When selecting a construction partner, what characteristics and capabilities do clients and consultants value the most?
ISIS has recently discovered these insights from undertaking comprehensive market research. With an ongoing external focus, ISIS performed national research to better understand client and consultant needs, as well as determining factors for contractor selection.
This research allows ISIS to stay true to its customer focus, and also ensure an ability to meet the evolving needs of the market.
One of the primary measures of the research was evaluating cost. In a market characterised by low cost tenders, ISIS questioned the cost versus value equation, gaining a better understanding on whether or not clients were willing to pay for additional value above and beyond just price.
In a tight market, research shows that clients and consultants already know they are receiving an economical price, so are therefore not averse to selecting the second or third cheapest tender price, as those may provide extra value greater than just cost.
In fact, almost 90 per cent of end users surveyed cited value for money as a critical component of selecting a contractor, with just 72 per cent selecting cost. These statistics suggest an industry that is willing to pay a little extra for much needed quality and peace of mind during the fitout and refurbishment process.
So how does a contractor augment their value proposition? ISIS’ research suggests that a number of elements can enhance a contractor’s value offering, removing the emphasis on cost alone.
Existing relationships with ongoing dialogue can improve a contractor’s chances of capturing work. A reputation for high quality finished work, an ability to deliver on time and a collaborative approach that is anchored on honest communication, all enhance the value proposition of a contractor to a client.
Through this comprehensive research, ISIS has discovered that the current low quality outcomes and predictable time delays have created a negative connotation of the entire building process, resulting in an opinion of construction being the negative byproduct of a positive end result of a new space.
The ongoing issues of low quality and late delivery have become widely accepted in the industry, ensuring that end users have an expectation of poor construction delivery. ISIS is focused on challenging this perception and is constantly evolving best practice, determined to show that defect free and on time project delivery is possible.
Not only that, but the adoption of a customised approach that identifies and then meets a client’s key deliverable on a project, has become vital at ISIS to enhancing the client experience. By including a customisable element, as defined by the client, ISIS is able to personalise the construction experience, removing a historically generic process and giving control and choice back to the client.
In addition to the recent overarching industry market research, ISIS implements an online client experience survey to clients and consultants at the end of each project to determine the success of that project and understand areas for improvement. The survey results allow ISIS to continue to learn and evolve at the end of each project, allowing them to develop and foster long-term relationships with clients, further augmenting the value proposition. With these market research initiatives implemented, it is little wonder that ISIS has an enviable current Net Promoter Score (NPS) of +53, showing best practice in the industry and highlighting the benefits received from listening to what is important to the market.
Armed with the knowledge of what clients and consultants want from the fitout and refurbishment process, as well as an ability to provide clients with certainty of delivery, ISIS is trying to redefine the industry. ISIS understand that smart construction involves more than just building to specifications, but recognises the need to collaborate to enhance the client journey, define and meet the unique needs of each project and client, and therefore transform their client’s attitude towards the construction process.
In its 25th year of operations, this wealth of knowledge provided by the market research will allow ISIS to not only continue to successfully transform spaces, but also transform the industry and their customer experience. With an ongoing thirst for understanding their client’s key deliverables, ISIS is creating a new level of service and client satisfaction in an industry that is generally epitomised by imperfections.
This article has been prepared in partnership with ISIS and TheUrbanDeveloper.com team.