Designing Buildings - User contributions [en]

PR DIVIDE: WHY CEOS & PR PROS MUST SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE

2023-05-23T13:24:38Z

Fabrick:

Just under half (48%) of senior B2B marketers admitted they had given up on trying to educate their CEO on the value of PR. This was the headline of an [https://www.b2bmarketing.net/en-gb/resources/news/news-recent-research-sheds-light-state-pr-b2b#:~:text=Discussing%20PR%20with%20their%20organisations,value%20of%20PR%20(37%25) article] I recently read, which stopped me in my tracks. I'm new to the world of PR so I was able to tackle this statistic with a fresh perspective, but I was shocked as the benefits of PR seem pretty obvious to me. So, I thought, isn’t the onus on marketing professionals to better educate their senior leaders on PR, its value and what it offers to a business? Otherwise, who will? Article in hand, I approached my Managing Director, who is an experienced construction PR professional, to gauge his expert opinion.

== BUT FIRSTLY, WHAT IS PR? ==

In simple terms, public relations can be described as building and maintaining positive relationships and communication between a company and its stakeholders which can include customers, employees, investors and the public. But it is so much more than that. It plays a crucial role in achieving business goals, building reputations, managing crises and recruiting the best talent possible.

Whilst the basic foundation of PR hasn't changed, how we communicate and tell our stories as individuals, groups and businesses certainly has. PR is no longer about churning out column inches and printed articles for the sake of it, now, the profession is using digital marketing channels such as video, online-only press and social media to extend the reach and influence of a message. So, could it be that CEOs are simply approaching their PR and marketing strategies from the wrong angle? Are they failing to understand the broad strategic benefits it can provide, thinking of it as nothing more than a way to generate positive press coverage?

As a [https://www.fabrick.agency/marketing-services construction PR agency] [https://www.fabrick.agency/ Fabrick] understand's the value.

We see the issue that PR has moved on, its channels are constantly evolving and becoming increasingly broad. This means the results aren’t always easy to attribute with the monetary value that a business leader will of course be used to being presented with. PR is often a long-term strategy, focused on raising profiles and winning work, but the landscape is changing and I am seeing more organisations approaching us with alternative goals such as staff retention and recruiting the best talent possible. Unfortunately, because it is such a dynamic, and fast-changing industry, it's difficult to quantify the value, it cannot be seen as simply spending a pound and getting ten pounds back in value, which is why CEOs can often make the critical mistake of overlooking their PR departments.

The difficulty that comes with placing a quantifiable value on PR can make it tricky to shout about how great it can be for a business. If this is something you are struggling with, why not take a look at our E-Book [https://www.fabrick.agency/resources/construction-marketers-guide-to-pr-measurement/thanks ‘The Construction Marketers Guide to PR Measurement’?]

CEOs MUST ENHANCE THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF PR

As a CEO you are the face behind the brand, and the story being told is in effect, your story, so why wouldn’t you want to prioritise that? Of course, there is no one size fits all, as a specialist construction PR agency, clients come to us with many different objectives.

I see a wide range of objectives when clients approach us with their marketing and PR needs. For example, we represent manufacturers whose aim is to sell more, so we work on raising profiles, generating sales leads and educating their audiences. But then we also work with trade bodies, whose focus is a lot more on having their share of the industry voice as thought leaders and championing their members. We also have contractor clients who want to drive credibility, understanding and scope. The successful outcomes of PR reach far and wide, so it can help with many different kinds of objectives.

PR is all about telling stories to the people who should be hearing them. Through this work, it is the PR and marketing professionals who are opening doors and building the relationships that will allow a business to excel in its market, something which surely is at the core of every CEO's objectives.

If you are having trouble educating your senior leaders on how vital marketing is then here are some tips:

* Use case studies: Share examples of how other companies in your industry have successfully used PR to achieve their business goals.
* Highlight the impact of negative publicity: Share examples of companies that have suffered significant brand damage due to poor approaches and management of PR.
* Share industry data: If they are unable to get past the lack of tangible evidence then share statistics that are available that demonstrate the positive impact of PR on business outcomes. Use market research to make your case.

== THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF PR ==

Being involved in the behind-the-scenes of construction PR, I have been able to see the real opportunities that effective communications can bring. My day-to-day role is to bring the business’s objectives and goals to life through creative communication. We are all witnessing a challenging marketplace at the moment, but in times of difficulty, CEOs must know not to cut back on their marketing.

I would argue that in times of challenging marketplaces, businesses should almost be thinking about increasing their marketing and PR opportunities, as this is the department that is winning work and clients by building your brand's story, reputation and partnerships. If you have clear goals in what you want your PR strategy to achieve, are agile and adaptive, and have a creative agency with great storytellers (such as us!) then you would not be questioning the value of PR, as you would be reaping the rewards.

