Electrical contractors know that the amount of business he or she receives can ebb and flow depending on the market and their relationship with general contractors in the area. Most electrical contractors want to run a successful business, and doing so requires making bids for projects and having them accepted by the general contractor overseeing a project. While no electrical contractor will have all of his or her bids accepted, there are measures that can be taken to help ensure that an electrical contractor is hired for an adequate number of projects each year. If you are an electrical contractor, use the following tips to help secure more business:
Focus on Safety
In many places, bids to do the electrical work for a building project are very competitive, so it can be hard for an electrical contractor to stand out among the competition. One thing that can give an electrical contractor an advantage is having an impeccable safety record--when bids are competitive, a general contractor often wants to work with an electrical contractor who is known for getting jobs done without any safety issues. You may want to consider hiring a safety manager to ensure that all precautions are taken and all employees are following the proper safety procedures. In addition to helping you win bids, an impeccable safety record can also lead to lower workers' comp insurance premiums.
Hire an Experienced Electrical Estimator
One of the best resources that an electrical contractor can have is a highly experienced electrical estimator on staff. The last thing that you want is to submit bids that are not well thought out and detailed. Those types of bids are rarely accepted, and in the off chance that your bid is accepted, you may not make a profit on the project due to the fact that your bid was not properly researched and analyzed beforehand. A quality electrical estimator will break down all of the expenses of a project, including labor and materials, in order to create a bid that is competitive but also properly structured to ensure that your company will make money.
Bid on the Right Projects
If you want to be a successful electrical contractor, you need to know your strengths and identify your market. If you and your employees excel at commercial electrical work, don't waste your time placing bids for residential electrical projects. Bidding on the right projects can help ensure that your bids are accepted at a higher level since you will become well-known as being an expert in a specific type of electrical work.
When we purchased our first home, we realized that there was a problem with some of the electrical work. Some of the lights flickered when we turned them on, and others really seemed to have issues if they were left on long term. I thought the issues was the light bulbs themselves at first, so I replaced several of them. However, after making those changes, it seemed like things were still having trouble. I began going through and thinking carefully about how to identify and resolve the challenges, and it occurred to me that working with an electrician could be helpful. I turned to the professional for help, and it was a good thing I did. Read more about electricians on this blog.