Steel and Precast Detailing Services

Author: admin

  • Memo – How to manage client interactions on complex projects to their satisfaction

    If you want to get:

    1. Repeat work from clients.
    2. 5 star reviews
    3. Better bonuses / compensation.

    Then it might be worth considering the following strategies. This is a proven and successful model. Why?

    1. RL, GD etc have tried it out. The latter has phenomenal success with this strategy.
    2. I have spoken to clients. Especially one conversation with a client, DR, proved that this is a big problem for them:

    What do clients want, what don’t they want?

    1. Clients DO NOT: want to spend their day reading through emails and RFIs. DR prefers it if you called him, via teams etc, and outline all the issues via screenshare.
    2. Clients are busy. They have limited resources. That is why they hire us. Some of you present a problem to your clients, but no solution – this is not what you should do. Whenever you see a problem, present the solution as well.
    3. Do not make your clients think! Thinking is hard. Coming up with solutions is even harder. Reading your English (which is wanting), plus piecing together things in their mind after looking at multiple pdfs etc. is very difficult. Comparing drawings is difficult. Reading is difficult. But if you do a screenshare, and SHOW THEM the problems, and also suggest solutions – this is extremely valuable. DO THIS.

    This is GD’s and RL’s playbook:

    1. Summarise issues and propose solutions – do this via a screenshare.
    2. IF you make assumptions – then inform the client.
    3. After you’ve done everything – then document it: for legal / insurance reasons, but most importantly, to provide additional clarity.
    4. If you have had a teams meeting – send them the minutes of meeting after you’ve finished. As above, this provides clarity and protection for yourself.

    IF you do the above, you will always be in demand.

  • Memo 26 – Tek1 must be on all drawings henceforth

    Please ensure that the firm’s name is on the Title Sheet. See details below.

    Drawings should not be sent without our firm’s name on it.

    NO EXCPETIONS.

    I will hold to account anyone who ignores or violates this memo.

    Why?

    1. We want to maintain and preserve our reputation.
    2. We want to promote our name: to everyone in the world. For us and also for yourself. Put your name on the drawings: e.g. “Ram L / Vig S” etc. etc

    • Tek1 must be on drawing

    We will negotiate with contractors to ensure our name goes on the drawing.

    Our Name is: Tek1 Pty Ltd.

    Address: 35 Bradstreet Road, Mount Waverley, 3149.

    Phone: +61 (0)3 9560 6397, Mobile: +61 0425 791 837

  • Staff Memo #25: How to add Live Links to Model Sharing Services

    Staff Memo #25: How to add Live Links to Model Sharing Services

    Staff, please add live links to model sharing services. You can do so from the quote page directly. Just edit and add the link.

    Show: how to add model sharing linkes
    Show: how to add model sharing linkes

     

     

     

     

     

    The links will be available to all clients on: (i) status emails, and (ii) on the status webpage as well.

     

    Show: where the links appear to clients.
    Show: where the links appear to clients.

  • Maximise your Screen Real Estate

    I’ve seen people struggle with many windows overwhelming their work space. This will hurt your productivity, especially if you are in the detailing profession. You could employ virtual desktops, in addition to a tiling manager.

    1. Please follow this tutorial on virtual desktops.
    2. If you want to use a windows tiling manager consider AquaSnap. If you really like it I would not be opposed to getting a commercial site-wide license.

  • Staff Memos: Long Term Goals

    I have not been clear in specifying overall objectives.

    I want to dramatically increase the reputation of our firm, to boost your remuneration, and to expand our offering(s).

    This is the plan:

    1. Satisfy the Client

    • The client pays the bills.
    • In order to satisfy our clients, we must first understand our clients.
    • When we speak to our clients, then we can uncover problems which need to be fixed.
    • The more problems we fix, the better our reputation, and our desirability will be. This will translate into more favourable remuneration to the firm, just as it translate into a more favourable proposition for our clients to hire Tek1 – given the benefits our client receives.

