The first thing I do is assure the customer that I'm not going to go back and tell the employee that “Mrs. Jones said you didn't clean up adequately.” That might make the customer uncomfortable, particularly if the job isn't finished yet. More
If your design/sales/estimating team doesn't deliver a complete package to production, you're bound to lose profit through lack of information. Here's how five design/build contractors shuttle job particulars from sales to production. More
Scott Watson of Taylor Watson Construction in St. Louis recently participated in a 12-week television show segment dubbed "Rescue My Kitchen," where viewers voted on nine key homeowner selections via the Internet. Watson had done work for a sales rep at the NBC affiliate, KSDK, who produces the program "Show Me St. Louis." The rep approached Watson about participating in a remodel that would take place on the show. More
Pre-construction meetings are important because they facilitate the hand-off from sales to production. "It sets expectations for day-to-day operations," says Halsey Platt, owner of Walter H.B. Platt Builders and Cabinetmakers in Groton, Mass. Platt says using a formal list of items shows the client that the company is well organized. Addressing those fears allows clients to relax, which results in a smoother project, Platt says. More
