Think about the different types of people you interact with every day—from staff to consultants to vendors and contractors. Do you want people that say “yes” to every request, regardless of whether it’s the right solution? Or do you want people who aren’t afraid to tell you there might be a better approach?
It seems like an obvious choice, but simple agreement is often the path of least resistance, and, all too often, this is what many temporary structure vendors mistake for good customer service.
Sure, you might be happy to get a quick response to your request in the short term, but, as the adage goes, “you don’t know what you don’t know.” True trusted advisors respond to your requests with expertise—by providing you with your full range of options and the potential risks and rewards of each.
When millions of dollars are on the line, effective project management is a major aspect of any industrial project’s success. Behind every well-managed project is a world-class project manager.
Whether you are looking for a long-term rental of an industrial lunch tent, a short-term turnaround facility or a temporary warehouse, making sure you have a project manager that becomes a true partner is key for delivering an on-time, on-budget completion.
But what does this partner look like? This person should be a leader you can count on to go beyond the basics in two mainstay competencies: communication and time management.
Communication
Project managers must be able to establish a trusting relationship based on honest, effective communication and collaboration and efficient time-management and organization. These main skills play a role in every phase of your project—from initiation to planning and execution.
Effective communication in the initiation phase begins with someone who understands your needs, which goes far beyond simply asking the basics (the primary purpose of the structure, budget, timeframe you need the structure, and general location).
Experienced project managers dig deeper, asking questions that help define goals and extract details you may not think are essential to the project or even be aware of. These questions uncover information like potential external obstacles, so problems can be addressed before they ever arise. These details can also inform recommendations to maximize the efficiency of your temporary structure project you may not have known were available to you.
Additionally, you should expect your project manager to be an expert in YOUR industry and region, so they can uncover obstacles you may have not considered and offer solutions. For example, building codes may require your structure to withstand gusts of wind, but this may not be sufficient for a long-term structure lease in an area known for consistently strong winds. By coming to the table with a knowledge of these factors, your project manager can present you the best solution for your project, based on your unique needs.
On the job site, one the most important expectations that must be consistently communicated and managed is safety. It’s paramount that all parties have the proper certifications, are wearing their personal protective equipment (PPE), following tie-off safety protocol, etc.
Time Management
Keeping your project on-time is a key indicator of a successful project. Keeping a project on time is essential to keeping a project on budget, making sufficient planning key. When a project is on-time, the project is also most likely to stay on budget and insufficient planning can completely skew the planned budget.
To do this, your project manager must be able to communicate clear expectations with all parties involved, follow up regularly, be responsive to their concerns and have a solution-focused mindset.
Your project manager should get to know your entire project—not only your temporary structure needs. For example, are you having a contractor pour a concrete foundation before your temporary structure is installed? When will that be done, and will the dimensions accommodate a “brick edge” for optimal rainwater drainage? Your project manager should consider all the factors related to your temporary structure installation and partner with you in managing expectations and effectively communicating with all the key players.
In addition, your project manager should consistently and honestly communicate expectations, milestones, progress updates and next steps.
In the case the execution becomes off track, the responsive project manager doesn’t respond with knee-jerk reactions. Instead, they prioritize what they can accomplish to ensure the next milestone can still be met, ensuring delays don’t pile up on a single stalled event.
You should expect your project manager to be a true partner and trusted advisor to you throughout your project. World-class project management comes down to communicating and managing time and expectations exceptionally well. At Sunbelt Rentals, our project managers are experts in our industry as well as yours. You can expect your Sunbelt Rentals project manager to be a dependable, responsive point-of-contact throughout your entire project.
Learn more about how Sunbelt Rentals can partner with you as project manager for your next project. Contact us today!
