Notable ******
*** ******* ******** *** plan ***, ******* *********** themes ****** ******* ***** all *******:
- ******* ******** *** ***: As ***** ** *** ********** ******** ******** ********** (Project *******) ******, *** ** ** typically *** **** *** master, *** **** *** chief *********** ** ******* the **** *** *** project **********. ******* ********* note **** '*** ****' frequently **** ****** ***** on **** ********** ** circumstances, *** ** *** PM ** *** ***** to ****** *** ****, it ******* ******* ***********.
- ****** ******** **** **** Detailed *****: ******* *** is **** *** **** comprehensive *** ************* ***** apply ** *** ********. Indeed, **** ******* ********** never ** ****** *** plans *** **** ************ by *** ** ***** installers ** * *** days, *** ***** ****** much **** ********* **** worked ** ****** **** weeks *** **** ** coordinated ******* ******** *******.
- ****** ******* *** ********** *** Often ****: ** ***** of ***** ********* *** data ******* *** ****, nearly *** *** **** form ** ****** ** blueprint ** *** **** tool *** ******** ****.
** *** ******** *****, individual ****** ********* ***** these ****** *** ***** key ******.
Big ******** *** **** *************
*** **** *** ********** of * ******* ********* ******** *** ****** ** integrator's **** ****. ****** projects, ********** ***** ********* multiple ******* ****** ** coordination ******* ******* ******, often *** *** **** most ********* *** ************* planned:
- "** *** ****** ******** due ** *** ***** nature ** **** ** our ********."
- "******* ** *** **** of *** ******* *** generally *** ******** ** a **** *******/*** *** scope ** **** ********* to ** ********. **** can ** ****** *********** at ***** ********** ********* on *** ******* ****. Larger ******** $***+ **** have * ******* ******* timeline **** **********."
- "******* ** *** **** of *** *******. ***** projects *** ***** **** details. ******* **** *** often **** ** *** techs ** ****** ***."
- "** ****** **** ******* to *******. **** ********** is ******** *** ****** and **** ******* ****."
- "******** **** *** **** a ***** **** ******** have ******** ***** ****** and ************* *****. **** work **** ********** **** they *** ****** **** the ******. ***** ********* by ****** *** ** coordinated **** **** ***********."
- "*** **** *********** ******* for ** ** ** urban *******. ** *** manage ** ***** *******, you **** **** * daily ********. **** **** plan **** ******* *** type ** ****** ******* there *** * *** of *********** ******* *** different ****."
- "** *** ******* ** the ******* *** *** PM ********* **. *** large ***** ********, ** have * ********* *** process. *** ***** ********, it ***** **** **** but *** ******* ** too **** ********* *** low ***** ********."
- "****** ******** **** **** a ***** ***** *** detailed ****. **** **** tend ** **** **** if *** ******* ******* is ******** ** *** details. ******* ******** **** does *** **** ***** or ** ********."
****** ******** ******* *********** coordination, ********* ****, *** labor ********, *** **** their ****** ******* ******* ***** for ***** ******* ***** smaller ******** ** ***.
PM ***** *** ****
********, ******* ***** ** the ************* ** *** plan ******* ************* ** a ******* ******* ** current *** ******** ** as ***** *********** ****** work *****. **** ********* is *** ******* ************** ** the ******* ******* *** ***** ** ** official ***** ** ****** someone *********** *** **** job.
- "*** *** ** ****** detailed ** ****. * don't **** *** ********* but * **** ** works **** *** ***."
- "**** ********, *** * am **** * ***** cog ** *** *******. I ** *** ***** end ***** ** *** Users, *** **** * turn *** ******* **** to **, **** *** with ** **** *****. I ** ***** ** have * ******* ** so **** **** *** problems **** **** ** me..."
- "*** **** *********** ******* for ** ** ** urban *******. ** *** manage * ***** ******* , **** **** **** a ***** ********. **** work **** ** ****** all **** ** ****** beacause ***** *** * lot ** *********** ******* the ********* ****."
