Whenever you are looking for other businesses to partner with, it is essential that you do your due diligence. Partnering with the wrong business can be an expensive mistake, not only in financial terms but also with respect to your business reputation. Your staff, customers, and other businesses will all look unfavourably on you if you allow outside parties to compromise the quality of the services you provide. If you want to avoid being burned by a subpar steel detailing business, here’s what you need to consider throughout your search.
Check out their in-house training program
One of the clearest indications of the quality of any business you plan on partnering with is their in-house training program. Steel detailing is a highly specialised skill. Just because steel detailers utilise CAD/CAM setups, that doesn’t mean they don’t need to be properly trained. You want to partner with a business that covers steel detailing theory in detail, as well as common software packages like Tekla. Remember, you aren’t just looking for talented individuals among your partner’s staff, you want to be sure that the entire team is knowledgeable.
Look at their portfolio
The current training program will tell you a lot about the standards that an employer is currently demanding of their workers, but this is only part of the story. Another solid indicator of any steel fabricator’s capabilities is their portfolio of existing work. As well as giving you a clear indication of their competence, reviewing a steel detailer’s past portfolio will also show you precisely which areas they have experience in. For example, if you are looking for a steel detailer to design and construct a balcony for you, it is helpful to see examples of previous balconies they have designed. A talented steel detailer that doesn’t have experience designing the specific types of steelwork you are looking for is not as valuable to you as one that already knows the ins and outs of the kind of work you want.
Ask to see their procedures manual
Any steel fabricators worth partnering with will have plans in place to deal with any issues they might face before they arise. A robust and comprehensive procedures manual that accounts for any potential issues in the steel detailing process is a good sign that the business you are dealing with has both experience and foresight. Not only this but flicking through their procedures manual should show you whether or not they have a plan for every eventuality and a realistic workflow design. Efficient coordination between teams is essential for a versatile and adaptable workflow. Without good coordination, even a minor issue can bring the entire process grinding to a halt.
Speak to past clients
Checking a business’s portfolio will indicate the quality of their previous work, but it won’t tell the whole story. You aren’t only interested in the ultimate outcome of their previous projects; you also want to know what the process to get there was like. It’s perfectly possible for a steel detailer to produce a fantastic piece of work, but only after multiple delays and budget overruns. Speaking directly to their past clients to get their side of the story will confirm that they can produce quality work on time and within the parameters set by their clients.
Today, there are plenty of businesses that offer steel detailing services, but they are not all created equal. Choosing the right steel detailing business to partner with for your next project is essential if you want to keep your costs to a minimum and avoid wasting time and money for inferior results. Stick to the advice above, and you should have no trouble finding the best steel detailing partner for your needs.