hiring vs. buying
making service, training or compli- longer good enough to just be a
ance the losers in a battle against supplier to the construction indus-
costs. If anything, they will all be- try; it’s got to be about becoming
come ever more essential in the an indispensible part of the supply
fight to win and keep business as chain. And yes, a big part of that
the New Year develops. When you will focus on costs; on minimising
are bidding for tenders at the low- internal expenditure to reinvest the
est possible margin; when you are savings in areas that mean we can
operating on the bare minimum be there when our customers need
cost basis; the battle will be won us – things like offering 24 hour
on being able to meet often inflat- opening, nationwide coverage, well
ed service delivery requirements; on trained staff and a vast range of up
having trained and knowledgeable to date equipment. And of course
staff that can offer expert advice; it will include helping customers
and on going above and beyond to manage their hire assets and
to ensure continued productivity so requirements more efficiently and
that the customer can achieve what more effectively so they get the
they need to in order to secure their biggest bang for their hire buck.
own business. That’s got to be part of it but it
And of course, one area that con- has to go further that that too.
tractors certainly cannot scrimp on Each New Year encourages sup-
no matter what economic pressures ply chain partners to work harder
they face is health and safety. and smarter; that they step up to
Training budgets should not be the plate and really prove their
“It’s important to remember that the
recession is not about making service,
training or compliance the losers in a
battle against costs. If anything, they
will all become ever more essential in
the fight to win and keep business as
the New Year develops.”
cut as staff must continue to up-skill worth by not only helping their
to maintain productivity and compli- customers to rein in the costs and
ance. Likewise, all equipment used defend their business in the short
must be safety compliant - legisla- term but to push on and encour-
tive compliance and safety checks age growth for long term survival
from HSE inspectors do not go and success too.
away during hard times and em- And so the real success will
ployers still have a duty to their staff come from finding ways to add real
to ensure all equipment is not only strategic value. Start the year with
appropriate for the task at hand, a clean sheet by finding a supply
but also in the best working order. chain partner that can help you
And so, once again, hire comes develop new ways to do the old
to the rescue offering ongoing things better; that can offer inno-
maintenance and guaranteed vative solutions to practical
compliance as well as helping con- problems; that anticipates your
tractors to meet their service level future and potential needs and
agreements by reducing the poten- already has the solutions.
tial for downtime caused by There’s no doubt that times are
equipment failure or loss and tougher than they have been for a
improving turnaround times for long time and that to survive a re-
emergency requirements or to cession will require costs to be
meet peaks in activity. addressed immediately and signifi-
But if you look a little further; if cantly. There’s also no doubt that
you find the right hire partner; you’ll choosing the right hire partner will
find that the benefits of hire go far help to do just that. But it’s equally
beyond your initial expectations too. essential that the construction in-
Reducing costs whilst maintain- dustry and its supply chain partners
ing service will always be the key don’t only take a cost reducing ap-
dichotomy of any recession but it’s proach to addressing the issue.
also not the be all and end all. Service and compliance must of
Tougher times mean that business- course be maintained but, even
es want and demand even more more than that, innovation must
than that from those that they be embraced to ensure we’re all
work with. And the supplier that primed to continue to deliver when
can do that - the one that can ex- the good times return.
ceed expectations and that has the
capacity to deliver above and be- For more information
yond whilst still coming in on or about tool and equipment
under budget - that will be the hire visit www.hss.com or
supplier that reaps the rewards. call 08456 02 19 61.
It’s the same for hire. It’s no
British Builder & Developer 15
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