Am I being too considerate of the client?

In the case of civil engineering projects, when a contract is awarded, the client is very likely to be a public entity. Once a contact person is assigned, the project generally proceeds through communication with that person throughout the construction period.

As we move forward with the construction work,Aren't you being a little too considerate of the client?I often find myself thinking that.

It goes without saying that the client is our customer. Our primary goal as construction management engineers is to ensure the quality the client demands and deliver the completed project. However, I often find that by focusing too much on treating the client as a customer, we end up being overly cautious, which actually backfires.

First,The idea that "the client is the customer" is a bit off the mark.I feel that way, too. In the field of architecture, for example, there are customers who have purchased homes, and we are required to ensure a level of quality that satisfies those customers.

However, in civil engineering, while the client is certainly the customer, the client’s objective is likely to have the work carried out exactly as specified in the design documents. In other words, even though we say we need to be considerate, I feel that what matters most is where we direct that consideration.

Examples of When Being Too Considerate Leads to Failure

Now, let's take a look at some specific examples of failures.

I suppose the most common ones are meetings and paperwork. Once construction begins, communication with the client is generally conducted through the construction meeting log. The submission of the construction meeting log often involves verifying the consistency of the documents in advance.

We have them review it first, and then make the final submission based on their response; however, naturally, some clients take a long time to respond.

Have you ever had an experience like this: You know you should call or email to follow up, but you feel reluctant to rush the other person, so you end up not following up much; you wait all day but don’t receive a reply, and eventually end up calling the next day?

Isn't this a classic example of overthinking things and ending up making a mistake? A task that could have been wrapped up if I had just called that day and gotten an answer ended up being put off until the next day.

Clients are often juggling multiple construction projects at once, so it’s not uncommon for them to have forgotten about a particular one. Even if you follow up, you won’t necessarily get an immediate response, but if you don’t keep following up without being overly cautious, the project may come to a standstill.

Don't halt work on-site while waiting for a response

The reason I say that ”we should follow up to some extent without worrying about offending the client” is that “it causes disruptions on-site.”

If you put off work while waiting for a response, the client may end up sending a reminder just when you’re at your busiest. This is the worst-case scenario. If you’re being reminded to submit documents that you’ve left pending while waiting for a response, there’s a problem with your construction management.

It’s true that calling multiple times might make you feel a little awkward. But there are various ways to handle it: for example, you could space out your calls by two hours, pretend you’re calling about something else to gently follow up, or—if it seems like you’re not going to get a response—simply tell them straight out that you’d like an answer by the end of the day.

You might worry about what to do if the client gets annoyed with you, but you can handle that by choosing your words carefully. What I made a point of doing when making follow-up calls was to address the person by name.

“Mr./Ms. ○○, have you had a chance to review those documents yet?” “Mr./Ms. ○○, if you could get back to me by the end of the day, I think we’ll be able to submit the documents right away.” I made a conscious effort to address people by name in this way. Just doing this makes a big difference in how you’re perceived. To keep operations running smoothly, it’s a good idea to start with the little things.

――A relationship of trust with the client is certainly important. However, a relationship of trust isn’t built by being overly cautious.

It’s important to communicate with each other. When we suggest the best approaches to one another and deliver quality work, a relationship of trust is built.

It’s not good to be too self-centered, but saying nothing at all is even more dangerous. As a construction manager, strive to become someone who can firmly follow up with anyone, no matter who they are.

From the God of Construction