Category Archives: tips

An Engineer interviews Santa Clause — and the red-suited man is NOT happy!

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This post has nothing to do with the law.  After all, how cheery and festive can one make litigation issues?  Yeah, I thought so.  Anyhow, as you get ready for Christmas this year, remember the poor fat man in the red suit!  Below is part of an interview between Engineer (and EDN Blogger ) Jit Lim and Mr. Clause, and he is not happy.

santa and his posse

JL – Hi, Mr. Clause. My name is Jit Lim, I’m a senior technologist for a company called Tektronix.

SC – Mr. Clause? Don’t be so formal. Call me Santa. Can I call you Jit?

JL – Sure, Santa.

SC – Senior technologist, does that mean you’re an engineer?

JL – Close. As a senior technologist, I look at not only current technology but future technology, as well.

SC – So you’re responsible for creating new products? I’ve got to say that I’m a little perturbed about the speed at which you engineering types are launching new toys that people want for Christmas.

JL – Yes, I help make new products, but my company doesn’t actually make consumer goods. We make test equipment that makes it easier for companies to make those new toys. We like to say we “enable innovation.”

SC – Oh, so it’s your company and companies like yours that make it easier for all that new-fangled stuff to come out so fast?

JL – Well, yes. Is there a problem with that?

SC – Is there a problem?! You bet there’s a problem! What do you think goes on those lists I have to make every year? Toy soldiers? Dolls? Train sets! No. No. No. They want PlayStations, iPads, laptops. When kids started asking me for Wii’s I thought they needed to go to the bathroom, but it turns out it’s one of those new-fangled games.

JL – I don’t understand, Santa. What’s the problem?

SC – Do you know how fast those things change, “Mr. Enabling Innovation?” I can’t keep up. A perfect example is the iPad. It comes out in March of 2010, and by some miracle I was able to get my production up and running just in time for Christmas that year. I figured I get a jump-start on 2011 and start production early, and then in March they announce the iPad2. Do you know what it takes to re-train an elf?

JL – Well, no. But …

SC – I’ve got an excess inventory of iPads because I started producing too early and then I had to stop production and gear up for iPad2’s. Do you think Steve Jobs, may he rest in peace, gave me a call to give me a heads-up? Nope. He’s too busy innovating. No consideration for one of his most important supply chains.

To read the rest of this highly amusing interview, head over to EDN.

And to those of you who haven’t already done so, sign up for regular email updates of all blog posts here at Construction Law in NC so you’ll never miss a post.  It’s what all the good boys and girls are doing this year!

Photo (c) Whispering Crane blog 12/24/2006 via Creative Commons license.

Top 3 Things You Should Know about Cell Phone and Texting Laws (Tue Tip)

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cell phone drivingPlanning on driving out of your home state for the holidays?  Perhaps you’re flying somewhere, and have a rental car with your name on it? 

Before you go, be sure you know the following:

1.  Does the state you are in ban handheld cell phones while driving?

2. Does the state you are in ban texting while driving?

3. Is a violation of cell phone/texting laws a primary enforcement?  [That is, can an officer pull you over and cite you for using a handheld cell phone without any other traffic offense taking place?]

This handy chart of cell phone laws in all 50 states will give you the scoop.  Of course, it’s always best to play it safe, but this chart will at least keep you on the right side of the law. 

Happy Trails!

[hat tip to my partner John Nunnally for the link]

Do you know of an awesome website?  A great tool to use?  Share your tips with the community!  Drop me a note or comment, below. 

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Photo:  (c) Will Merydith via Creative Commons. 

How Twitter Can Benefit Your A/E/C Business (guest post)

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Today’s guest post is by Katie Frasier, a social media specialist and writer for Work Boot News, a niche site specializing in work boots and dedicated to providing relevant, entertaining content for tradesmen. She can be found tweeting the latest construction news and interacting with industry members at @workbootscom.

Many A/E/C professionals understand the importance of using social media and have been advised to join Twitter—but putting yourself in the Twitterverse can seem intimidating at first. If you find yourself wondering what the heck Tweets are and how you’re supposed to implement them into your marketing plan, here are a few tips to help you get started and make the best return on time spent tweeting.

 Getting started

  • When signing up for your twitter account, choose a username that best reflects your business name to make your brand easy to find. Encourage followers by linking to your Twitter feed on your website, blog, Facebook, LinkedIn and any other platform you use.
  • Decide on your desired audience and Twitter goals. Are you reaching out to other industry professionals? Do you want to share and discuss industry news or gain leads for new business? These decisions will impact how you tweet, how formal or informal you want to come across, and the kind of content you will share with followers. To be successful, make sure you clearly define your method and stick with it consistently.winking twitter bird

 Create a core group to interact with

  • Find competitors or users who tweet to your desired audience, and spend time observing their approach. Search who they are following—chances are you’ll find users there who you’ll want to follow, too.
  • Utilize some of the many Twitter directories such as Twellow.com to search for people by keyword, such as construction” or “contractor” to follow, and add yourself to the directory while you’re at it.
  • Depending on your goals, you may want to investigate if any of your vendors use Twitter. Create a list and add them to it; this allows you to easily follow their tweets and stay informed.

