Hello, everyone.

This is Enta.

The other day, I spoke with a local general contractor.

Then the conversation turned to the level of the directors, lol

The skill levels of the craftsmen vary widely, though...

As criteria for local contractors to use when subcontracting to major contractors,

First and foremost, it's that sense of security, isn't it?

It's only natural that it's expensive.

That's just how much it costs to run a major company.

I wonder if overhead costs at major companies will go up to around 17% to 20% in the future...

I think it's currently around 12 to 15 percent.

 

And the question is, who's coming? lol

This is the most important part, isn't it?

First of all, at major companies, there are quite a lot of supervisory resources (in terms of personnel).

However, even among them, there are those who can do it and those who can't.

This is an assessment from a supervisor (such as a construction manager) along the lines of, “In this case, you can manage up to this point, but going any further would be too much, right?”

That's why it comes down to a trade-off.

At the same time, there are construction projects that our sales representatives are expecting to secure.

Even as a salesperson, I want the work I’ve secured to be completed neatly and quickly, so please let a good supervisor know.

 

Suppose there is a prime contractor project worth 100 million and a subcontractor project worth 30 million.

Subcontracting jobs worth 30 million are a common type of project, and we have a general contractor who consistently provides us with work.

Since we're a subcontractor, of course, a supervisor from the general contractor will be on-site as well.

Since a 100-million-yen general contractor project is the one that generates the highest profit margin, it’s only natural that a supervisor who can handle it effectively is assigned to it within the company.

Also, it’s great to have a manager who can negotiate effectively with the city government and make sure we earn a fair share even when changes are made.

So, when it comes to a 30 million subcontract, the job tends to go to whoever can handle it, at least for the time being, lol.

 

If, for example, a 100-million-yen project is scheduled to start a little later and the supervisor is available, we’ll go ahead with the 30-million-yen project for now.

And it’s quite common for the representative to be replaced as soon as a construction project worth 100 million is awarded.

I wonder what the general contractor who awarded the 30-million-yen contract thinks about this.

Plus, if the director from the major company who came over... turns out to be the kind of director who causes a lot of trouble for the general contractor’s director...

It’s pretty frustrating when you’re inexperienced, the subcontractor’s instructions are vague, and the final result isn’t great, isn’t it? lol

Who would be happy to have a supervisor who needs to be trained by the general contractor's supervisor?

That said, I suppose it’s enough as long as they do the bare minimum of their job thoroughly and properly.

But when you say something like that, you often end up getting some pretty sketchy people, lol (though I don't think a general contractor supervisor would find that funny).

 

As a solution to this, I think one option would be to use a local contractor with management expertise, such as one that employs former employees from a major company.

That's because local contractors have very limited supervisory resources, so the supervisor can actually check every single job site lol

And decisions about what's right or wrong—and how to respond—are made instantly.

In some cases, it’s great when subcontractors are treated as part of our own team. That makes communication much easier.

Well, since the supervisor, the craftsmen, and the construction company all have their own unique styles, I guess it can’t be helped, but,

It would be great if everyone could be placed in the right role so they can work effectively for the company, though.

However, if there’s one exception, it’s that there are people who think, “He’s really hopeless,” but still say, “It’s okay if it’s him.”

Basically, I'm the kind of person people can't help but love. I'm sincere and work hard, but I'm a total klutz lol.

Does that mean you win if people think it can't be helped??

 

It's tough, especially for a major company.

That's because there's a prevailing attitude that it's only natural to set the bar high from the start and expect people to perform at that level.

Local companies might be a little worried, but if you handle things smoothly, they’ll really appreciate it lol

 

It’s a difficult choice, but everyone shares the same view: “quality construction and quality construction management.”

A relationship where we can push each other to improve is the best, isn't it?

 

See you later.