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By James Brucato

Principle Construction Corp.

Everyone is always looking for an edge; a competitive advantage over their competition.

Considering the current state of the economy, every little advantage helps. These tricks or secrets of the trade are coveted possessions typically held under lock and key, not to be shared with anyone. So when I was approached to write an article that would reveal these little known secrets to success, you could understand my hesitance. With the holiday season approaching my compassionate side compelled me to go ahead and share some of the techniques I have amassed over the years that I have spent in the design/build construction field. I sat down and reflected over the more than 20 years that I have been in the business and compiled a list of little tricks that have lead to our success here at Principle Construction Corp.

As I considered the past, the first little nugget that hit me was the value of “hard work” and “dedication”. These character traits are difficult to find these days and possessing them will differentiate you from the crowd. I look back at the enormous number of hours we put into our work and the correlation it has to success and realized that hard work really is a little gem. The industry we are in is tough, competitive, stressful and can be very complex. No project is ever the same. Each one has its own special needs and nuisances that present a unique opportunity needing to be identified and solved. Uncovering the project criteria and pulling it all together takes hard work and determination. Once you have put in the long hours to clearly define the project criteria a great deal of hard work is required to implement the plan and bring it all together. There is just no way around it, although working smart helps. This leads me to my next tip.

Technology. There has been and will continue to be huge advances in the area of technology in our field. Our access to reams of data has become simplified to such a level that we can take it for granted. Who remembers going to the product literature library in your office, sifting through hundreds of pages of reference materials for hours to find the information you needed? Now, you can hone in on even the most complicated data in minutes, allowing you to work at a highly efficient and effective level. Industry veterans know that this is not a passing fad. I’ll let you in on a little secret; technology is the key and not only is it here to stay, it will continue to advance at lightning speed.

Harnessing its power and using it to your advantage will propel you forward. It not only controls and streamlines how we provide our services and perform our daily jobs, but it also shapes the products we offer. When I started in the construction business I shared a desk with the company’s one and only prized fax machine. It was invaluable and enabled us to literally cut days out of our projects. In order to use the cherished machine, you had to put in for a corporate request, which was reviewed by the board of directors at the next monthly meeting. Once you received approval you were off to the races to transmit and receive data at dial up speed. Things are slightly different now. In less than an hour you can get a full set of building drawings and specifications uploaded to a “ftp site” for every subcontractor, vendor, material supplier and client to view.

You can run “virtual” project management jobsites on the web and gather clients, architects and engineers online for an extremely efficient meeting without ever leaving your office. You can take hundreds of digital photographs to document and share the progress of your project.

What took a week now takes an hour and can be done from a cell phone. And I’m not talking about the infamous “bag phone” or the “brick” phone.

Using technology in conjunction with hard work is a potent formula for success.

Unsurpassed client management is another key to success. If you do what you say you are going to do, on time, on budget, and understand your clients needs while communicating effectively with them, your projects will succeed. When a great deal of emphasis is placed on managing the client as well as managing the actual bricks and sticks of a project, you end up with a very satisfied client. There are myriad tasks that go into winning and completing a project and all too often these can dilute the focus on that single most important element – client satisfaction. A satisfied client is the holy grail of any industry and keeping clients satisfied extends beyond the successful completion of the project. Once you have completed a project, boxed it up for long term storage and are off to the next one, take the time to follow up with those past clients. Check in to evaluate how your solution is working for them. It takes a special breed to balance both the clients’ needs while controlling the projects tasks. But once you master it, repeat business and referral work will come your way.

Expertise is hidden gem. Staying current with the advancements in your field is of the utmost importance. Clients demand expertise and the product  is continually evolving. Building systems continue to become more sophisticated, products are progressing rapidly, economic pressures are mounting and the needs of our clients are ever increasing. You need to be on top of the latest developments in order to stay ahead of your competition and satisfy your client’s needs. Due to the complex nature and high dollar value of the product we provide, client confidence is supremely important. So think twice the next time you want to skip that seminar or can’t find time to read that industry article, it will pay dividends.

Ingenuity is another well protected trade secret. In today’s ultra competitive marketplace you need to be the one that comes up with the best mousetrap for each project. Deriving a way to shave off a month from a project schedule, figuring out a way to more effectively use a landsite or implementing a more efficient construction technique is a sure way to set you apart. It is key to uncover these opportunities early in the project where they can generate the greatest return. But don’t overlook the many opportunities that exist throughout the entire life of the project.

My final trick of the trade is providing value for your clients. Providing true tangible value will win the deal every time. Who doesn’t want the most for their money? Be careful though, because this is often confused with low cost. A low price that does not solve the entire problem is of no value. Providing the complete scope of services at the lowest possible cost is real value. Often, clients are unclear as to what it is they really need. It is your job to find that solution with them so they can make a solid value decision based on fact. You also need to be able to educate your clients on the product and services you provide. Draw upon your expertise to demonstrate why a client should select you for the job.

I have to apologize, as I am sure you all were expecting me to reveal some well guarded secrets that would make what we do simple, putting you on the easy road to success. I am sorry to inform you that there are no “tricks” to what we do or how we do it. It comes down to what we all have known since we started in this business. Hard work, determination, effective use of technology, ingenuity, client satisfaction and providing value are the keys to success. And, in order to succeed it takes 110 percent of all these components, not just a splash of one or a bit of another. As we approach the close of yet another year, look back and ask yourself if you really deployed these tactics, or, if you just looked for some tricks to get you through. If you didn’t, give them a try and you will be amazed.

Tags | Chicago, industrial, Principle Construction Corp

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