But if that isn’t enough to convince you, then let me break it down. Effective PR can offer your business:

* Reputation Management: Reputation is incredibly important in the construction industry; PR can manage reputations and build trust which in turn leads to increased business opportunities.
* Crisis Management: The nature of construction projects can be complex and unpredictable; PR manages crises and minimises the impact on your reputation.
* Recruitment: Construction companies are witnessing a difficult time at the moment in recruiting and maintaining talent, but PR can position the company as an attractive employer and keep staff informed.
* Brand Awareness: Construction PR can help increase the visibility of a company’s brand through targeted media coverage, positioning the company as a leader in its field and increasing visibility to new clients and partners.

[[Category:Theory]]

PR DIVIDE: WHY CEOS & PR PROS MUST SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE

2023-05-23T13:21:20Z

Fabrick: Created page with "Just under half (48%) of senior B2B marketers admitted they had given up on trying to educate their CEO on the value of PR. This was the headline of an [https://www.b2bmarketing...."

Just under half (48%) of senior B2B marketers admitted they had given up on trying to educate their CEO on the value of PR. This was the headline of an [https://www.b2bmarketing.net/en-gb/resources/news/news-recent-research-sheds-light-state-pr-b2b#:~:text=Discussing%20PR%20with%20their%20organisations,value%20of%20PR%20(37%25) article] I recently read, which stopped me in my tracks. I'm new to the world of PR so I was able to tackle this statistic with a fresh perspective, but I was shocked as the benefits of PR seem pretty obvious to me. So, I thought, isn’t the onus on marketing professionals to better educate their senior leaders on PR, its value and what it offers to a business? Otherwise, who will? Article in hand, I approached my Managing Director, who is an experienced construction PR professional, to gauge his expert opinion.

== BUT FIRSTLY, WHAT IS PR? ==

In simple terms, public relations can be described as building and maintaining positive relationships and communication between a company and its stakeholders which can include customers, employees, investors and the public. But it is so much more than that. It plays a crucial role in achieving business goals, building reputations, managing crises and recruiting the best talent possible.

Whilst the basic foundation of PR hasn't changed, how we communicate and tell our stories as individuals, groups and businesses certainly has. PR is no longer about churning out column inches and printed articles for the sake of it, now, the profession is using digital marketing channels such as video, online-only press and social media to extend the reach and influence of a message. So, could it be that CEOs are simply approaching their PR and marketing strategies from the wrong angle? Are they failing to understand the broad strategic benefits it can provide, thinking of it as nothing more than a way to generate positive press coverage?

Thankfully, our MD David Ing has always been forward-thinking in his approach:

“We see the issue that PR has moved on, its channels are constantly evolving and becoming increasingly broad. This means the results aren’t always easy to attribute with the monetary value that a business leader will of course be used to being presented with. PR is often a long-term strategy, focused on raising profiles and winning work, but the landscape is changing and I am seeing more organisations approaching us with alternative goals such as staff retention and recruiting the best talent possible. Unfortunately, because it is such a dynamic, and fast-changing industry, it's difficult to quantify the value, it cannot be seen as simply spending a pound and getting ten pounds back in value, which is why CEOs can often make the critical mistake of overlooking their PR departments."

The difficulty that comes with placing a quantifiable value on PR can make it tricky to shout about how great it can be for a business. If this is something you are struggling with, why not take a look at our E-Book [https://www.fabrick.agency/resources/construction-marketers-guide-to-pr-measurement/thanks ‘The Construction Marketers Guide to PR Measurement’?]

Also, keep an eye out for our next blog in the series which will focus on measuring the value of PR.

== CEOs MUST ENHANCE THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF PR ==

As a CEO you are the face behind the brand, and the story being told is in effect, your story, so why wouldn’t you want to prioritise that? Of course, there is no one size fits all, as a specialist construction PR agency, clients come to us with many different objectives, as David points out:

“I see a wide range of objectives when clients approach us with their marketing and PR needs. For example, we represent manufacturers whose aim is to sell more, so we work on raising profiles, generating sales leads and educating their audiences. But then we also work with trade bodies, whose focus is a lot more on having their share of the industry voice as thought leaders and championing their members. We also have contractor clients who want to drive credibility, understanding and scope. The successful outcomes of PR reach far and wide, so it can help with many different kinds of objectives.”

One common theme that I see, particularly in my role as a copywriter, is that PR is all about telling stories to the people who should be hearing them. Through this work, it is the PR and marketing professionals who are opening doors and building the relationships that will allow a business to excel in its market, something which surely is at the core of every CEO's objectives.

