How do you win more construction bids? How can you get more construction projects seeing as many of these have been put to stop because of the pandemic? Now that they are slowly coming back, the construction companies are scrambling to get as many projects as they can fit into their schedule. After all, they have to make up for the losses they incurred in the past 20 months.
The truth is that winning construction bids is not exactly the easiest thing to do for contractors. With many fly-by-night contractors offering cheaper contracts, that leaves legitimate and reputable contractors competing for the big fish—these are the companies who will look for a more credible contractor compared to the first one that offered them a cheap contract. But these big projects are far and in-between, and it’s not always like you have the manpower and logistics to bid for mega construction projects.
Where does that leave you, a small reputable contractor with a slew of certifications and accreditations under its belt? If you are not careful, you’re going to find yourself left behind by these cheap contractors who make low-quality residential and commercial buildings. The only thing you can do to win over these is to beat them at their own game.
Credibility, Certifications, Accreditations
What do you have that they don’t? If you are not yet accredited by reputable organizations and associations in your industry, make sure that you apply for them. You can also ask your employees to schedule a CSCS test online so that they can be properly accredited by the institution. Having that certification can separate you from all the other contractors that offer the same services. Even your customers will notice the difference. They will choose your employees over the others because they have the right skills and competencies to do the job well.
Dependable People
You shouldn’t only make it a point to hire competent people. You should also make sure that they are dependable and that they will become loyal to your company. But loyalty comes with a price. It means that you have to do your part to retain them by promoting and rewarding them for doing a good job and becoming reliable in the company. When you have a reputation for having dependable and reliable people, then customers will come in droves. You won’t even have to bid for construction projects. The clients themselves will knock on your door.
Leadership
People will want only to work with those who have already proved themselves in the industry. That’s what being an industry leader means. Your employees will follow your stead, too. If they realize that you value your work and improve your skills and knowledge, they will see this as a path they also have to take. As a result, it’s not only you who will play a leadership role in the organization. Your employees will take on this role, too, whenever they see fit.
Lead Generation
Many companies are offering lead generation services. They help link the general contractors with sub-contractors and clients who have construction projects to bid. These services can also connect you with developers and architects who are looking for a contractor to partner with. Although the services have a fee, you will benefit by building connections with other industries and companies looking for the kind of products and services you can deliver.
Warm Calling
The best leads for more construction projects are people you’ve already worked with before. Who knows? Maybe they have a project on the pipeline that they need a contractor for? These are people you’ve interacted with before, so it’s easier to ask them if they have a project—big or small—that might need your services. Remember that when you are dealing with big projects, you tend to ignore companies you haven’t worked with before. You will want to work with someone with whom you already had a good experience. If there are three or more of you on the list, take the first step by calling the lead yourself.
Follow-ups
The biggest mistake that contractors do is to give too much time to clients to think. When someone enquires about your services, make sure to follow up on that potential client after a few days. Don’t let it take too long because the client may find someone else to hire. They may also change their mind. But when you ask after a couple of days, there is a big chance that they will be convinced by your inquiry.
There are many ways for contractors to get a new job, although it is not an easy job to do right now. There are only a handful of projects that can pay really well especially as governments and businesses are just starting to reopen the economy. The competition is tough, but not as tough as having to face an uncertain future with the pandemic. So, if your business managed to survive the pandemic, then finding new clients will be an easier task.
