Construction businesses are arguably one of the most challenging businesses to manage. There are plenty of macro and micro factors that can influence the business’s growth.
Like any other business, you need proper maintenance, effective renovation, and upkeep to manage a construction business effectively. By doing all that, you can ensure success, customer satisfaction, and growth.
How contractors respond to various adverse situations will determine whether your construction business will fail or thrive.
To help you out, we have put together 10 tips on how you can successfully manage your construction business.
1. Use A Lead Management & Generation System
You have to ensure you have the right tools to generate leads. Without the right leads, you will not get offers for projects. Lead generation should be your top priority if you want to ensure growth for your business. You can use two methods for this.
The first one is, using lead generation services. A few of the top services that can do all the challenging tasks for you are Dodge, Construct Connect, Building Connected, and The Blue Book.
The other method is the traditional visiting method. You can use websites or Google Maps to quickly locate your clients, meet them in person, and ask them to add you to their bid list. Your ideal clients are architects, developers, and realtors. You should optimize your google my business (gmb) profile and can hire gmb optimization service to get the best results. Google Business listings get almost 70% of traffic when someone is looking for local businesses.
2. Rely On Automation & Advanced Technology
Aside from estimating software, there are also plenty of construction management software that helps you keep track of inventory, supply chain, lead time, and employee management.
You can also use accounting tools, CRM or customer relationship management systems, and construction management software to keep track of your schedule, clients, contracts, RFIs and change orders. To use one of the best construction management software, visit www.trade-soft.co.uk.
3. Outsource The Estimating Team
Estimating is one of the most time-consuming tasks of the construction business. It is even more difficult when you are just starting out. If you have just started, you will not have a payroll big enough to hire your own estimating team. As such, you can contact staffing firms for employee leasing or hire a professional employer organization (PEO).
Fortunately, you can outsource professional estimating teams at a much lower cost like a Canada PEO. You will not have to worry about giving them space in your office, and you also do not have to supervise their every move.
4. Use Professional Estimating Software
Bidding by hand may be traditional, but it certainly is time-consuming.
If your business is small, then it’s best to outsource the estimating team. In that case, make sure they use the latest tech. But if you are a big company and your team still uses those traditional techniques, then it is time for an upgrade.
You can use estimating software for bidding and pricing. Software like Bluebeam and Planswift are used for bidding. For cost analysis and other financial calculations, use Excel.
5. Hire The Right Team
Remember, you need to be involved and invested in your business, but you also need a trustworthy and capable team to back you up.
Some of the most critical team members are as follows-
A capable project manager
Project managers are experienced in construction principals, costs, understand how construction works, and can handle employees on fieldwork. The best project managers will be able to maximize profit on every project.
You and your project manager together have to ensure the efficiency of the workforce.
A strong sales team
Many construction businesses set up their contractors to pitch clients, which is not that effective.
A dedicated sales team will significantly increase your chances of generating leads. You can send your sales team to meet people and get to know them better. Yes, technology is always helpful, but human interaction is also important.
Trustworthy bookkeepers
To make sure the financial cycle keeps spinning, you need to hire trustworthy and skillful bookkeepers to take care of billing and invoices.
The best customer service providers
Your customer service team will take care of any complaints, provide solutions, assist clients, listen to their needs and make long-term clients through effective communication.
6. Have Long Term Plans Ready
Handling projects and meeting your goals can be challenging, but it’s best to have long-term goals from the beginning of the business. This can help you make a more realistic and feasible plan.
This includes estimating how many clients you will need, how many projects you need to complete, where you want your business to go in ten years, and various other financial aspects, such as choosing to buy bulk gift cards to increase customer loyalty and attract new customers, or even motivate employees.
7. Determine Your Niche
Focusing on a particular niche will help your business grow at a much faster rate. It helps you narrow down clients and provide a specific type of construction service.
This way, your market competition decreases as well as price competitiveness. For instance, if you do restaurant construction, then you have to focus on restaurant owners. If you specialize in office construction, then target corporate leaders.
8. Maintain A Healthy Cash Flow
You can maintain your cash flow by securing credit lines and construction financing. You can get credit lines from private lenders and banks.
You can also take bridge loans to decrease the estimated time period from receiving checks from the clients and work performed.
9. Hire Subcontractors For Financing
You can use subcontractors to finance commercial construction projects. This will help reduce possible risks to your cash flow on the projects.
Most subcontractors also have good connections with suppliers that make financing more manageable, and if you, yourself, are a subcontractor, you can use general contractors and pieceworkers for effective mobilization.
10. Partner Up With Credible Lenders
If you plan on a residential construction business, it’s best to partner up with private lenders or banks who can provide specialized loans for home construction, remodeling, and renovation.
This way, you will get more clients because they will have the chance to take loans and not pay massive amounts upfront.
Final Thoughts
The construction business has lots of layers and needs supervision at every step. Consider the tips and strategies we mentioned above to ensure your company sustains and thrives in the long run.