Luckily, I've not faced a CEO who doesn’t understand the critical importance of PR, but if you are having trouble educating your senior leaders on how vital marketing is then here are some tips:

* Use case studies: Share examples of how other companies in your industry have successfully used PR to achieve their business goals.
* Highlight the impact of negative publicity: Share examples of companies that have suffered significant brand damage due to poor approaches and management of PR.
* Share industry data: If they are unable to get past the lack of tangible evidence then share statistics that are available that demonstrate the positive impact of PR on business outcomes. Use market research to make your case.

== THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF PR ==

Being involved in the behind-the-scenes of construction PR, I have been able to see the real opportunities that effective communications can bring. My day-to-day role is to bring the business’s objectives and goals to life through creative communication. We are all witnessing a challenging marketplace at the moment, but in times of difficulty, CEOs must know not to cut back on their marketing. David has the same sentiment:

“I would argue that in times of challenging marketplaces, businesses should almost be thinking about increasing their marketing and PR opportunities, as this is the department that is winning work and clients by building your brand's story, reputation and partnerships. If you have clear goals in what you want your PR strategy to achieve, are agile and adaptive, and have a creative agency with great storytellers (such as us!) then you would not be questioning the value of PR, as you would be reaping the rewards.”

But if that isn’t enough to convince you, then let me break it down. Effective PR can offer your business:

* Reputation Management: Reputation is incredibly important in the construction industry; PR can manage reputations and build trust which in turn leads to increased business opportunities.
* Crisis Management: The nature of construction projects can be complex and unpredictable; PR manages crises and minimises the impact on your reputation.
* Recruitment: Construction companies are witnessing a difficult time at the moment in recruiting and maintaining talent, but PR can position the company as an attractive employer and keep staff informed.
* Brand Awareness: Construction PR can help increase the visibility of a company’s brand through targeted media coverage, positioning the company as a leader in its field and increasing visibility to new clients and partners.

CONSTRUCTION INNOVATION – MORE BARRIERS THAN DRIVERS?

2023-05-23T13:19:00Z

Fabrick: Created page with "The UK is a nation of problem solvers. We have a proud heritage of driving innovation, creating solutions and pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved. But for a sector tha..."

The UK is a nation of problem solvers. We have a proud heritage of driving innovation, creating solutions and pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved. But for a sector that is often seen as traditional and slow in changing its ways, do we live up to these standards?

When it comes to design, construction and engineering, the UK is admired the world over. The buildings we’re creating are getting increasingly complex so there is no shortage of problems to solve. We also have ever increasing regulations and guidance when it comes to performance, whether that is thermal, fire or acoustic.

Net Zero is the big challenge we are facing, but we have the skills and the materials to create zero carbon buildings. However, like many things, its easier said than done and it all too often comes down to cost.

To address this, we need to find smarter ways to deliver our buildings and this is where product innovation comes in. We need to find new products and systems that lets us build better buildings, more efficiently, more sustainably and more cheaply – all whilst increasing performance and not reducing it.

As a leading [https://www.fabrick.agency/marketing-services construction marketing agency], [https://www.fabrick.agency/ Fabrick] understand's the challanges of delivering more efficiently and safer, whilst pioneering innovative solutions.

Futurebuild, the UK’s leading show for product innovation in the construction sector, recently conducted research as part of a debate entitled ‘The Role of Specification in Meeting Net Zero’. The survey identified that most respondents (61.5%) believed ‘resistance to switch from traditional technologies,’ was the main barrier to developing smarter, cleaner working practices.

Other results revealed most respondents (60%) were actively sourcing new innovations in renewables such as solar PV panels, heat pumps and biomass heating systems, as a way of achieving greater sustainability.

According to the CIOB, there are seven drivers of construction innovation - cost efficiency, sustainability, client demands, time constraints, technology, global competition and end users. However, I recently read an article that detailed 10 barriers, including the fact we are a low margin industry. We lack young talent, the complexity of the sector and the fact there is often no incentive to be the first mover.

So, are we putting more barriers in our way rather than drivers? Many of the barriers are what makes the industry unique. Yes, it is complex, yes we are facing a skills shortage, but does that give us reason not to drive innovation? No.

So how do we drive innovation? The panel at the Futurebuild debate for me summed it up nicely. They all agreed that better engagement between manufacturers, architects and specifiers was key to innovating products.

This is surely music to every manufacturer’s ears – architects and specifiers that want to engage with manufacturers. So, let’s not talk about barriers, let’s talk about opportunities and collaboration and get back to what we do best – problem solve and innovate.

