Tag Archives: Construction Companies

Use internet to promote your construction business

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

We are living in the age where businesses are conducted online. All kinds of presentations and business meetings happen on the internet. You meet your clients once personally and then whenever you need to meet them again you can do that online. This saves a lot of your time as well as of your clients’. The advent of internet has taken the world in a new dimension from where most of the things are done without the physical presence of the person at a particular position.

This mean that you can conduct a business meeting while you are holidaying at Hawaii and can also take important decisions without being present in the office. All you need to do is ask all the head of departments to join a video call where you will be updating your people about the decision and simultaneously put it on papers and fax/email it back to them. There is one more thing we can do without any hindrance on the net and that is to promote our business online. Well, you can only promote a business that are ethical and lawful in the eyes of the law of the land but that is still a possibility.

This avenue has been widely used by construction companies all over the world. They are using internet as a tool to spread their message to a large number of crowd at a time and are also getting overwhelming response in terms of people calling them up to know what their business has for them. It makes a lot of sense for the new construction companies to make use of internet to promote their business online and get recognition of people from all walks of life. Starting to promote a construction business is quite simple.

It all starts from your website:-

We live in a world where your identity is your website address. Well not literally but substantially. You have any kind of business but a website for your business comes first before anything. People give more stress of designing an interesting website for their company which looks simple and yet attractive. The web page has to be catchy. It should instantly catch the attention of the person going through it and he should find the contents in it to be interesting or else he/she may not take long to close the window and move to the website of your competitor.

Send mass emails:-

If you construct apartments or condominiums or houses and then sell it to the purchaser then it makes lot of sense for you to inform people about your project. This will allow them to pay a visit to your jobsite and check the progress of the work and then accordingly book their apartments. All that you have to do is send emails to people at random. You can perhaps target people from a specific income group. You will not mention much in the email, just few facts about your existing project and how convenient and comfortable it will be for people who buy the property. Rest you can provide your office number where they can call your company and fix a date to see the jobsite. Your work is done. Soon the footfall will increase and that is a good sign for your business.

The highs and lows of heavy equipment salesperson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

A salesman in general goes through a number of highs and lows in his career but what keeps him going is his sheer will to change the tide and resurface as a winner. Heavy equipment salesman also experience similar type of difficulties but certainly of different magnitude. Since he is dealing with high priced products selling them quite often is not a simple task. He may encounter many challenges that a salesperson of a low priced commodity does not have to face. His challenges may come in different forms and shapes and in order to tackle them all he requires motivation from people doing similar job or from people who are his peers. Other than that, the current market condition also plays a major role in the sale of heavy equipment commodities. For instance, if the entire construction industry is not doing well, it also becomes difficult for the salesperson to make any sale. People are not getting much benefit from the industry and most of them are waiting for things to change.

This is perhaps one such occasion when heavy equipment salesperson is really vulnerable and they are forced to take up selling other things. Some get into selling vehicles and stuff and for some they find it convenient to simply change the line of business. The cream of the period is when the construction and mining industry is doing well or is at its peak. This gives a lot of opportunity for the salesperson to show their skills and make the most from the moment. There are few who are of the belief that irrespective how the industry reacts there is always a scope for selling machines or its accessories. You can’t always sell those big machines to construction companies or contractors. At times you have to depend of selling accessories too and it can still earn you good commission. People do not want to purchase a new machine if something goes wrong with its part. They would want to replace the faulty part with a new one.

Heavy equipment salesperson should equally focus on selling accessories. It can keep them going for a long time and will also not demoralize them if they are unable to sell any heavy equipment. Grow your network and try to reach out to as many people as you can. There is always a scope of finding a person who is looking for what you are selling but it is just that you do not know him. Try to meet as many people as you can. Not all meetings will turn out into a sale. You can definitely meet them for a small talk and check if they need anything. Moreover, you can try to know if they know someone who is looking for a specific stuff related to heavy equipment and if you can be of any help.

The thumb rule is work hard when the overall industry is doing well so that you make the most of it and during the sluggish periods which will not last for long try to stick to what you does the best.