- "*** **** ***** **** from *********** ** *********** to ******* *******. **** salespeople ***** ** * detailed ***** ** **** for *** ** *** technician *** **** *** really *****. **** *** PM ***** *** * detailed ***** ** **** but **** ** ****** to *** **********."
- "** **** * ***** project ******* **** * few *** ***********. *** assigned ** ** ******** to **** **** *** work ***** *** ** hit *** **********. "
- "**** ** *** **** project ** ***** ** 3-4 ***** *******, *** PM ***** ****** ***** milestones."
- "*** ******* ***** ** work *** ******* ****** documents **** *** ***** to ********* ** *** proposals *** ******** ************ and ********** *** **** will ** **** ** the *****, **** ** PM's *** ******* *****."
- "**** ******* ******* ******** their *** **** *****, job **** ************, *************, etc. **** ** ******** to *** ******* *****. "
Some **** **** ** ******* ********
*******, *** *** *********** employ ******* *****. ******* responses ***** **** ************ efforts *** **** **** organic, *** ***** * basic ****** ** * few ***** *** ** used, **** ************* ******** work ** ******** *** execution ** **** ********* to **** ****** '******* their ***':
- "**** ***** **** ****** gather ****** ** *** site **** *******. **** let ****** ***** ***** schedule. **** ** ** work ** ***** ** cameras. ***** ********* *** of ***** ** ****** jobs ***** ** ****"
- "** **** ****** ***** workplans, **** *** ** any **********-******** ********* **** how ***** ** ***."
- "** *** ****** ** track *** ****** *** projects. ** ***'* ******** very ********, *** ** all **** **** ** included **** **** **** of *** *******."
- "** ** *** ****** have *** ****** ******* work *****. **** ** up ** *** ******* manager *** ******* ** determine ** *** ***** with *** ***** ****."
- "********* *** *** **** detailed, *** ** ****-****** high ************** (*** ******). "
- "***** **** ***** ********* and ******* ******** *** translated **** **** *****. Sometimes ** ** ********, for ***** ****, ******* the ****** ******** *** too *********** *** ****** notes ** ****** *****."
- "**** ****** ** *** workplans *** ****** ** my *******."
- "****** ******** *** ***** are ****** ***** ***** on *** *** ** project ********** ***** ** run **** ****** ** don't ***** ***** *** during *** *****."
***** ********* **** ******** mentioned **** ***** ** formal ******** ** ****, it ***** ***** ** beneficial, * ***** **** clear ** *** **** theme:
Strong ****** *** ******
***** ****** *********** ** no ******** ***** ********* the **** ******* **** followed. ******* ********* ********* that ************* **** ***********, better *******, *** **** comprehensive ****-******** ***** ** * welcome ******:
- "*** **** ***** **** no ******* - ** don't **** **** * project *****. ** *** can ******, **** ***** poorly. **************, **** *** order ***** ********* ** materials ***** ******* ** coordinating ************ **** **** to ******** ****** ****** to ********** *** *** is ****."
- "***** ******* ** ***** with **********. ****** ******** first ******* **** *** job."
- "**** *********** ***** ** a ******** ***** ** work *** *** ** and ********** *** **** are ****** *****. **** the ** ***** *** a ******** ***** ** work *** **** ** convey ** *** **********."
- "*****. ****** **** *** location. **** *** ***. Would ** **** ** have * *** ****, such ** ***** *************."
- "** **** ** ********* this"
- "** ********* **** **** detail *** **** * good ****."
- "** *** ******** ** the ******* ** ************ project *********, *** **** are *** ***********. ***** now, ******** **** **** what **** ***** ** best *** ***** ******* and ** *** **** it. ** ***** ******* pretty ****, *** ** tend ** *** **** much ***** ** *** really *** ******** ** bid/spec ********."
Software ***** ****
*******, ***** **** ********* noted * ********** ******** or *** ** ***** used *** ********, ***** was ** ***** ****** answer. ** *******, * mix ** ************, * camera ****** ****** ****, and ***** ***** ********** programs **** ******** *********, but * ******* ** tools *** ****:
- "** ******* ***** ****** for * ******** ** our ********. **** *** pretty ********. *** ***** charts **** **** **** when **** *** ******** and *** ******* ***** are ************ ** *** various ************."