[[Category:Theory]]

The Challenge To Deliver New Homes

2023-05-17T14:37:26Z

Fabrick:

This article was originally published in February 2021.

-----
Government’s target of building a million new homes in the next five years was always going to be a major challenge. With the aim to deliver 300,000 new homes a year, it is a concern that recent figures show we have only delivered 161,000 in the last 12 months, made all the more worrying when you consider this is the highest completion figure since 2007. So what do we need to do if we are going to reach our target?

The UK, especially England, is suffering from a housing crisis. Put simply, we need more homes to cope with overcrowding. We are also, once more, suffering an affordability crisis. However, recent figures show that 2019 was one of our best years in terms of new housing completions but we are way off our target.

The number of new homes registered to be built per annum in the UK has risen by more than 80 per cent over the last decade, according to the National House Building Council’s (NHBC) annual new homes statistics. This states that 161,022 homes were registered, making 2019 the strongest year for new home registrations since 2007. But it is not enough.

The figure is an 81% increase on the 88,849 homes registered a decade ago in 2009, but only a one per cent rise on 2018’s figure. If we are to reach government targets, we need to almost double efforts. Admittedly the Covid-19 pandemic won’t have helped over the past 12 months but regardless, we need to find a more effective way to deliver new homes.

In June, Boris Johnson announced the most radical reforms to our planning system since the Second World War in his ‘Build, build, build’ call to arms. The plan is to make it easier to build better homes through new regulations. This will give greater freedom for buildings and land in our town centres to change use without planning permission so we can create new homes from the regeneration of vacant and redundant buildings. But will this be enough? In short, no.

Converting commercial property or vacant retail units into homes will only go so far. I would also question the quality that these buildings will give us. We need to remember that the construction sector has come under scrutiny recently in terms of quality. A quick fix of converting vacant buildings into new homes feels like a knee jerk reaction. Furthermore, carrying out ‘build, build, build’ doesn’t help – this just implies speed is the more important criteria. What we need to consider is buildability (speed and cost), quality, design and location – in equal measures.

Earlier this month, Oxford City Council announced plans to search for contractors to deliver factory-built sustainable homes as part of a framework worth up to £1bn. In a contract notice, Oxford City Housing Limited (OCHL), which is owned by Oxford City Council, said it wanted to deliver a range of sustainable residential developments with ‘Passivhaus’ principles.

The four-year framework will have a value of £490m over its lifetime for Oxford, but could increase up to £1bn if it is used by other contracting bodies.

This is a wise move and one that I hope is followed by other councils. Offsite is one solution to address the quality issue - with components being factory produced, it is much easier to manage quality. However it will still come down to good architecture, careful planning and a placemaking approach. With the council looking for Passivhaus principles, there is a belief that building performance (and therefore build quality) and design will be key factors. Passivhaus will demand precise delivery to ensure buildings perform as designed and they will require a considered approach to their overall design.

Offsite also has the advantage of speed. It is much quicker and safer to assemble in a factory and deliver to site for erection. It can also provide costs and delivery timescale certainty. As such, this may go a long way to help government increase outputs. So that’s three out of the three boxes ticked, that just leaves location.

Our towns and cities are already overcrowded and as previously mentioned, converting a few commercial or vacant retail buildings is just a drop in the ocean. We need major projects that see the creation of new communities. As a [https://www.fabrick.agency/marketing-services/pr-media-relations construction PR agency] we have spoken before about the government’s plans to build 23 garden communities across the UK. ([https://www.wearefabrick.com/blog/creating-communities-whilst-hitting-targets click here to see previous blog]). These could provide the answer to location.

Garden communities or cities are founded on a number key principles. This includes strong vision, leadership and community engagement and land value capture for the benefit of the community. They need to include community ownership of land and mixed-tenure of homes and housing types that are affordable. They should also include employment opportunities, green space, strong leisure and retail facilities and integrated and accessible transport systems. By the very nature of their name, they feature large areas of green spaces and are typically built on redundant land, therefore opening it up to the public.

Previous garden cities have ticked the box for location as well as quality and design so if we can combine this with offsite construction to drive buildability then we may find that the government’s target of 300,000 homes is achievable.

Now all we need to do is make sure that these homes meet the government’s goal to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. The last thing we want is to be having to retrofit low energy technology to homes that are only a few years old…. OK, five criteria – buildable, high quality, great design, appropriate location and zero carbon emissions!

