There are two complementary approaches that can be taken to ensure that project relationships are collaborative and effective, rather than confrontational and disruptive. In addition to improving collaboration and reducing conflicts, concurrent engineering also offers savings to all project stakeholders, for the simple reason that it minimizes the number of change orders and also shortens deadlines. All customers are required to comply with rules, standards and laws. But each client will be different: on the culture of his country, the culture of his organization, and sometimes through his personal methodology for underground projects. The success of an engineering project often revolves around the quality of the relationship between the customer and the service provider. A good working relationship should be based on trust and understanding between all parties, and if managed well, it can lead to a more lasting contract between all parties and be fruitful for both parties in the long run through good relationship management. Unlike products manufactured in assembly lines, engineering projects are unique and developed by temporary organizations, but the concept of simultaneous engineering can be successfully applied: Tags Construction | | Engineering MEP Engineering firms Well-planned communication improves relationships between engineers and contractors even before contracts are awarded. Zuendt Engineering provides design-build services with qualified designers that meet the specific needs of the customer or project. This provides a turnkey solution by building a team of contractors, architects and engineers who can work together to reduce the potential risks and conflicts associated with a project. There is now a wide range of project management tools and applications that improve planning, activity tracking and information sharing. Engineers and contractors can collaborate more effectively when information is easily accessible. Here are some examples of IT solutions that can be deployed: Given the (relatively) limited number of qualified contractors for underground structures (.
B compared to contractors), it often happens that the contractor has built more tunnels than the project client. In addition, such a contractor has probably worked with many different clients. Geography also plays a role: some entrepreneurs, especially French and European, can work anywhere in the world. Regardless of the country and the customer, the contractor`s competence applies to underground work worldwide, making the contractor a “constant” in the relationship with the customer. From one project to another, customers will change and it is up to the entrepreneur to adapt. Our experience shows that the entrepreneur`s ability to adapt to any new situation is a key element in building a constructive customer relationship. In the past, expert customers were customers for tens of kilometers of tunnels and other underground work. Their experience is all the stronger as some of them will have their own in-house design departments. In most cases, these customers are railway infrastructure managers or public transport managers (especially the metro). The best examples of this type of customer are the major European and Asian railway and transport companies, for which a new tunnel construction project will eventually be a “tunnel among other tunnels”.
Agreed deadline for liability for defects. The period of liability for defects is the period during which the contractor is contractually obliged to remedy defects that have occurred in competing engineering, is a concept borrowed from the manufacturing industry and consists of moving from a linear approach to a parallel approach in the development of a new product. Basically, this reduces the time it takes for a product to reach a market and improves collaboration between teams, as it involves the entire workforce from the beginning of product development, including team members whose roles are more important in the final stages. BIM is a collaborative process that is particularly useful when working with modular constructions on prefabrication sites. By using a digital model that all contractors have access to, you can ensure that all prefabricated components fit into the factory. Customers also have access to the template if they need a more detailed update of a project`s status. However, it`s not just about one customer. It is equally important to build relationships with individuals, whether they are the decision-makers or not. Some projects may span multiple continents and require conversations in different languages, which poses their own challenges and highlights the importance of creating strong communication channels.
our industry through my graduate studies, reading on the subject and learning the types of contracts used for the project I am working on. A contract is an agreement between two or more parties that can be performed in court. It must include the offer, acceptance, consideration and the intention to establish a legal relationship. It defines the rights and obligations of all parties involved, such as. B scope of work and payments. As structural engineers, we usually work under one of three forms of contracts: The construction of an underground structure is by definition complex. The client of the project, like the contractor, is under constant pressure: he wants the project to be on schedule and on budget and to have a good safety record. The client is also responsible for the project to others: to a higher authority, […] The entrepreneur is a human being, just like the workers.
This does not mean that just because you pay them money does not mean that they are your slaves. That`s why you need to be considerate all the time. If they work overtime, you can show them small gestures of thoughtfulness by simply giving them meals or snacks. This saves them time when buying meals in other places. Also, don`t expect your contractor to answer your calls all the time. If it`s already outside of normal business hours, don`t call. They also have their own lives. The entrepreneur`s corporate culture will go hand in hand with his technical know-how. A culture differs from company to company, but changes little from project to project and often depends less or more on the personality of the construction manager.
Change orders are a very common source of conflict in projects, as they usually result in additional costs that someone has to pay. Depending on the type of contract, these additional costs may be borne by the customer, the contractor or both. The key to minimizing change orders lies in effective communication, and customers and contractors are responsible for this: in summary, the type of customer largely determines the relationship that can be built with the contractor: either a relationship between equals, or an asymmetric relationship. Nevertheless, it is important to emphasize the importance of a good relationship and transparency between the client and the entrepreneur. And this relationship must be built from the beginning: even if the client is supported by an engineering consultant, he must always be accompanied by the contractor. Increasingly, customers view the design and construction of a plant as one element rather than breaking it down into two. At Boulting, we offer both services and accompany customers throughout the journey. from concept to creation..
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