Construction companies should hire competent contractors

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Competency is the need of the hour in any form of industry. No matter how qualified you are, in the end all that matter is how effectively you can execute the responsibility. It all depends on your competency level and how experienced you are pertaining to a given type of work. It is a no brainer for any company that they will hire guys who have the competency to deliver in time and outperform whenever required. As a matter of fact, this is the real reason behind the success of any industry. Volatile industries are more dependent on competent employees. They just can’t afford to hire guys who do not possess the skill to execute a given responsibility. It will lead to the debacle of the business and will eventually have to wind up. Construction industry is also considered to be a volatile form of business and therefore it is a must to get onboard a project with highly skilled men.

A construction company after bagging a project starts hunting for contractors. They know for sure that they can’t complete the project singlehandedly and they will require the co-operation of contractors. This is also perhaps the reason why we have contractors in existence. The real work is indeed done by the contractors. The construction companies only deal with bagging the projects and then they hand it over to the next level to take care of the execution part and in this case the next level is the contractors. Hence it becomes quite imperative to hire highly competent contractors. The future of the construction companies more or less is dependent on the quality of work that they can get from their contractors. It is therefore equally important to set up a benchmark to hire contractors. Anybody falling short of it will not be a part of the project.

Detailed study of contractors is essential:-

Before you hire a contractor for your project, it is essential that you do a thorough study of the entity. Remember, here you are not hiring an individual that you will not have enough time to screen the person. Since you will be hiring an entity you can get volumes of information from internet. You can check the reviews and accordingly take your call. More importantly, you can speak to other construction companies with whom you have good terms and know if they have ever encountered with the contractor that you are likely to hire. Try to gain as much data as you can before you finally pick them up for work.

Monitor the performance at regular intervals:-

The work of a construction company does not end after hiring a contractor who is renowned for its work in the industry. The company should also ensure that it takes some time out and monitor the performance of the project. This is crucial to be done as the project is owned by the company and not by the contractor. It will be supreme if the construction company works hand in hand with the contractor. This will give the company a better control over things.

Buy Now on eBay [ebayfeedsforwordpress feed=”” items=”5″]

Construction companies can’t afford to compromise on safety

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

The construction industry is one of those industries that do not have any chance of facing a downfall in the near future. This is because of the constantly growing demand of new buildings, offices, residential complexes and so on and so forth, for the growing population all across the globe. However, despite this constantly growing demand, there is always a scarcity of skilled labours or workers in these construction companies. One of the primary reasons behind this is the lack of safety or security for the workers.

Importance of safety in construction companies:

Safety is a major concern not only for the construction businesses, but also for every single business that you run. If there are too many people working together and using tools and machineries, there is always a chance for accidents. When it is a construction business, the chances or exposure to accidents is even higher. This is because, the construction companies use –

  • Heavy equipment and machineries
  • Electronic or power tools
  • Use of fire ad gas cutters
  • Working with concrete
  • Working at an elevated site with great height.

Hence, there is always the possibility that accidents may occur. Hence, it is a must that proper safety measures are taken. Otherwise, this will lead to severe fatal damages or cause lifelong difficulties for the workers.

Safety measures that need to be taken:

As already mentioned, there are so many accident possibilities and health hazards possible in a construction site or for construction industries, they simply cannot afford to compromise on the safety matter. There are a number of things that need to be ensured. These include –

  • Following the rules and regulations:

 

Every state and country has specific safety measure rules and regulations that the construction companies need to follow. Otherwise, conducting the business is an absolutely illegal act. Hence, know the safety rules for construction businesses of your state and country and follow them.

  • Use railings:

 

This is a very basic safety measure that needs to be taken, when your workers are working at a site. Regardless of how elevated the construction site is, using railings is a must. This will prevent a number of falls that are possible to occur at any point of time.

  • Fall prevention tools and measures:

 

Apart from the railings, there are many other fall prevention tools and machines that need to be used by the workers. From using the fall prevention nets to the use of harnesses, there are various tools that can be used and should be used.

  • Presence or water supply and fire extinguishers:

 

Fire hazards can occur at any time and in a construction site, there can be electrical lines, supplies and materials that can spread the fire fast. Hence, having adequate extinguishers and water supply is a must.

  • Proper training:

 

Be it working on an elevated platform or the use of heavy construction equipment, proper training is a must. With proper safety training, a number of accidents can be prevented.

For the wellbeing of the construction workers and also for the successful functionality of the business, following good safety measures is a must.

