Blog 032 - Cheers to Good Clients Part 1

Often on this blog, it can seem like I am anti-client. I am not, I am anti-bad client and just as equally, I am anti-rogue trader. The client is just as important, otherwise we would have millions of pounds worth of plant and talent with nowhere to use it! So, let me take a minute to appreciate the good clients out there and what the benefit of being a good client is for the industry and the specialist contracting sector. Good clients exist, there are plenty of them and they are generally the ones with the happy supply chain and the successful projects. Here are my key principles to being or spotting a good client:

Good clients know their stuff. That doesn’t mean they know your stuff, but they know what they are supposed to know. Good clients get the scope right, match the scope to the drawings and the specifications. Typically, they have taken advice from a Specialist Contractor early to help develop their designs and gain understanding of the packages. A good client knows when to listen to the Specialist Contractor and remembers that it is the reason the Specialist was employed. A good client takes complete ownership of his role in the project and ensures that the interfaces, sequence and programme durations are appropriate and reflect a well thought out and considered construction project.

Good Clients are firm but fair. They understand that if something isn’t called for in the scope of works, they need to buy it as a variation, they also remember that this takes time, but they’re firm too, if the Specialist is down to do something, they expect it done, perfectly reasonable. These good clients understand that it is the same rules for both, if you’re asking for favours you need to be doing favours, too many clients think that paying on time is a favour, its not, its your end of the deal for the services rendered. Good clients work with you, they’re the ones that let you know something was missing from your price at tender or work hard to ensure they provide their attendances on time and in accordance with the agreement. Good clients create an environment to allow Specialist Contractors to thrive.

Good clients jump in the trenches. They know that if a Specialist is having a problem, that’s probably going to cause them a problem, so they offer help. Good clients operate on a team basis, akin to the concept of the Early Warning and Risk Reduction strategies of NEC contracts. These clients know that when the worst happens its better to have two parties problem solving instead of one working while the other points a finger at them. Good clients know that when things going well for Specialist Contractors it has a high correlation of things going well for them.

Good clients remember that Specialist Contractors are businesses too. These clients permit their Specialists to make some money along the way and can see the long term value that comes from Specialists that seek repeat business with a good client. Good clients pay their bills, in full and on time. That’s not to say they don’t make fair and reasonable assessments of accounts.

Ultimately, if you employ a reputable Specialist Contractor it can be much easier to work in line with the principles above. The Client’s that do operate like this are the ones that generally get the best tender prices and best delivery teams, mood follows action, so act like a good client and the benefits will follow. If they don’t, then it might then be worth reflecting on the quality or abilities of the specialist contractor, which I will cover in Part2.

I have worked with some very good clients in the past, I have worked with good clients on great jobs and I have worked with good clients on terrible jobs, working with a good client on a terrible job is a blessing, because without them, it could be a lot worse!

In short, good clients = good subbies = good tender prices = good projects = good margins = good relationships and the cycle repeats. Cheers to good clients.

If you are a Specialist having issues with your clients or are a client and want to learn more about proper planning, early contractor involvement and scoping, drop me a line.