    2. Work Hard

    • When we work hard: we dot the “i’s” and cross the “t’s”, this affords us an opportunity to solve difficult problems through innovating.
    • Your task  / job is to identify potential sources of innovation and either: (i) innovate yourself, or (ii) communicate this to your superiors so that it may be implemented.

    3. Favourable Remuneration

    • This is a firm that firmly rewards good work, through progression.
    • This is a firm which seeks to educate and promote your as fast as possible.
    1. By delivering outstanding quality work to clients, we will be able to attract premium clients, at better rates,
    2. when we do so, we will be able to better remunerate our staff.

    However I need cooperation from staff:

     

    Marketing:

    • Please post all your project(s) related blogs. On the Tek1 site. Use this platform to promote your name.
    • Please market your projects on social media.
    • The better we market, the better we’ll rank on Google etc.

     

    Education and Training

    • Make every effort to be constantly improving in your craft, constantly learning. If you’re not learning, then you’re not progressing.
    • Improve your English:
      • I wish to build the design / review market, but I cannot do so, until some of you improve your English!
    • Train your detailers as much as possible. Use our Tek1 Competencies as a general guide.
    • Documentation of Training / Learning:
      • I want training / learning to be documented as much as possible, (through memos or through Youtube videos). This allows anyone who is willing to  learn, to do so, it makes training cheaper / easier / faster for us and also for recruits.
      • Read ALL the standards we are required to read, take our Moodle exercises.
      • Develop better Moodle exercises.
    • All staff should read our firm memos. There is nothing worse than repeating a mistake which could have been avoided.
    • Test recruits according to our competencies.

    Innovation

    • If you work hard, and talk to your clients, the places you need to improve should be very clear.
    • Most improvements can be done through technology. With better technology, this allows the firm to deliver better value to clients, which will impact your remuneration. It will not happen overnight, but it will happen.

     

    Client Focus:

    1. Update your client on the status of your projects.
    2. Call your client (to push outstanding items)
    3. Call to find out any other problems they are facing.
    4. Suggest solutions for your client(s)
    5. Improve your English.

     

  • Galvanizing requirements

    Galvanizing requirements

    When you are adding Galvanizing holes please use this document

    Download PDF

  • Look Out for Bad Connection Details

    Look Out for Bad Connection Details

    Bad Connections

    There are many young engineers out of college in the structural engineering business. They probably are not very much aware about the costs involved with fabrication.

    As detailers, it is our responsibility to look out for bad connections and ask an rfi for alternate connections.

    Please look at this particular one. It is unnecessarily complicated. And there are so many of them. It is all hidden and is not intended to be an architectural masterpiece.

    We as detailers become a lot more valuable if we can save money for the detailer.

     

  • When Drawing go on Hold for whatever Reason

    When Drawing go on Hold for whatever Reason

    When issued for Fabrication drawings go on Hold for whatever reason.

     

    Things to note.

    • Drawings issued for fabrication will be in a work flow. We have no control on where all these drawings have gone.
    • The only thing we can do is introduce a new revision for the drawing into the work flow with a new Revision No – DO NOT FABRICATE – DRAWING ON HOLD
    • Put a STAMP across the drawing. DRAWING ON HOLD
    • In the revision col, the revision discription should “Do Not Fabricate”
    • Take a drawing List report which has the revision Mark and Revision description. (Do Not Fabricate)
  • When clients puts pressure on for Delivery

    When clients puts pressure on for Delivery

    When clients put a lot of pressure.

    No urgent delivery is delivery if full processes cannot be completed.

    In spite of who puts the pressure on – All processes must be completed.
    Do not plan to complete any job by doing a 12-hour shift. It will not go well.

    Most urgent jobs, when has not gone through processes which it must go through, turn out to be

    1. Wrong
    2. Client is Not happy
    3. Hurts everyone in the business.

    Lesson to be learned.

    Pressures come in this job
    But it is up to the Team Lead to assess whether a job can be delivered PROPERLY at a certain time.

    If the answer is no. Then you MUST GIVE A FIRM NO. That way everyone is happier.