We all have that friend that is an expert on any subject you could think of but would you ask for their help with a $10,000,0000 investment in a new off-site construction factory? Probably not and for good reason….
In case you haven’t noticed, off-site modular and prefabrication are the hot topics in construction these days and if you about to begin a search for a consultant to help in any part of your off-site construction business, you’ll want to work with an experienced manufacturing consultant that saves you both time and money long-term.
A simple search on LinkedIn will reveal 1,500,000 construction consultants. How in the world do you know where to start? You could search Google, ask a colleague, listen to Podcasts or maybe grab a couple dozen names at random and simply contact them until one seems to fit your needs.
There’s a lot of bad weeds hiding in those 1,500,000+ construction consultants. Looking for your next consultant requires you to know how to separate the wheat from the weeds.
Here are some basic things to look for in a consultant.
Manufacturing Experience
At the very core of your search, experience in actually having a history of working inside an offsite modular or prefabrication factory is a must. Many expert consultants have absolutely no experience of how a factory works but peddle their wares as if they do.
You need someone with experience in the processes and complexities. Manufacturing consultants do not need to understand your particular segment of the offsite industry to do this well and it’s a bonus if they do. Without that hands-on experience, you could spend millions in your factory on their recommendations with no tangible results simply because they were learning at your expense.
The expert on your product and your factory is ultimately you, not the manufacturing consultant. His or her job is to improve your manufacturing and that is all.
Each Factory is unique
There is no exact “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to off-site construction consultants. One consultant may be a good fit for your existing factory in helping to improve production but could cost you millions in unnecessary automated equipment if they have never been involved in procuring or installing it.
Who in their right mind would hire a panelized wall and truss sales rep as a consultant to help build a new panel plant, plan the layout, set production schedules, or prepare a business plan. If you would actually do that, you deserve what happens. While the general principles for offsite manufacturing are the same, only you know the exact needs of your factory.
Many new factories are being put together by investment groups wanting to implement an automation program. However, if the consultant they hire isn’t familiar with the current processes in automation, the factory will soon become poorly managed and produce considerable waste as adding automation only automates the waste.
Consultants that claim that they can solve your problems or improve your processes without seeing your operations should never get a return email or call. A consultant needs to visit your factory and become familiar, firsthand, with why you need them, or in the case of a new factory, they need to spend time listening face to face with what you and your team want to accomplish. Anything less than that is just a waste of both your time and money.
What to look for in a Consultant Contract
After meeting with a consultant and learning what you want to accomplish for your business, they should write a consultancy contract specifically about what you told them. Depending on what you want from a manufacturing factory consultant, they should address quality, costs, delivery, and other specific points. Do not accept a general “boilerplate” contract as it is always vague and full of loopholes.
A good consultant builds on what both your factory and the off-site industry have already done, avoiding the industry’s past mistakes and giving you a clear picture of what they have in mind for your factory.
That doesn’t mean they will prepare a step-by-step plan. Murphy’s Law is always lurking around the corner and a good consultant will have prepared for those contingencies.
What much does the average consultant charge?
My father used to say that if you can’t afford to hire good people, don’t hire anyone as the cheap always becomes expensive.
With that said, only you can determine if signing a contract with a particular consultant makes good business sense for you and your factory.
Gary Fleisher is the Managing Director and contributor for Modcoach News.
Email at [email protected]
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