In most construction and interiors firms I’ve seen, the same few problems come up again and again. Here’s how I’d usually approach each one. Every business is different, so treat this as a starting point, not a diagnosis.
Site updates arriving as WhatsApp photos in no order.
Site updates arrive as WhatsApp photos in no particular order, and finding the right one later is a hunt.
Why it usually happens. This usually happens because WhatsApp is the easiest way for the site team to share, which is good, but chats weren’t made to be a project record.
What I’d look at first. I’d look at how updates travel today, from the person on site to whoever needs them in the office. Usually the fix isn’t asking the site team to do more. It’s making what they already share land in the right place.
What fixed looks like. Your supervisor sends updates the same way they do now, and each one is filed against the right project and date, easy to find months later.
The Operations System
Material ordered twice, or not at all.
Material gets ordered twice, or not at all, and the site waits either way.
Why it usually happens. Usually nobody has one clear picture of what’s been ordered, delivered and used, so orders are placed from memory.
What I’d look at first. I’d follow one material request from the site to purchase to delivery, and see where it could be duplicated or dropped.
What fixed looks like. Material requests are checked against what’s already been ordered, and deliveries are matched to them, so you order once and the site doesn’t wait.
The Operations System
Contractor bills paid without checking the work done.
Contractor bills get paid without anyone checking them against the work actually done.
Why it usually happens. This usually happens because the measurements are on site and the bills are in the office, and there’s no easy way to put them side by side.
What I’d look at first. I’d look at how work is measured on site today and how a bill gets approved, and see where the two could meet.
What fixed looks like. A contractor’s bill is checked against the measured work already recorded for that site before anyone approves it.
The Operations System
Client changes agreed on a call, then forgotten.
Client changes are agreed on a call, then forgotten, until the bill arrives.
Why it usually happens. Changes usually happen in the middle of busy work, in a conversation, and nothing records them with a cost at that moment.
What I’d look at first. I’d ask about the last few changes that turned into disagreements, and trace how each one was agreed.
What fixed looks like. A change is recorded with its cost and approved when it’s asked for, so the final bill holds no surprises for you or the client.
The Operations System
You find out a project lost money after it’s finished.
You only find out a project lost money after it’s finished.
Why it usually happens. This usually happens because costs are added up at the end, from bills and records spread across the office and the sites.
What I’d look at first. I’d take one finished project and trace where its costs were recorded, and how long each one took to reach the office.
What fixed looks like. You can see costs against the budget as bills come in, so you spot an overrun while there’s still time to act on it.
The Operations System
Enquiries from calls and the website get lost.
Enquiries from calls and the website get lost before they become projects.
Why it usually happens. Usually enquiries come through many doors and depend on whoever picked them up, so the ones that arrive on busy days slip.
What I’d look at first. I’d compare where your recent enquiries really came from with which ones were followed up. What the tools report and what actually happened are often quite different.
What fixed looks like. Every enquiry lands in one list with an owner and a next step, until it’s either a signed project or a clear no.
The Growth System
Your finished work isn’t shown at its best.
Your finished work isn’t shown at its best, so it doesn’t win you the next job.
Why it usually happens. Usually the best projects are finished in a rush to hand over, and never properly photographed.
What I’d look at first. I’d ask which projects you’re proudest of and why, since that’s what the photos need to show.
What fixed looks like. A prospective client sees your finished work properly photographed, with drone views where the site allows it, and understands what you can do.
Content
If this sounds like your firm, message me on WhatsApp with a line about how you work today. I’ll tell you honestly whether I can help.
