From Problems to Profits: Managing Projects
The Importance of Project Management Technology
Some dealers have
How better technology
will determine the winners of the next major battle – brick and mortar projects.
P By Sam Grote 20 FEDA News & Views
roject management is a key driver of success for a foodservice
equipment and supplies (FE&S) dealer. While being invited to bid or quote a job is great — and being awarded a job is even better — neither of those achievements matter if the project is executed poorly. Better processes and technology can help ensure that awarded projects are converted to profi ts and help generate future business from happy customers. Unfortunately, project management issues are quite common in our industry. Examples include job sites not being ready for installation, important deliveries being delayed at the last second, change
order approvals slipping through the cracks, inaccurately marked-up shop drawings, inaccurate installation estimates, or missing/forgetting critical customer deadlines, just to name a few. This is driven by a lack of standardized processes and modern technology for most project management teams across the industry. Individual project managers or teams often work like sole proprietors, relying on outdated methods like spreadsheets, Outlook and pen and paper. Some may use general-purpose tools like Smartsheet or Microsoft Projects, but these tools are not designed specifi cally for their needs and thus require signifi cant overhead to confi gure them successfully.
increased their market-share due to their aggressive adoption of e-commerce technology before everyone else. Many dealers are rushing to follow their lead, but should also look to emulate their strategies by embracing new technologies before their competitors on what is likely to be the next major battlefi eld — brick-and-mortar project management. The current status quo — outdated technology and lack of standardization — creates many problems for dealers. For starters, it makes it challenging to collaborate effectively as a team and with external stakeholders such as general contractors, design consultants and others. It also creates limited operational visibility for leaders, making it hard for them to manage their teams and create a culture of accountability. Finally, it makes it almost impossible to effi ciently onboard and train new team members, particularly those with no prior foodservice equipment experience. The challenge is increasingly evident post- pandemic as more project management positions are fi lled by industry outsiders. This is a potential existential risk for some dealers with
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