For further information visit [https://www.fabrick.agency/ www.fabrick.agency]

--[[User:Fabrick|Fabrick]] 16:12, 07 Apr 2021 (BST)

= Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki =

* Affordable housing.
* Diversity and the housing crisis.
* Empty dwelling management orders.
* Empty housing in London - documentary.
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* Home ownership.
* Housing and Planning Act 2016.
* Housing shortage..
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[[Category:DCN_Commentary]] [[Category:Research_/_Innovation]] [[Category:Planning_permission]] [[Category:Policy]]

Crisis communications in the construction industry

2023-05-17T14:34:52Z

Fabrick:

[[File:Crisis_communications.png|link=File:Crisis_communications.png]]

= Introduction =

By its very nature, the construction industry is a high risk industry. Health and safety has improved considerably over the past decade and is now a high priority, if not the highest, for many businesses. Quality, performance and expertise are all a given. But no matter how good your health and safety processes are, accidents can happen. No matter how good your quality control processes are, incidents happen. Some accidents and incidents are beyond the control of a company, others are a result of bad luck or a failure in company procedure or process. What they all have in common is the negative impact they can have on a business. So how should a business go about preparing for a crisis, and in the event of a crisis, what is the best course of action?

Every sector is open to risk and a typical crisis is difficult to define. It could relate to anything from an employee being injured on site through to a failure of plant and machinery; the failure of a specific product to an accident involving a company vehicle. It can also relate to the actions of employees – whether physical, spoken or even written .

The high risk nature of the industry has been reinforced by the tragic news that has made our headlines – from the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower to crane collapses. It has shown that all companies (small or big) – whether you are an architect or contractor, manufacturer or supplier – can be drawn into an incident that can have a negative impact on a company’s brand and reputation. So how should companies best prepare themselves?

= A crisis management plan =

All too often we find that organisations don’t have a crisis management plan, or if they do, it is invariably something that has been created and forgotten about. A [https://www.fabrick.agency/marketing-services crisis management] plan is something that every company should have – no matter how big or small. It is something that should form a key company protocol that is reviewed and communicated to stakeholders on a regular basis.

A plan will outline risks that your company may be susceptible to. It will also put in place the necessary steps that your business should take in the event of an incident. This will run right through the business from the person who answers the phone to your sales team on the ground. It will provide measures to communicate internally, as well as externally, to customers and other stakeholders as well as the media.

= Reaction time =

Once a crisis happens things move very quickly so it’s important to know what to do. Part of the crisis plan will include key contacts and details of initial steps – who to contact, what to say (or not to say) and what initial steps to take.

Don’t jump in to try and rectify the situation. This can have the opposite effect. It is better to take a breath, refer to the crisis management plan and take the appropriate steps.

= Understanding social media =

Social media has added a further level of complexity to crisis management. Any incident that is in the public domain, or to which the public has access, has the potential to be posted on social media.

For example, one of our clients recently had a fire in their yard, caused by plastic pallet wrapping being blown by the wind into overhead power lines. Whilst a private site, the yard runs parallel to a main road. Within minutes passers-by had posted video of the fire on social media.

A crisis management plan needs to take into consideration the impacts of social media. This could be by the general public as well as staff. It should put in place a process for monitoring what people are posting on social media and it should give guidance for staff as to what to do, or not do - i.e. no personal social media posting relating to the incident.

Posting of messages via corporate channels would form part of the communication strategy, detailed in the crisis management plan.

= Find the right tone =

When it comes to making a statement, it is important to find the right tone and appropriate language. Be considerate, thoughtful and respectful. Get straight to the point and don’t try to hide facts in confusing statements. It is better to be honest and open.

We were involved in an incident where a delivery driver was tragically killed on a client’s premises by a pallet of material falling from his own vehicle. The driver had a family and it was important to remember this. It would have been easy to put out a statement distancing our client from the incident, but this would have been callous and thoughtless. A statement that was considered and respectful ,and conversations with the media to explain the situation, was much more appropriate.

= What not to do =

There are a number of things you shouldn’t do.

The first is burying your head in the sand. In some instances where the situation blows over, a company may not see any adverse reaction or speculation. However, this isn’t always the case.

You shouldn’t panic – this will help no one. I would also advice not publicly apologising before you have the chance to think and take appropriate advise. All too often – whether it is your fault or not – people’s initial reaction is to say sorry. Saying sorry can be seen as an admission of guilt. In a similar way, not responding can also be seen as an admission of guilt.

= Additional support =

In some instances, additional support may be required. This could take the form of a [https://www.fabrick.agency/ communications agency] or legal representation. A communications agency would be ideally placed to advise on internal and external communication protocols and procedures as well as messaging and timing. Legal representation would be able to provide advice and guidance from a business risk and best practice perspective. In our experience, joining the loop and having a team that includes senior management, legal representation and a communications agency is the most effective, especially in the case of major incidences.