 

Switching construction companies too often can become a concern

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

There must be very few people who work for a company for a long time. No wonder they are absolutely content with the company they are working for are also getting promotions in due course of time which makes them stick to the same organization. But there are many out there who believe that switching companies is more rewarding than staying with one company for a long time. In a way they are correct because every time you change your organization you get a hike in your package which is much more than the annual appraisal but you should not do it more often or else you stand the risk of being calling yourself unstable.

If you have worked for more than 4 companies in a span of 5 years it shows that you are not serious about your work and you leave your current organization because the next one is offering you more. At one stage you will find short of companies in your line of business and they also will not be ready to hire you as you have a track record of switching over more frequently and your loyalty will be questioned.

People who are connected to construction companies get good hike when they leave their current company and join the new one. They can do this as long as they feel that they are underpaid but once they start getting the pay that is standard to the position they are in they should refrain from skip hop and jumping companies. As a matter of fact, the new guys should not focus on their package but should learn their work well. Develop your skill so that when you approach the next company you have some skills to display. The new company will not pay you more for nothing and if you have failed to learn or develop your skill then you will not find any new company hiring you.

You do not learn much if you switch too often:-

If you are a person who switches job too often it is presumed that you have not learnt much about the business and therefore you may not be a worthy employee. Spending a year or two in a construction company will only teach you few things of the business. In order to really develop your knowledge you got to move across the spectrum and take the initiative to work in all the genres. That will give you the experience and will simultaneously develop your skill. If possible also try to take a promotion. Moving to the next level is very important because that will allow you to learn something more that you have not been doing so far.

You may look greedy:-

We all work for money but there has to be some amount of passion attached to your work. You just can’t work only for money. That just can’t be the only driving force that kept you associated with the construction business. If you however see money to be the only driving force then the company you approach will see you as a greedy chap who can move again if offered a better package. That will become harmful in the long run.

Motivate your employees through ways of cash and kind

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Paying salary to your employees is perhaps not the only way by which you can motivate them to stay and work in your company for years. Though paying salary on time will keep them happy but definitely that will not act as a motivational factor and they will never have the love for the company and will also not be displayed through their acts. Their psychology is simple. They deserve to get some extra benefits that are apart from their wages. Those extra benefits need not be through monetary gains but can also be through other virtues shown by the employer. Knowing the name of your tenured employees is one such virtue and speaking to them often for at least a minute can spark a feeling in them that the company wants them to be a part of it. Also try not to be harsh with them when they goofed up with things. Instruct your men to speak gently but sternly with them and try to get things done rather than bossing on them.

Paying bonuses can give them a good feeling:-

If you have sufficient projects in hand and are also doing well in your business, then it will be a good gesture to announce bonuses to your employees. The workers will especially feel happier by hearing such an announcement. They are often paid less than other employees in a construction company and therefore when they get to know that the company has declared bonus to all, they are probably the lot who becomes happier than the rest. However, if the company has not generated enough profits in that year and could not declare any bonus, that also should be informed to all the workers so that they do not lay any wrong expectation and later feel hurt.

Organize dinner for your workmen:-

This can be work as a good get-together where people from various departments will meet at one place and perhaps for the first time they will not talk about work and business but will be there to have fun and make the evening a memorable one. You can even organize some cultural shows where the participation of the workers will be a must. This will also allow them a chance to display their skills other than what is required in their work. Programs like these will help in strengthening the bonding of the employee and the employer. These activities do not usually happen in many construction companies and if you take the initiative and organize these activities, it will lead to lower the attrition rate of the company.

Give gifts or shopping vouchers to your employees:-

Construction companies often get shopping or restaurant vouchers from many sources. The companies can distribute those vouchers to the top performer or if it wants to give it to everybody it can do that as well. In order to motivate your employees, you do not have to spend money from your company’s reserves. It’s a gift that you get from someone and you give it out to someone else and make their day.

Sell machines that the construction companies need

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Construction industry is one of the most established and high profile businesses that are in a popular demand in the recent era. Given the huge population, there is a constant need for more buildings and constructions. Be it for the expansion of the cities or development of the cities or for residential and commercial complexes, some or the other kind of construction is always in progress. And, for making the construction smooth, it is a must that the construction companies are equipped in every possible way.

