When times are good, the construction industry booms with new builds and big projects. When times get rough and recovery is on the cards, construction companies focus on renovations and extensions. So, good or bad, the marketplace is almost always fierce, and when competition is high it can be something as simple as a reputation that can make or break you.
A good reputation is the key to building a successful construction business, but in order to maintain a good reputation, you need to know what impacts it too. Read on to see some of the most important things to factor in.
Not Delivering On Time
Construction companies often win a project based on how quickly they can deliver, and aligning it with the customer’s wants and needs. For that service, the customer usually pays a premium because, well, time is money. The sooner you get the project finished, the sooner the customer can sell, lease, rent or move into it; so fail them here - fail to keep to the time frame you yourself outlay - is going to cost your reputation dearly and see your business crumble. After all, an unhappy customer isn’t going to recommend you, and that is what this industry is built on.
Running A Risk On Health
A poor safety record is going to run you into the ground quicker than you can ever realise, which is why it is so important to invest in the right training. What’s more, it is worth offering specialised training to, such as OSHA training, plant operations or tunnelling. That is where scrutinising a manager’s health and safety record comes in, and why you should offer a bonus to them on the condition no incidents occur. Accidents don’t just crush reputations either, accidents also create a lot of work - investigations and written reports etc. - all of which will go on your file should a client decide to look before hiring you.
Honesty Is The Best Policy
One of the most damaging things to your reputation is dishonesty. It doesn’t matter whether it is dishonesty from you or one of your contractors, any dishonesty will make you look like a cowboy builder, and you don’t want that rumour circulating because of a little white lie. So always be honest. Be honest about a late delivery, about a mistake, about a cost, about an issue; about everything. If you get caught being dishonest about just one thing the client will start to wonder what else you have been dishonest about, and that will mainly come down to how much you have charged them.
Quality Over Quantity
There is a reason why most clients and customers are willing to pay a premium for the very best quality they can get their hands on. In the construction game, you’re building things that will be around for a very, very long time. Or at least that is the hope. That means your customer will want the highest quality when it comes to tradesmen, materials, products and just about everything else you can think of. Quality is the key to building a good reputation because value is far more important to people than cheap. Trust us on that one.