= Summary =

It can take a lifetime to build a brand but minutes to lose it. Some would argue that a high-risk industry like construction is used to dealing with negativity, but people always remember the bad before the good so it’s vital that construction brands know how to manage and minimise any negative impact that may be caused from a crisis of any level.

With real time communication tools such as [https://www.fabrick.agency/marketing-services/social-media-marketing social media], it’s never been easier to communicate – within minutes a social post could have reached thousands. Construction companies need to know how to respond and be confident in their responses.

It’s also no good thinking ‘it will never happen to us’. For many that may be the case, but ask yourself the question, is it worth the risk?

As a [https://www.fabrick.agency/ construction and property marketing specialist], we deal in messages and communication so we know how crucial it is to manage a crisis. We know that with the right strategy, a brand can be saved and even strengthened following a crisis. Our advice: create a crisis management plan – review it and communicate it internally on a regular basis; make sure you have the appropriate support on hand – this could be a PR agency and/or legal representation; make sure senior management is aware of the appropriate first steps – these first steps matter; but above all, keep calm.

-----
If you would like help with creating a crisis communications plan or need support managing a crisis situation, please contact our Managing Director, David Ing on 01622 754295 or at [mailto:%20david.ing@wearefabrick.com david.ing@wearefabrick.com] and he’ll be happy to help.

--[[User:Fabrick|Fabrick]] 16:11, 07 Apr 2021 (BST)

= Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki =

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[[Category:Organisations]] [[Category:Health_and_safety_/_CDM]] [[Category:Other_legislation]] [[Category:Regulations]] [[Category:People]]

Never Underestimate Construction Industry Relationships

2023-05-17T11:09:52Z

Fabrick: Created page with "People like dealing with people they like and at a time when the construction industry (like most other sectors) is coming under pressure from multiple directions, the importance..."

People like dealing with people they like and at a time when the construction industry (like most other sectors) is coming under pressure from multiple directions, the importance of a good relationship should never be underestimated.

== The contractors challenge ==

As a specialist [https://www.fabrick.agency/marketing-services/pr-media-relations construction marketing agency], Fabrick has first hand experience of many conversations across the industry.

As an example, a recent conversation saw a contractor, a consultant and a client talk about the challenges they are currently facing. The big challenge for the contractor is they are presently delivering projects that were tendered before Covid. They were tendered at a price that was appropriate at the time. Due to Covid these projects have faced delays and now they are being delivered, but the cost of materials and labour has skyrocketed.

The main contractor is being put under pressure from every subcontractor who are stating that despite starting the job, they can’t complete it based on the quotes they originally submitted. As a result, they want to renegotiate or they may have to walk away from a part delivered job, despite being in breach of contract. This has resulted in a very difficult situation for all concerned.

== A common occurrence ==

This is not an isolated incident. This is happening throughout construction. The long and the short of it is that the main contractor can deliver the project at the cost they originally quoted, but they would be taking a big financial loss which could put the stability of the company at risk. Furthermore, the subcontractors are not in a position to complete the work and are asking for more money, which is putting the main contractor under even more pressure.

The only real solution is for the main contractor to have an open and honest conversation with the client in the hope that costs can be renegotiated. The client will not want the main contractor walking away and the main contractor will not want sub-contractors walking away. The cost and impact of re-tendering and picking up work that has already started will just add more delays, complexity and could impact quality.

== Relationships are critical to success ==

This is where relationships come in. It is so critical that everyone up and down the supply chain has a good, solid working relationship with their customer.

Personally, I can’t think of another industry that is founded on relationships in quite the way the construction industry is. I have always said that once you become part of the construction industry you are in it for life. You may move around from one company to another but you won’t leave the industry.

As such, maintaining good relationships are critical – you never know when you will bump into a former colleague or client. The ability to hold open and frank discussions will hopefully see us through these challenging times as I have a feeling we will have many difficult conversations to have over the coming months as we deliver a legacy or tendered projects.

If your construction or property business would like some support with communicating your projects or positive relationships, please contact [https://www.fabrick.agency/ Fabrick].

[[Category:Organisations]] [[Category:People]]

The Challenge To Deliver New Homes

2021-04-07T15:12:18Z

Fabrick:

Government’s target of building a million new homes in the next five years was always going to be a major challenge. With the aim to deliver 300,000 new homes a year, it is a concern that recent figures show we have only delivered 161,000 in the last 12 months, made all the more worrying when you consider this is the highest completion figure since 2007. So what do we need to do if we are going to reach our target?

The UK, especially England, is suffering from a housing crisis. Put simply, we need more homes to cope with overcrowding. We are also, once more, suffering an affordability crisis. However, recent figures show that 2019 was one of our best years in terms of new housing completions but we are way off our target.