With more construction assignments, completing the construction faster becomes mandatory. As the demand is always high and there is a pressure from the owners to complete the tasks quicker, construction companies should depend more on the heavy construction equipment; rather than on the manual labour. Machines and tools can make the tasks easier and more accurate.

Buying the heavy construction equipment:

As there is a growing demand of the heavy construction equipment, it is a must that the construction companies buy the most suitable and appropriate machines or equipment. This will make sure that the desired task is done faster and better. The most common heavy construction equipment that one needs to own include –

  • Cranes
  • Excavators
  • Road rollers
  • Crawlers
  • Bulldozers
  • Forklift
  • Backhoes
  • Motor grader
  • Compactors.

Each of the heavy construction equipment has its own function that is absolutely different from the other. Hence, when you are buying these for your construction company, you need to be careful about the one that is most suitable for your company.

Trust the sellers:

There are various construction equipment companies that sell a lot of machines and tools, as well as the large scale construction vehicles. As you visit them, you will find all of the options and different varieties of the construction tools and machines. This can be a little confusing for you to choose the one for you. For that you need to discuss with the heavy construction equipment salesperson.

The salesmen of these businesses are more than just a salesman. They are vastly learned about the functions and benefits of purchasing heavy construction equipment. Hence, as you discuss your needs with them, they will be able to guide you through the different options. This will be quite useful for you to decide which one would be most suitable for you.

The seller would always sell machines that the construction companies need. If the requirement is for a tool or machine that would flatten the workspace, a road roller or compactor would be suggested. If the requirement is a machine that would help the construction companies or workers to load and unload the concrete wastes, dirt and dust and rubbish from a construction site, the seller would suggest a loader. For excavating a ground, an excavator and then a crawler would be more suitable. There are various companies that manufacture these vehicles in different sizes and powers. The best sellers would always be able to guide you about the right machine for you. Depending on the power of the machine, the prices are determined. Trusting the experts is always useful in not spending unnecessarily.

[ebayfeedsforwordpress feed=”” items=”2″]

Why most construction companies want to use CAT heavy equipment

Among the 33 heavy equipment manufacturing companies present worldwide, it is only Caterpillar Inc (CAT) which is the world leader. It is the leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. It’s construction industries segment’s product portfolio includes more than 300 various machines and related parts, such as backhoe loaders, compact wheel loaders, small track-type tractors, small wheel loaders, track-type loaders, medium track-type tractors, skid steer loaders, mini excavators, select work tools, multi-terrain loaders, small, medium and large track excavators, motor graders, medium wheel loaders, wheel excavators, telehandlers, compact track loaders, pipe layers and mid-tier soil compactors. These are the workhorses of any construction and mining industry and make their job easy and quicker. CAT produces equipment which are embedded with latest technologies for increased safety, comfort, reliability, durability and of good quality with an aim to help customers meet their needs. Customers have found their equipment up to their expectations and are satisfied. Hence, they are popular and widely used in construction industry making CAT a world leader. Further, no competitor company can match with caterpillar’s product range

 

The following are the reasons for construction companies use CAT heavy equipment:

  • Focus on customer satisfaction:
  1. They have more than 300 machines which are durable, innovative and reliable which satisfy customers for the investment that they have made in purchase of the equipment. CAT has ability to see the job from customer’s point of view and meet their needs.
  2. CAT sells both new and used machines. The used machines are sold at a cheaper price than the new products.
  3. CAT gives option to customers to upgrade their equipment. This opportunity allows customer to use the same machine for a long time.
  4. Their products, services, solutions offered by them, help customers to succeed.
  5. They provide solutions for maintenance which minimizes downtime, reduces cost and keeps equipment in run mode during peak performance. In addition, local CAT dealers technician’s have the experience, knowledge and training necessary to troubleshoot problems faced by customers and provide maintenance and repairs of equipments. Thus, efficient service by CAT allows the customers to manage their business effectively.
  • Marketing and Distribution: Its pioneer in exploring new age marketing
  1. They have the best distribution and product support system as compared to any other capital goods industry.
  2. They have dealers which are as old as the company. They have wide and strong network of dealers in different countries.
  3. They have built their brand and improved corporate image. They participate in various marketing channels such as trade shows and participating in technical seminars. Also use of internet has been used for advertising.
  4. Construction boom in Asian countries gave them good opportunity to expand especially in China.

