Make Lasting Impressions on Your Clients with Better Project Closeout Processes
When owners raise capital for their next project, they will likely choose contractors whose projects have helped them hit their end goals and KPIs.
August 25, 2021
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- How the Closeout Process Impacts Client Success
- Streamlining the Closeout Process
- The Advantage of Automating the Closeout Process
The best general contractors know that making clients happy and generating repeat business isn’t just about developing quality buildings.
A project’s success (at least from the client’s perspective) doesn’t merely hinge on whether or not something gets built; what ultimately matters to the client is what they get out of the building.
In other words, clients care about the quality of work within their buildings more so than the building itself. Is the property generating revenue? Is the building producing quality work? If they’re in real estate, are they able to sell it easily?
These are some of the questions that clients would be asking when determining the success of a building. And when it comes time to raise capital for the next project, they will likely choose contractors whose projects have helped them hit their end goals and KPIs.
How the Closeout Process Impacts Client Success
Now, you may not have control over all of the client’s business practices, but you do have the ability to help them operate the building more efficiently. If their building is plagued with issues that require rework and renovations or if they can’t find the documents needed to prevent those issues (such as warranties, O&M Manuals, and training materials) the client’s return on investment is lowered. This lowered ROI can then be tied to your reputation as a builder and they won’t choose you again if they choose to start another project at all.
This is where the closeout process and turnover package come into play. These components are the last touches you have with the client, and they’ll greatly affect how you’re remembered.
To that end, you should make the closeout and handover phase as smooth and organized as possible. Be proactive with handing over information and put together a digital turnover package containing all the documents that the client needs to run the building. Doing so will make your clients’ lives so much easier, and they’ll be better equipped to operate the building successfully.
Streamlining the Closeout Process
Much of the stress around project closeout stems from the tedious tasks involved in the process. Collecting information, verifying data, and compiling documents manually not only takes up a tremendous amount of time, it also makes you and your team prone to error.
When general contractors attempt to juggle multiple project components themselves, it’s easy for details to fall through the cracks.
All that can be prevented by streamlining and automating various steps of the closeout process.
Automatically notify trade partners of their requirements. A good turnover package contains all the paperwork necessary for record keeping and building operations. This includes documents from all the parties involved in the project, including subcontractors, designers, engineers, and project managers, among others.
Collecting all the required documentation from multiple entities is tedious work, especially if you’re doing it manually. If you’re emailing and calling various team members and subcontractors one by one, you’re opening yourself up to human error and miscommunication.
A far better approach is to use a closeout platform that can generate requirements and send notifications for you. In addition to streamlining document collection, using construction closeout software also keeps all the paperwork in one place, so you won’t have to waste time searching your inbox or computer folders for the information you need.
Start collecting documents early as each trade or party completes their scope of work. In line with automating the process of collecting documents, it’s best to initiate this process early in construction, as each party completes their scope of work.
Be sure to do this sooner rather than later.
Remember that it can take time for other parties to respond to document requests. Subcontractors may move on to other projects as soon as they’ve completed their work on your job site. The longer you wait to request documents, the longer the closeout process will take.
Streamline the process for combining all approved documents. Once you have the necessary paperwork, you need to create the turnover package. This step isn’t just about compiling the documents and sending them to the client. Your package needs to be clear, presentable, and easy to read. Assembling a good turnover package involves steps like resizing files, categorizing information, and presenting everything in a client-friendly format.
Once again, all that work can get tedious if you don’t have the right technology in place.
That’s why it’s important to invest in tools that can streamline the whole process. Pype Closeout, for example, enables you to collect, review, and package all closeout documentation in a single platform.
Simply upload your spec book and Pype will generate your closeout requirements for you. Plus, the software automatically notifies trade partners of incomplete requirements, and any documents can be uploaded effortlessly. The platform also has submittal tracking features so you can quickly see the status of each requirement.
Finally, Pype Closeout has a turnover package tool that automatically generates a fully hyper-linked, indexed, and branded PDF that you can print or digitally share with the client.
The Advantages of Automating the Closeout Process
Aside from the obvious benefits of helping you create a better turnover package, automating the closeout process can save a lot of time, allowing your project team to focus on other closeout tasks and create a superior deliverable overall.
And by streamlining closeout through automation, you can:
Ensure that all required documentation is included. When document requests are automated, you only have to manually follow-up with non-compliant subcontractors. Streamlining document collection also helps you suggest documents that the client will likely want or need but haven’t requested. Proactivity goes a long way, and going the extra mile in the closeout process will serve you well in the future.
Ensure faster punch list completion. An automated closeout process will also come in handy in the event that work isn’t completed correctly. The right software makes it easy for the general contractor to coordinate with project managers and the necessary subcontractors to ensure that tasks and requirements are completed.
Finish the project on time and avoid liquidated damages. A smoother closeout process means the project can be completed faster and ideally within the agreed-upon date. This helps you minimize liquidated damages and ultimately be more profitable. And with average general contractor profit margins ranging from 1.4% and 2.4%, every dollar counts!
Ready to Make a Lasting Impression on Your Clients?
The key to unlocking repeat work isn’t just about delivering on a project. You should also ensure that the client gets the most out of the building and increase the likelihood of their success. A streamlined closeout process and strong turnover package can help you do just that.
Let Pype help you strengthen and accelerate your closeout process. Request a demo today.