The number of new homes registered to be built per annum in the UK has risen by more than 80 per cent over the last decade, according to the National House Building Council’s (NHBC) annual new homes statistics. This states that 161,022 homes were registered, making 2019 the strongest year for new home registrations since 2007. But it is not enough.

The figure is an 81% increase on the 88,849 homes registered a decade ago in 2009, but only a one per cent rise on 2018’s figure. If we are to reach government targets, we need to almost double efforts. Admittedly the Covid-19 pandemic won’t have helped over the past 12 months but regardless, we need to find a more effective way to deliver new homes.

In June, Boris Johnson announced the most radical reforms to our planning system since the Second World War in his ‘Build, build, build’ call to arms. The plan is to make it easier to build better homes through new regulations. This will give greater freedom for buildings and land in our town centres to change use without planning permission so we can create new homes from the regeneration of vacant and redundant buildings. But will this be enough? In short, no.

Converting commercial property or vacant retail units into homes will only go so far. I would also question the quality that these buildings will give us. We need to remember that the construction sector has come under scrutiny recently in terms of quality. A quick fix of converting vacant buildings into new homes feels like a knee jerk reaction. Furthermore, carrying out ‘build, build, build’ doesn’t help – this just implies speed is the more important criteria. What we need to consider is buildability (speed and cost), quality, design and location – in equal measures.

Earlier this month, Oxford City Council announced plans to search for contractors to deliver factory-built sustainable homes as part of a framework worth up to £1bn. In a contract notice, Oxford City Housing Limited (OCHL), which is owned by Oxford City Council, said it wanted to deliver a range of sustainable residential developments with ‘Passivhaus’ principles.

The four-year framework will have a value of £490m over its lifetime for Oxford, but could increase up to £1bn if it is used by other contracting bodies.

This is a wise move and one that I hope is followed by other councils. Offsite is one solution to address the quality issue - with components being factory produced, it is much easier to manage quality. However it will still come down to good architecture, careful planning and a placemaking approach. With the council looking for Passivhaus principles, there is a belief that building performance (and therefore build quality) and design will be key factors. Passivhaus will demand precise delivery to ensure buildings perform as designed and they will require a considered approach to their overall design.

Offsite also has the advantage of speed. It is much quicker and safer to assemble in a factory and deliver to site for erection. It can also provide costs and delivery timescale certainty. As such, this may go a long way to help government increase outputs. So that’s three out of the three boxes ticked, that just leaves location.

Our towns and cities are already overcrowded and as previously mentioned, converting a few commercial or vacant retail buildings is just a drop in the ocean. We need major projects that see the creation of new communities. I have spoken before about the government’s plans to build 23 garden communities across the UK. ([https://www.wearefabrick.com/blog/creating-communities-whilst-hitting-targets click here to see previous blog]). These could provide the answer to location.

Garden communities or cities are founded on a number key principles. This includes strong vision, leadership and community engagement and land value capture for the benefit of the community. They need to include community ownership of land and mixed-tenure of homes and housing types that are affordable. They should also include employment opportunities, green space, strong leisure and retail facilities and integrated and accessible transport systems. By the very nature of their name, they feature large areas of green spaces and are typically built on redundant land, therefore opening it up to the public.

Previous garden cities have ticked the box for location as well as quality and design so if we can combine this with offsite construction to drive buildability then we may find that the government’s target of 300,000 homes is achievable.

Now all we need to do is make sure that these homes meet the government’s goal to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. The last thing we want is to be having to retrofit low energy technology to homes that are only a few years old…. OK, five criteria – buildable, high quality, great design, appropriate location and zero carbon emissions!

For further information visit www.weareafabrick.com

--[[User:Fabrick|Fabrick]] 16:12, 07 Apr 2021 (BST)

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Crisis communications in the construction industry

2021-04-07T15:11:30Z

Fabrick:

By its very nature, the construction industry is a high risk industry. Health and safety has improved considerably over the past decade and is now a high priority, if not the highest, for many businesses. Quality, performance and expertise are all a given. But no matter how good your health and safety processes are, accidents can happen. No matter how good your quality control processes are, incidents happen. Some accidents and incidents are beyond the control of a company, others are a result of bad luck or a failure in company procedure or process. What they all have in common is the negative impact they can have on a business. So how should a business go about preparing for a crisis, and in the event of a crisis, what is the best course of action?

Every sector is open to risk and a typical crisis is difficult to define. It could relate to anything from an employee being injured on site through to a failure of plant and machinery; the failure of a specific product to an accident involving a company vehicle. It can also relate to the actions of employees – whether physical, spoken or even written .