 Listen and engage

  • Spend time listening to the conversations going on before adding to it. You should strive for a balance between conversing with others, asking questions and promoting yourself. If you’re constantly trying to drive traffic to your website or begging for business, no one will listen. But if you actively participate in your specialized Twitter community, people may be more apt to follow links you tweet or offer you their business.
  • Ask questions to get people talking. Answer questions to build relationships and assert yourself as an authority in your field.
  • Retweet content from others that may be relevant to your audience. They’ll appreciate the information, and the original tweeter will appreciate the gesture. Social media is all about building relationships. Making these connections, whether you’re portraying yourself as the expert in a subject or finding camaraderie among other A/E/C professionals, opens new opportunities for your business.

Questions for Katie about the benefits of using Twitter to promote your architectural or engineering practice?  Leave a comment, below.  And, remember to “follow” me on Twitter as well, at @melissabrumback.  I look forward to “talking” to you!

Photo ©Morpurgo.nl via Creative Commons license.

Drop the Dead Weight: Fire your Worst Clients! (Tue Tip)

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Today’s Tip:  Listen to your gut.  Ever get that feeling that a potential client may be high maintenance or want everything done yesterday?   Listen to your instincts and turn them away as fast as you can.  Send them to a directory.  Send them to a rival.  Send them away from you.  Bonus if you can refer them to your worst enemy (kidding!).

The Pareto Principal is true in more ways than one:  not only do 80% of your profits come from 20% of your customers, but 80% of your complaints come from 20% of your customers.  If you can weed out that complaining/crazy/high-maintenance 20% up front, think of the aggravation you will save.

Architects (and engineers) sometimes tell me that they knew they might have issues with a particular client based on how the initial meetings & negotiations proceeded; needing the work, they took the job anyhow, only to find themselves facing the prospect of a long-drawn out lawsuit.  Don’t let this be you.

What to do if you already have the crazy client on board?  Document everything, including verbal agreements.  And cut them loose when you can safely do so.  This can be tricky-if not impossible-to do during an active project.  So in the interim, prepare as if you will be sued, because there is a good chance of it.  Remember that in a lawsuit, everything will be evidence, so your documentation during the project will be vital.

And next time- listen to your gut!

Do you have an experience working with a “crazy” client?  Did you ever not listen to your gut, only to rue the day you didn’t later on?  Share below, or send me an email.  Remember to remove identifying details, to avoid being stalked by your crazy ex-client!

 Photo: (c) jimwhimpey via Creative Commons.

Improving the relationship between general contractors & architects/engineers (Tues Tip guest post)

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The following is a Tuesday Tip guest post authored by the folks at Tools & Parts Direct, out of the United Kingdom.  The basic take away?  Good communication can save your project!

Disagreements between general contractors and architects are not only detrimental to the productivity of the project but can be costly as well.  As in any relationship, communication is the most important aspect and making sure that everyone is on the same page will go a long way towards the smooth flow of operations. Mutual respect is equally important for getting the job done without costly interruptions and blame shifting. By knowing the roles and responsibilities of each other, the relationship can be strengthened by complementing each other`s strengths and working together on any weaknesses. [Editor’s note: One way of ensuring good communication on the construction project is having a thorough, written scope of services for the designer, and thorough construction documents for the contractor.]

Since both the contractor and architect have their own distinct roles to fulfill in the building process it is important that they work together right from the start. This will prevent any confusion and avoid costly changes to the plans later on in the project. The contractor will also have enough time to point out to the architect what aspects of the plan might turn out to be impractical or impossible to implement.

When both the owner & the general contractor agree to keep the design team involved in the process during construction, this can help get the project built on time and under budget.  For example, instead stopping work to contact the architect over an unexpected site condition, it is often more efficient to simply keep the design team involved so that any field conditions can quickly be tackled together. This will eliminate, or at least minimize, tension where one party blames the other for mistakes; this type of tension often leads to a breakdown in communication, further costs, and even litigation between the parties.

boxing
It’s better if the architect & contractor avoid a boxing match!

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Any changes suggested by contractor or the architect/engineer should be discussed first, and only after both the pros and cons have been weighted should a final decision be made. This will avoid situations where contractors feel like the architect is running the show or vice versa. Too much ego from either side will quickly sour the relationship and must be avoided at all costs.

Scheduling regular meetings on the site ensures that the owner can be sure that both parties are working in harmony. By having an open discussion with both the contractor and architect present, neither party will feel like anyone has gone behind their back and mutual solutions to problems can be discussed. Whether the argument is about unforeseen conditions, or site access, (almost) everything can be resolved with efficient communication.

Do you have a good story about a positive or negative relationship with a contractor?  Share your lessons learned in the comments section below.

Photo (c) The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas via Creative Commons.