- "** **** *** ****** and ****** (**** **********), then ** ********* *** installation ** ******. **** installer ***** *** ** our ***** ******* ***** on ***** **** **** complete. ** **** *** had *** *****"
- "** ************** ******* ******. ************ we **** *** * rack ******. ** *** use **** *** *** calculator ** ******** ******** views"
- "** *********** ****** ****-**-**** ********* for *** ********. ** get ***** **** *** technicians ******** *** *** job ***** ** **** to ****** ******** **********, which ***** ***** ******** and **** **** ** are *** ******* *** critical *****."
- "******** * ********** **** overlays **** **** ** other ****** ********** *****. Not ********* ******** **** enough *********** ** *** the ****** ******. "
- "** **** **** **** up ***** ***** ***** Adobe ** ** *****. We **** **** * plotter ** ***** *** our ******** ** ****."
- "** *** ****** ** track *** ****** *** projects. ** ***'* ******** very ********, *** ** all **** **** ** included **** **** **** of *** *******."
- "********** ********** & ***** drawings. ** ***** * lot, *** **'* *** perfect"
** *** **** ***** in *** ******* ********** series, ** **** ******* project ******** ******** ***** specifically."
Comments (10)
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Good report and what I would have expected. It really comes down the money and time investment to make the efforts to make a plan. Bigger projects have that money benefit. Smaller ones less so.
Another factor sometimes though is if the customer side lacks a project Sponsor or PM on their side, or at least some designated Point of Contact. Even on some big jobs, I have seem changes and decisions get bounced around from person to person on the customer side. When a customer does not [edit] have a formal Project Process on their side, it can have adverse affects on the Installers side.
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Undisclosed Integrator #2
We create a basic floor-plan for every job no matter the size as this explains to the technician what was discussed with the client. We give or technicians the flexibility to make on-site changes. The majority of our systems are 100-400 cameras. Over doing original drawings adds administrative costs, we work to maintain a 60% margin on all jobs and adding double or triple design hours is unnecessary if you have a well trained, experienced, well-compensated staff.
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Undisclosed Integrator #2
No they just at will do as they please, What kind of question is that?
Its all about the relationship you establish with customers, being a hard ass gets you no where, offering to see things in their eyes can open doors later. I can be a real hard ass if I want to, Im far from a push-over. We dont agree to 10k changes on a whim, no. Moving a camera, adding a camera or two not a big issue to write home about. Its about trust, you trust them, they trust you to do the right thing for them and things do work out. Its about the next job too, remember that. I trust no one personally, except my dog, but I try real hard to work with clients that are smarter, more educated that myself and it has worked well for me. I sold over 3000 IP cameras last year, how many did you sell?
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Dennis Ruban
I've never seen a good project planning for security part in Canada. Even when people say they made a good plan, they just don't know what a real good plan looks like.
When I spoke to the sale guys, I figured the reason: customers here do not understand the importance of planning stage of the project and documenting as well. In Europe we always sold documentation and PM hours as a part of the project. You would look not professional if you don't do that. Usually, 3-5% for technical documentation and up to 10% for the project management. Here if integrator want to do it properly, they have to include all those expenses as a project overhead and decrease the margin. That's why it's usually mess
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Michael Gonzalez
01/30/18 03:12am
Interesting findings. I think this really depends on the customer as well. We do things a bit different at my company. We create our own project plans/drawings, and we call out our own equipment to make sure it meets our standards.
This essentially creates more competition and drives down prices, since all of the integrators who will be submitting bids will be bidding on the exact same things. Then it just comes down to who can do it in fewer billable hours, and who can get the best pricing on the equipment from their suppliers.
Unfortunately, I realize most customers don't have the expertise or the time to take matters into their own hands. That's something people will want to think about before building out a system they depend heavily on, which will be managed by someone outside of their organization.
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