The high risk nature of the industry has been reinforced by the tragic news that has made our headlines over the past few weeks – from the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower and subsequent fires at Weybridge Community Hospital and Camden Market to the crane collapses in Reading and Crewe to the death of a worker this week, overcome by fumes whilst working in a basement at a house in London.

It has shown that all companies (small or big) – whether you are an architect or contractor, manufacturer or supplier – can be drawn into an incident that can have a negative impact on a company’s brand and reputation. So how should companies best prepare themselves?

A Crisis Management Plan

All too often we find that organisations don’t have a crisis management plan, or if they do, it is invariably something that has been created and forgotten about. A crisis management plan is something that every company should have – no matter how big or small. It is something that should form a key company protocol that is reviewed and communicated to stakeholders on a regular basis.

A plan will outline risks that your company may be susceptible to. It will also put in place the necessary steps that your business should take in the event of an incident. This will run right through the business from the person who answers the phone to your sales team on the ground. It will provide measures to communicate internally, as well as externally, to customers and other stakeholders as well as the media.

Reaction Time

Once a crisis happens things move very quickly so it’s important to know what to do. Part of the crisis plan will include key contacts and details of initial steps – who to contact, what to say (or not to say) and what initial steps to take.

Don’t jump in to try and rectify the situation. This can have the opposite effect. It is better to take a breath, refer to the crisis management plan and take the appropriate steps.

Understanding Social Media

Social media has added a further level of complexity to crisis management. Any incident that is in the public domain, or to which the public has access, has the potential to be posted on social media.

For example, one of our clients recently had a fire in their yard, caused by plastic pallet wrapping being blown by the wind into overhead power lines. Whilst a private site, the yard runs parallel to a main road. Within minutes passers-by had posted video of the fire on social media.

A crisis management plan needs to take into consideration impacts of social media. This could be by the general public as well as staff. It should put in place a process for monitoring what people are posting on social media and it should give guidance for staff as to what to do, or not i.e. no personal social media posting relating to the incident. Posting of messages via corporate channels would form part of the communication strategy, detailed in the crisis management plan.

Find the Right Tone

When it comes to making a statement, it is important to find the right tone and appropriate language. Be considerate, thoughtful and respectful. Get straight to the point and don’t try and hide facts in confusing statements. It is better to be honest and open.

We were involved in an incident where a delivery driver was tragically killed on a client’s premises by a pallet of material falling from his own vehicle. The driver had a family and it was important to remember this. It would have been easy to put out a statement distancing our client from the incident, but this would have been callous and thoughtless. A statement that was considered and respectful ,and conversations with the media to explain the situation, was much more appropriate.

What Not to Do

There are a number of things you shouldn’t do. The first is burying your head in the sand. In some instances where the situation blows over, a company may not see any adverse reaction or speculation. However, this isn’t always the case. You also shouldn’t panic – this will help no one. I would also advice not to publically apologise before you have the chance to think and take appropriate advise. All too often – whether it is your fault or not – people’s initial reaction is to say sorry. Saying sorry can be seen as an admission of guilt. In a similar way, not responding can also be seen as an admission of guilt.

Additional Support

In some instances, additional support may be required. This could take the form of a communications agency or legal representation. A communications agency would be ideally placed to advise on internal and external communication protocols and procedures as well as messaging and timing. Legal representation would be able to provide advice and guidance from a business risk and best practice perspective. In our experience, joining the loop and having a team that includes senior management, legal representation and a communications agency is the most effective, especially in the case of major incidences.

Summary

It can take a lifetime to build a brand but minutes to lose it. Some would argue that a high-risk industry like construction is used to dealing with negativity, but people always remember the bad before the good so it’s vital that construction brands know how to manage and minimise any negative impact that may be caused from a crisis of any level.

With real time communication tools such as social media, it’s never been easier to communicate – within minutes a social post could have reached thousands. Construction companies need to know how to respond and be confident in their responses.

It’s also no good thinking ‘it will never happen to us’. For many that may be the case, but ask yourself the question, is it worth the risk?

As a construction and property marketing specialist, we deal in messages and communication so we know how crucial it is to manage a crisis. We know that with the right strategy, a brand can be saved and even strengthened following a crisis.

Our advice: create a crisis management plan – review it and communicate it internally on a regular basis; make sure you have the appropriate support on hand – this could be a PR agency and/or legal representation; make sure Senior Management is aware of the appropriate first steps – these first steps matter; but above all, keep calm.

If you would like help with creating a Crisis Communications Plan or need support managing a crisis situation, please contact our Managing Director, David Ing on 01622 754295 or at [mailto:%20david.ing@wearefabrick.com david.ing@wearefabrick.com] and he’ll be happy to help.--[[User:Fabrick|Fabrick]] 16:11, 07 Apr 2021 (BST)

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