CIMCIG chairman says industry needs to sell private clients a compelling vision
UK plc is in the doldrums. GDP is just about in growth, finding it difficult to make headway against the poor figures coming out of the construction sector. Hence, there is an inference that construction is one of the key industries holding back the recovery.
So if the construction industry is being blamed for the economy remaining in such poor shape, is it then up to us to simply pull our socks up, get on with the job and end this dismal economic situation?
Recently the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Construction Industry Group (CIMCIG) held its annual Chairman’s Debate. During the session we heard from key people in our industry. The government’s chief construction adviser, Peter Hansford, told the audience that “the government sees construction as being at the heart of the economy and we wish to use construction as an enabler of growth”.
On the other hand, those in attendance also heard that the construction industry is a service industry that simply carries out the wishes of its clients.
One interpretation of this is that we, the construction industry, are at the beck and call of those who procure new buildings, refurbishment and improvement projects and infrastructure developments. We follow the demand rather than influence it. A previous boss of mine likened this situation to seaweed in the surf: we are not in control of our destiny and our future success is driven by the tide coming in, then going out.
In recent years there has been much talk within the industry about key initiatives that are designed to move it forward: innovation, factory built housing and BIM, for instance. These initiatives were all discussed during the debate. But it was established that most of the key initiatives within our industry are about cost reduction and efficiency within the procurement process, rather than being about growing the market or creating new sectors.
Sure, cheaper buildings are more viable from the client perspective, but system build and BIM are techniques chosen once the need for the development or refurbishment has been determined – not so that the need for the development or refurbishment can be generated in the first instance.
Generating demand
Many industries place an emphasis on generating demand for their products and services by demonstrating to their customers how the innovations happening within the industry will enrich their lives. I am not talking about low-cost, commodity items but rather more expensive items, such as household appliances, IT equipment and cars. These items are all marketed to us to trade up, buy an improved model, and purchase a completely new item which you never knew you actually needed before seeing the advertisement.
I am not suggesting that we should encourage our customers to construct more buildings than they actually need but rather we should be extolling the virtues of replacing or renovating old, tired buildings. As an industry we should be trying harder to demonstrate to our customers that they can actually trade up in terms of buildings: by selling the benefits of lower running costs, more space, brighter environments and the many benefits improved buildings can actually have on the wider issue of climate change.
Another very good point that Peter Hansford made was: “The future of the construction industry in the UK is dependent on an image overhaul, increasing innovation and more confidence.”
Inevitably in a room full of marketers the subject of image overhaul was discussed with some enthusiasm.
This industry truly does deliver greatness: the venues and infrastructure created for last year’s Olympic Games are widely recognised as one of the greatest building projects undertaken in this country in recent times. Look at the skyline of most UK towns and cities and you will find some great buildings that don’t just look good but perform equally as well.
We build the UK’s places of work, places of leisure, the infrastructure that moves us from A to B and homes for the people of the UK. We create great places of business, learning, healing and relaxation. We provide our customers with fantastic spaces to be in: from the Olympic Park to a simple loft conversion in a mid-terrace house. We enrich society and the lives of the people within it.
We do this every day up and down the country.
The construction industry is about creating and building, utilising the most advanced CAD and BIM technology. It is also about high-tech engineering and increasingly cutting edge offsite manufacturing.
What other industries have the same degree of impact on our everyday lives? Our output is there for society to use for decades, centuries even. What other industries leave such a legacy to our lives and our heritage?
We have great case studies and fantastic results but what do we, as an industry, do to promote the benefits that our output brings our customers? Not a lot. It is my opinion that we are selling ourselves short in a very significant way.
I think that we, the construction industry, should not rely solely on customer demand coming back to us on the next tide. Instead, we should help our customers come back to us by being proud of what we do; we should be promoting the great developments and innovations within our industry and what we do for society.
Ian Exall is marketing manager at shower manufacturer Aqualisa and chairman of CIMCIG
