Change Orders Proactively Dealing with Changes Increases the Success of an Organization

Construction projects are rife with change. In fact, the overwhelming amount of change that occurs within every construction project has led to the widespread belief that planning is overrated. Yes, change is inherent in construction. Yes, very often change occurs on the very first day of a project. However, how you deal with these changes will determine how successful your organization is. For every project you have, you must have a plan to handle changes as they crop up, and you must be prepared to change that plan hundreds of times over the course of the project. D. Brown Management’s Profit Happens Here! Change Orders Training Module focuses on managing these changes, so project leaders can do what they’re supposed to do – keep their projects on course.

There is a large amount of controversy on whether changes are good or bad. Within the construction industry, attitudes and beliefs are split into two. The truth of the matter is that change is neither good nor bad; it’s simply a fact of life within construction. It can’t be avoided. Developing a strong, standardized process for dealing with changes, however, is good, and in doing so will create a method of accountability that will help your organization be compensated properly for these changes. How does this happen? It’s not easy.

While there certainly are “windfall” changes that are lump-sum, in which the production far exceeded the expectations, it is far more common to have hundreds of small changes within a project. Each of these changes, viewed separately, does not have any significant profit impact, but they are critical to pay attention to. Cumulatively, they add to the weight of a project and slow it down. The result is often schedule delays and extra costs that are not compensated.

This training module centers on how you can track these changes as they happen, alter your planning to encompass them, and getting the compensation that is fair and deserved. It begins by indentifying change – the earlier the better. If you can identify change at the beginning of a project, you’ll save time, money, and labor. The module tackles internal versus external changes, change notification forms, request logs, pricing, organization, and takes you all the way through customer service. With hands on practice and examples, you’ll learn the steps you need to take today, to create a more successful tomorrow.

D. Brown Management specializes in helping contractors improve their project management and operations processes. Change Orders is just one of the Profit Happens Here! Training Modules offered. Learn more about all the dynamic services D. Brown Management offers, and sign up for a free newsletter, at www.dbrownmanagement.com.