The Importance of Communicating Delays

_config.yml

How does a project get delayed by 2 years?

One day at a time.

Here is a typical scenario:

  • Folks are waiting on approvals from third parties. Without which the entire project’s stuck in the mud. The approval is expected any day now:
  • Tomorrow comes. Still no approval. Is it worth sending a notice of delay, for something’s that’s going to come in 24 hours? Nobody does this. And then a 1 day delay develops into a week. Except now, the benefit of sending a notice of delay is entirely lost. The delay has already materialised, and a builder will not be too pleased to learn about it, after the fact.

The solution? Notify relevant parties, as and when the delay points occur except bunch them together and send as one lot. In this way, your clients will not be overburdened with 10 threatening notices of delay. Doing it via the Quote App makes it super easy: now, you’re covered: (i) you will have notified your client on the delay points, as and when they creep from 1 day, to 14. They cannot turn around and blame you, and you will have your documentation armed and ready, should things devolve into a battle.

Written on April 11, 2022