February 2014Click any article link:
Does this sound familiar? I have been hearing these same complaints about the construction business since 1977 when I started my general contracting company. It seems as if nothing changes as contractors continue to compete against low-price competitors. Bid like you fish! Before you go fishing, you need the right bait to get fish to bite. Think of your bid as tasty bait customers will want to bite so you can land a juicy contract. When you fish, your goal is to catch either the big one or lots of fish. So you look for the secret fishing holes where they bite. When looking for profitable projects to bid to, you must seek opportunities that will give you the best chance to make the most money. When you finally catch a fish, reel it in, weigh it, and decide if you want to keep it. After you submit a bid and get the call to cut your bid or match a better price to get the job, it is your choice to accept their offer as well. When you go fishing and they aren’t biting, what do you do? You try different fishing techniques, change your bait, or move on to another fishing hole. But stubborn contractors don’t look elsewhere when they don’t land enough contracts. Most contractors just keep bidding to the same customers over and over, using the same bait and proposal strategies as they’ve always used. Contractors often think if they bid enough the same way, eventually they’ll get their share. This effort won’t get you positive results you want. Like fishing, you must change your estimating and bidding strategies to get the big ones to bite more often. You have to use the right tackle, different techniques, and tastier bait to get the fish to think your bait is better than your competition, or look for better fishing holes. Bid-Hit Ratio Bid-Hit ratio is the rate at which you successfully bid or propose on projects. For example, a 5 to 1 Bid-Hit ratio states for every five jobs you bid or propose on, you are awarded only one. In a survey I conducted of over 2,000 construction general contractors, subcontractors, and design-build companies, less than 10% know and track what their ‘Bid-Hit’ ratio is. To me, this is like going fishing and not really caring if you catch any fish! Do you know what your ratio is? In order to determine how many jobs to bid, what type of jobs to go after, and which customers give you a higher percentage of their work, you must know your Bid-Hit ratio for these different categories. Track it by types of projects, customers, job type, job size, and project location. As you study your Bid-Hit ratio trends, you'll find certain customers give you more work than others and you'll find you do better with certain kinds of jobs. Offer what customers want Think about what you include in your typical proposal or bid: price, terms, scope of work, specification section number, inclusions, exclusions, a list of the plans and specifications, and payment provisions. These facts and figures don’t take into consideration what your customer really wants. Sure they want a low price based on an "apples to apples" scope of work, but what else? Things customers may value more than price:
Every project has unique requirements which are often more important than price. Before you start working on an estimate for a customer, Always ASK – ASK - ASK the decision maker what’s important on this job. Then, custom design your bid proposal accordingly. Highlight the differentiating factors and make it clear that their priorities are the same as yours. You have to be competitive, but you often get chosen because of what else you offer to your customers. “If you don’t offer anything more than your competition, you only sell price!” Use your bid as bait! Remember your bid is bait to go fishing for a contract. The main purpose for your bid is act as bait to get a meeting with your customer. At this meeting you can discuss the project in depth, review how you can help your customer meet their goals, explain why you are the best choice, review pricing options, get a second chance to be the selected contractor, and get last look. Getting last look is your second chance to match the price of the lowest bidder, only if you want to. It is very difficult to accomplish all of these actions over the phone. Not all of these tactics will work for you. But, try them and you’ll like the outcome as they improve your Bid-Hit ratio and help you get more work. To get a copy of ‘Winning Ways To Win More Work!” email GH@HardhatPresentations.com. When you’re not getting the results you want, change your tactics, try some different bait, and find a new fishing hole as you look for profitable work. By trying new ideas, you can make estimating and bidding a fun and challenging experience with a great return. Have fun fishing! Keynote speaker for SEAA’s 2014 convention, George Hedley works with contractors to build profitable growing companies. He is a professional business coach, popular speaker and best-selling author of “Get Your Business To Work!” available online at www.HardhatPresentations.com. To sign-up for his free e-newsletter, join his next webinar, be part of a BIZCOACH program, or get a $100 discount coupon for online classes at www.HardhatBizSchool.com, e-mail GH@HardhatPresentations.com.
Experience Striped Bass Fishing with SEAA - back to top
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Striper Express Guide Service will escort and coach us for fishing on Lake Texoma, the striper fishing capital of the United States. This venue boasts the best-documented spawn and highest angler success rate for striped bass in freshwater. Add the legendary expertise of Striper Express fishing guides, and you’ll easily experience phenomenal catches. Novices can learn quickly and land bass in numbers never attainable anywhere else in the US. With top-water lures, hungry striped, and expert guides, Striper Express offers your fishing dream come true! The fishing registration fee of $200 per person covers gear, bait, ice, fuel, drinks, sandwiches, fish cleaning, and round-trip shuttle service from the Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco. Please check the box on the registration form if you plan to use the shuttle service. Registration Cut Off Date: March 6, 2014. Remaining sponsorship opportunities can showcase your company with our exclusive signage and convention recognition. This is an excellent opportunity to market your company by becoming a sponsor while helping SEAA with excursion incidentals. All sponsorships are assigned on a first-come policy. |
Request for Member Input- back to top
NEWS AND INFORMATION SURVEY
Your input requestedSEAA is seeking member input in order to improve the information provided to members in the eNewsletter, Connector magazine, and other forums. Please answer this short 4 question survey to help us determine preferred topics, relevancy, and frequency.
