How Do You Grow A Successful Construction Business
Most construction businesses start off fairly small -a few jobs here and there, a good word of mouth recommendation or two – and before you know it, you have a thriving concern that is ready to start expanding and tackling bigger projects. You hire in some more workers, start to do a little marketing, pitch for large-scale jobs, and before you know it you’re running an altogether larger concern. The issue is that although you may be highly experienced in the practical aspects of what you do on a day to day level, growing your company is a whole different set of skills – some of which you may not have had any specific training for, or feel especially comfortable performing. It’s a fact of life that as our businesses evolve, we become further removed from the more operational tasks we loved doing and that made us successful in the first place, and more deeply involved with the strategic running of things. The picture is now much bigger. As leader of a developing company that wants to thrive, you need to put active maintenance to the front of your mind – and that includes actions such as planning for expansion, securing growth funding, and retaining high levels of customer satisfaction. So what are the main areas that you need to prioritise as you try to steer your business to ever greater heights?
Always Give Exceptional Customer Service
What business are you really in? You may think it’s construction services, but really it’s customer service – and the same is true for every other business no matter the sector that they operate in. In today’s super-connected world, no business is an island that operates in isolation. Customers talk – and give less of a service than they’re expecting – and word will soon spread. Your reputation is one of the most valuable tools that you have at your disposal to acquire new business, so you should be very careful about anything which has the potential to damage it. Remember that when you hire contractors into a project, they are representing your business. The customer won’t make any distinction about actual employees or third parties – so make sure that integrity and customer service are at the heart of your thinking when you’re taking people on board for a project. People have long memories when it comes to how they are treated – and keeping them happy is the way to make sure you get valuable repeat business and referrals.
Find A Niche And Make It Yours
The world of construction can be very competitive, so it pays to spend some time thinking about the Unique Selling Points (USPs) your business has to offer. If you have a specialism, don’t be afraid to state it. Too many people worry about trying to cover every single base, but a specialism shows what you can do in depth, without ruling out other types of project. Whether it’s doing loft conversions that add value to a home, or large scale ground-up renovation jobs on older houses, working with businesses to extend their offices or something less tangible like performing high quality work for a lesser price, find the quality that will define your business and set it apart.
Develop Great Relationships
Developing great working relationships – with customers, contractors, suppliers and funders – is at the heart of business success. Excelling at this has the potential to accelerate your business to the next level, if you really put the work into it. It can also put you into a position to negotiate a better deal on items. Start by sourcing specialist suppliers you need to work with it – it could be crane hire from https://www.freogroup.com.au/ or even a web design company that sorts your site out to generate new business. Fill the gaps in your knowledge and equipment with great contacts who can come through and deliver when you need them to.
Spread The Word
You may not consider yourself a marketing expert, but successful marketing is simply about connecting the right message, to the right audience at the right time. You always need one eye on forward thinking when you have an empire to run, and marketing is an absolutely crucial part of this mix, whether you’re aiming to attract new projects, re-sell your services to previous customers or up-sell services to your client base. Developing a brand with it’s own values can help to position your construction firm and fix it in the minds of your customers. Having a basic marketing strategy in place that you can build on will allow you to keep up with developing a pipeline of work and generating fresh leads at the same time as running current projects. This goes hand in hand with providing excellent customer service so that there’s a buzz around your company and your name springs to mind first when people are recommending construction companies.
Plan For The Worst
No one really likes to think about the occasions when things go wrong. But should the worst happen, it can be significantly more challenging if you don’t have suitable cover and arrangements in place. This is especially acute when your daily business involves power tools, heavy machinery and working in someone’s home or office space. There’s a whole world of potential scenarios with damage to good or property or injuries, and a costly lawsuit could easily mean the end of a business – not only from the cost, but the damage to your business reputation. Make sure that you follow best health and safety practice and never cut corners to save time and money – the risks simply aren’t worth it. Making sure you have the best business insurance cover for the construction industry is also hugely important, so if the worst does happen, it won’t be ruinous.
Keep Involved
As your business grows and you take on more staff, it’s imperative that you remain hands on. The demands of the business will gradually take you away from the construction side of things, but making sure you put in a regular appearance at your sites not only gives you a clear picture of what is happening on the ground, but it also allows you to nip any potential issues in the bud before they bloom into bigger, costlier problems. Spend some time with clients getting feedback and addressing any concerns, and they are far more likely to make a personal recommendation of your business. Plus, making it clear you’ll be popping by regularly helps keep workers on their toes.
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