, sharing economy, social business, and the commons. Aside her work for IntelligentHQ, Maria Fonseca is a visual artist and filmmaker that has exhibited widely in international events such as Manifesta 5, Sao Paulo Biennial, Photo Espana, Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Joshibi University and many others. She concluded her PhD on essayistic filmmaking , taken at University of Westminster in London and is preparing her post doc that will explore the links between creativity and the sharing economy.