He has been with Ultimate Homes & Renovations as a production manager since 1998. You must have seen him over the years. What would you say is the main challenge in managing the Production Department?
Resource Scheduling – There are many variables in the broader field of production management and specifically project management as well. Those variables continually change daily, sometimes hourly, and you manage them across multiple projects while remaining fair to everyone involved (suppliers, customers, employees, etc.).
Let’s say, for example, that a resource has an unexpected out-of-town family commitment and needs to be away for a few days. Also assume that any suitable alternative resources are scheduled elsewhere and are not available. Finally, the task that needs to be completed must finish before the next task can start (in Production Management, we refer to this as part of the critical path). These kinds of things have to be resolved somehow to keep the project on target and keep customers happy.
In your last 20 years, what are some of the technological advances that have helped improve your production management process?
Well, I don’t want to give away my age, but when I started Ultimate, the internet wasn’t a big thing yet, it was still kind of in its infancy. That obviously changed quickly. Like most industries, it was certainly a game changer in construction; for example, I was suddenly able to quickly and securely research new innovations and find the specifications of any product online in a matter of seconds. Online efficiencies like Google Maps (or vehicle GPS) now make it almost impossible for a worker to get lost on the way to the job site. I’ll never have to deal with calls like that again.
Of course, smartphones have become another big plus…get product knowledge instantly over the phone and text a linkable phone number to someone (instead of telling them through an old radio system and have them type the wrong number into the phone). paper… well, those days are behind us. Finally, email is everything now: confirming change orders, telling multiple people at once about something important they need to know…etc. – It is much easier to manage those daily tasks through new technologies.
Clients expect and deserve the best quality from a professional renovator. What would you say are the key steps that you have consistently followed over the years to fulfill that mandate?
- Communication with employees, suppliers and customers.
- Schedule regular meetings, meet weekly with key people to review work, and coordinate everything – this is essential to keeping everyone “in the loop” and on the same page.
- Establish long-term working relationships with trusted people, knowing what to expect. You just can’t have a revolving door with vendors and employees because they are your key people to get jobs done on time and done right.
What are your tips for managing work quality without hindering production speed?
Organization, communication and having quality employees and suppliers.
What are some things owners can do to help their production process?
Product knowledge. Feel free to do your homework on the selections beforehand, so it’s not a daunting process later on. Sure, we have people at Ultimate who will help customers through that process, but we need to have “a picture” of what the end goal is with regards to product selections. Everybody has different tastes.
What is your number one tip for a homeowner about to start a complete home renovation?
Do a lot of homework. This refers to everything…the renovation company (eg, knowing their track record in this industry), the products you might want, the general scope of work you might be looking for, and understanding your budget needs.