IRONWORKER CRAFT TRAINING
OverviewSEAA is in the initial phase of creating, in conjunction with NCCER, a Craft Training Program for Ironworkers. The program consists of core knowledge areas such as basic math, tools, rigging, material handling concepts, plus Level 2 and Level 3 courses. Training and Testing Centers will be located around the country.
Benefits
- Address labor shortage by preparing qualified workers
- Industry recognized credentials
- Consistent, economical, convenient instruction
- Provides Safety and Business advantages
- Decrease turnover and absenteeism
- Increase work quality and productivity
Want more information?
SEAA wants to communicate with the correct person in your company about this new program and how it can supplement your corporate training initiatives. Please take this 7 question survey to help us provide you with the necessary information.
LAWS & REGULATIONS |
March 10th Deadline to Comment on Injury Tracking Proposed Rule - back to top
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INDUSTRY |
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PRODUCT RECALL – Certain Self-Retracting Lifelines Identified in Notice - back to top
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Skyjack announced the winner of its Quest2013 to find the oldest working machine produced in its 30-year history. Skyjack launched the year-long search at last year's Rental Show in Las Vegas and included most regions of the world, including South America and Asia. Finally the oldest surviving machine, a SJ006-10, was tracked down in Skyjack's home country of Canada. Kraner Electrical, a Guelph, Ontario-based company, had purchased the used SJ006-10 at Bolton Auction House in May 1996. But the machine, with a serial number of 00E, originally dates back to 1985. Skyjack awarded Kramer its prize of a new SJIII 3219 scissor lift (19-ft working height) at this year's Rental Show in Orlando. Matthew Kraner also picked up a commemorative Quest13 jacket in front of the winning Skyjack SJ006-10 scissor lift. |
Volvo Rents Renamed as BlueLine Rental - back to top 
Platinum Equity, which recently acquired Volvo Rents, has renamed the business BlueLine Rental. BlueLine president Scott Hall commented, “With Platinum Equity’s support, we have new opportunities to grow and build on the fundamentals that have made us so successful – our commitment to service and the way we treat our valued customers and employees.”
“We have worked closely with the management team to ensure a seamless transition and we are excited to help the business achieve new levels of success,” said Louis Samson, the partner at Platinum Equity Partner who led the transaction team.
BlueLine rents Volvo compact equipment--including backhoe loaders, skid steer loaders, compact wheel loaders, compact excavators and compaction equipment – as well as other small and medium-sized equipment. The company operates from more than 130 locations in North America.
TRAINING |
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AISC Offers Free Arc Welding Safety Webinar February 28 - back to top
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The Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI) will host its 2014 CFSEI Annual Expo and Meeting on May 19-20, 2014 at the historic Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. The Expo is designed for architects, builders/contractors, building officials and engineers, with an educational program geared toward both skilled cold-formed steel (CFS) framing professionals as well as newcomers. The Expo will provide opportunities for education and networking as well as an exposition featuring state-of-the-art innovations, technologies and principles in cold-formed steel framing. The two-day conference is the only one of its kind dedicated to the cold-formed steel framing industry.
Several topics that impact the cold-formed steel industry will be covered:
- ASCE 7-10 wind loads
- Blast design
- Mechanical bridging and bracing
- Metal buildings
- Cold-formed steel studs
- Updates to the AISI Brick Veneer Cold-Formed Steel Framing Design Guide
- Preview of AISI S310-13, North American Standard for the Design of Profiled Steel Diaphragm Panels, which will be published later this year; and a look forward to the Diaphragm Design Manual that is due out in early 2015
- and many more.
CFSEI is adding a new Cold-Formed Steel Design Forum to this year’s Expo, providing an opportunity for attendees to engage in discussion with a panel of experts who are in the trenches of cold-formed steel design.
The winners of the 2014 CFSEI Design and Distinguished Service Awards will be announced at the Expo. Nominations are currently being accepted through March 15, 2014 in four categories: design excellence, construction innovation, residential design and construction (new category), and distinguished service. For more information on the Expo program or awards, please visit www.cfsei.org.
The Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute comprises hundreds of structural engineers and other design professionals who are finding a better way to produce safe and efficient designs for commercial and residential structures with cold-formed steel. CFSEI members work together to develop and evolve industry standards and design methods, produce and issue technical bulletins, and provide seminars and online training to improve the knowledge and skills base of engineers and design professionals. For more information, visit www.cfsei.org.
Steel Joist Institute 2014 Webinars Schedule - back to top
The Steel Joist Institute (SJI) has announced the schedule for the 2014 Webinar Series. Participants can earn 0.15 CEUs, 1.5 PDHs or 1.5 LUs. Click the buttons below to register for the webinar or to be notified when registration is available.
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March 19 |
Designing with Steel Roof Deck (In partnership with the Steel Deck Institute) |
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April 16 |
Floor Vibration in Steel Joist and Concrete Floors |
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May 21 |
Floor Vibration in Steel Joist and Concrete Floors |
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June 18 |
Joist Girder To Column Connections |
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July 16 |
Joist Girder To Column Connections |
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August 20 |
Part 1 Evaluation and Modification of Open Web Steel Joist |
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September 17 |
Part 2 Evaluation and Modification of Open Web Steel Joist |
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October 15 |
SJI Technical Digest 2 – Bridging |
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November 19 |
SJI Technical Digest 2 – Bridging |
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