This strategy has increased and made customer base stronger in developed and developing countries.

 

Thus, good marketing strategy along with innovative and durable products has won over the customers, due to which Caterpillar Inc’s equipment and machinery is widely used in construction industry.

Avoid making poor investments that can cost you your company

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Taking right decision and making good investments are both quite crucial for the success of any business and when it is about construction, you got to be sharper with your thinking skills. Any poor decision can cost your business a lot and simultaneously any bad investment can have a drastic impact on your business. When you are dealing with investments in the construction sector, you are ideally dealing with lot of money and you got to be doubly sure that the plan will not backfire before you go ahead with the decision of making some big investments. For instance, you plan to hire some men for a new project that you foresee to bag. You are somehow confident of the fact that you will be able to get the project and have therefore allocated capital to pay salary for the additional workforce. In this scenario, you are heavily investing on human resources. So as long as you are not completely sure about the project, you should hold up your plan to hire any further resource.

People have lost millions in their business after having made the mistake of making poor investments. They were not aware that situation will take a downturn and they will have a hard time to come up with it and will lose a major chunk of their business capital. Even the most powerful in the construction sector have to face the music at times and they learn their lessons the hard way. There have been cases where the head of the departments had to resign for taking callous investment decisions that has cost the company a bomb. Mighty construction companies at still able to take the blow of bad investments but it is irreparable loss to small construction houses and contractors who vie for every small project.

Buying heavy equipment has been one of the most common poor investments by big as well as small construction companies. For some reason they could not figure out the kind of heavy equipment they need and they end up buying machines that were not required in the first place. They realize it later that the machine they have bought was capable of doing multiple tasks and they need not buy more machines. Since they have already invested in heavy equipment, they are left with not many options. They either sell it off at a lesser price or let it out to others.

In case, they have taken loans to buy heavy equipment, things become all the more difficult. They have to pay the bank the entire amount along with the interest or else it might have an impact on their credit rating which is in no ways good for the business. You get investments from private investors who are not necessarily banks and they invest in you by knowing that you have a good credit rating. So any poor investment decision should not be the reason for your credit rating to take a dip. This is perhaps the last thing you would want to happen.

Buy Now on eBay

[ebayfeedsforwordpress feed=”” items=”2″]

Construction companies should be bilingual

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

To know a language that is not your first language and able to speak, read and understand the language fluently is a great skill. Not many in the United States can speak more than one language. It is perhaps we are brought in a way where we have heard and taught only English. There are few institutions that teach languages spoken by people of other countries and it is always going to be beneficial for you if you are able to learn it well.

America is a country where people from various countries have come in and are living with a feeling of togetherness. They contribute big time to our society and also bring more businesses from their countries. In a situation like this, it will be handy if an American can speak their language. This will certainly impress the client and there will be not much gap in communicating with the counterpart.

Construction industry is one such industry where you got to deal with clients from several countries. You do not want to miss the opportunity of a business getting clicked just because you can’t communicate with the other person in their language. Remember not everybody around the world is fluent in English and they prefer talking to someone who knows their language.

The construction industry in US gets lot of investment deals from the Chinese and Japanese. You will not find many people from these two countries to speak in English. If you have a delegation of around 10 people, you will hardly find 2 who can fluently communicate in English. Rest will depend of those 2 guys who will later explain the conversation to them. This is perhaps not the way how businesses are conducted in a construction industry and therefore it is high time that the construction companies go bilingual.

Construction companies will not want the labor to be bilingual as they do not have the need to communicate with people from other nations. However, the guys in the Admin or at the reception should have a fair understanding on languages spoken in Europe. You should also hire guys who can speak the language of the country that your client belongs from. We have a lot of people in US who speaks Spanish and Chinese and there are also many offices who hires receptionist who can effectively communicate in these languages. This should be also followed by the construction companies. The marketing team should have people who can speak multiple languages at the same time. It is always a plus point to know as many languages as one can.

Few big construction companies have already gone bilingual. They have started to hire staff who can speak more than one language. They have realized the importance of being bilingual. Being able to speak the language of the client they already get half way through the deal. The rest they have to generate the confidence amongst the client that they have the ability to complete the work on time.

Buy Now on eBay [ebayfeedsforwordpress feed=”” items=”3″]

Related articles across the web