Office Manager Tip: The Inside Counts

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A beautifully decorated cake. Muffins that look divine. All the beauty of the world, all of the decorating technique and fondant available cannot save it from it’s inevitable fate: the first bite.

It’s amazing how just one bite can ruin all of that hard work.  As they say, “the proof of the pudding is in the eating.”

You may have worked hard to put together a presentation, but have you proofread it?

Did you assemble a fantastic proposal with the best materials Staples could offer? I bet it looks phenomenal. What will happen when the client opens it?  Are the pages in order? Do the labels match the titles?

Did you scan a document then email it away without checking it first? Was it even the right attachment?

Did you even open it to check?

That’s the thing folks, in all the hustle and bustle, with all of the rush and pressure of your day and tasks on hand, you still have to “proof” your work.

I’ve pressed “SEND” enough times to know this:  there is such a thing as working too fast.

 For Thought:

Featured Tweeter @MaureenBiss

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Everyone starts somewhere in Social Media.  Tips and tricks we’ve all learned along the way can be especially helpful to those still navigating uncharted waters.

This interview series features twitter accounts in and around the construction industry, a growing population within the Twittersphere.  My only disclaimer is that I do not always agree with the advice.

Stats:

Twitter Name: @MaureenBiss
Twitter Bio: Director, Marketing 4 Ware Malcomb architecture, interiors, civil, graphic design firm. Pepperdine MBA student into social media, travel, health, bichon poodles
Company Name:  Ware Malcomb
City/State: Irvine, CA
Main Website: waremalcomb.com
Facebook Page: facebook.com/waremalcomb
Admin Name:  Maureen Bissonnette
LinkedIN Profile:  linkedin.com/in/maureenbissonnette
Klout Score: 38
Followers: 905
Following:Follower Ratio: 1.52

Marueen and DogQuestions:

1. When did you start your twitter account?

My very first tweet from @MaureenBiss was on March 9, 2009. The Ware Malcomb Twitter account (@WareMalcomb), managed by our Marketing Team, was created on July 22, 2009.

2. What was your biggest obstacle in twitter?

In the beginning, the biggest obstacle was figuring out how to create content that our followers would find meaningful, as well as finding the time between deadlines to consistently tweet and interact with folks in the medium. I have to admit, I was a little nervous when I first started tweeting. I wasn’t sure if the folks who followed me would care about what I was tweeting. These days, tweeting feels more natural. Although, finding time to tweet is occasionally still an issue. What’s helped is that our Marketing Team collectively gathers and strategizes content to push through our various social media channels.

3. How often do you tweet? Do you have a schedule?

I try to tweet a few times a day, beginning in the morning. I have to admit that there are times when I fall off the twitter wagon due to increased workload, but I try not to feel guilty and just jump back on when things calm down. TweetDeck’s scheduling tool and iPhone app are a lifesavers during extra busy times. Continue reading →

Reglet

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vocabularyOften we perform building surveys for clients who are considering purchasing or leasing a building but are unsure of a few things.  A client not only wants to know the condition of said building, but will also need to know if it is suited to their business needs. Will they have the right occupancy group? Will there be enough parking for their staff?

Now, buying a building without confirming its usability for your factory, say, may result in some regret, but I digress.

One of the words that may be found in a survey is “reglet,” a common word using in the roofing industry.

According to the Construction Dictionary, 9th Edition © 2001 published by the Greater Phoenix, Arizona Chapter #98 of the National Association of Women in Construction reglet is defined as follows:

(or raglet) a groove in a wall or surface adjoining a roof for use in attachment of counterflashing.

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Guest Post: 10 Ways Being a Construction Manager is Better Than Being a Movie Star

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This is a guest blog post by Philip J. Reed of Westwood College.

Lucille Ball Hollywood StarSo you’re considering whether or not you should go to school for a degree in construction management. It’s a job you think you’d be great at, and, if you’re good at it, you could have a pretty secure income for the life of your career. But there’s one thing bothering you: construction management just simply isn’t glamorous enough. Well, cheer up, friend, because it’s not as bad as you think! Join us, tongue firmly in cheek, as we take a look at 10 ways that being a construction manager is even better than being a movie star!

1. Your meals aren’t interrupted by autograph seekers.

Think about how fortunate you are, being able to eat a hamburger in peace! If you were a movie star you’d be hounded by all those annoying fans, pestering you to sign their napkins, repeat iconic lines of dialogue, or pose with them for photographs. Who needs it? You’ve had a full day of work, and you’ve earned a little time to yourself. Good thing you’re a construction manager! The only thing people expect you to sign are paychecks.

2. Being difficult to work with is a good thing!

We all hear about Hollywood divas (male and female!) demanding everything from private luxury trailers to special on-set treatment to having only orange M&Ms in their candy bowls. When we hear stories like this, our first impulse is to deride them as being fickle or spoiled. If we hear that a construction manager is picky about details or demanding of specific results, and we instead see that as evidence of effective management. Funny how that works out!

3. You get it right the first time.

Five words you’ll never hear (or say) as a construction manager: “Cut! Let’s try that again…” You have material, manpower, time and money tied up in every decision you make, so you need to make sure those decisions are made right the first time. You don’t get to snap your fingers and start the scene over from scratch, meaning that you and your staff always, at every moment of the day, have to work to your full potential. And that’s something to reflect on with pride. Continue reading →

Featured Tweeter @RigginsConst

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Everyone starts somewhere in Social Media.  Tips and tricks we’ve all learned along the way can be especially helpful to those still navigating uncharted waters.

This interview series features twitter accounts in and around the construction industry, a growing population within the Twittersphere.  My only disclaimer is that I do not always agree with the advice.

By popular demand, and in celebration of my 5th anniversary at Riggins Construction & Mangement, Inc., I have included my answers to these questions.  I hope they prove helpful.

Riggins Twitter AvatarStats:

Twitter Name: @RigginsConst
Twitter Bio: Commercial General Contractor in Orange County | Building Relationships Since 1977. | CSLB 335720 | Tweets by Bridget | Disclaimer: Follow ≠ Endorsement
City/State: Santa Ana, CA
Main Website: rigginsconst.com
Facebook Page: facebook.com/rigginsconst
Admin Name:  Bridget Willard
LinkedIN Profile:  linkedin.com/in/bridgetwillard
Klout Score: 57
Followers: 5,009 (9/2/2011)
Following:Follower Ratio: .83

Questions:

Bridget Willard, Office Manager1. When did you start your twitter account?

March 19, 2009:  Having already been an active twitter user since 2007, when the recession hit us it occurred to me that we should start a twitter account for Riggins. We have been tweeting ever since.

2. What was your biggest obstacle in twitter?

As much as I loved Twitter and used it as a personal outlet for all subjects taboo, with a rant thrown in here and there for good measure, I had doubts about Twitter for business.  It was an experiment doomed to fail, personally, by me.  (Can you believe it? Shortly after we had a great customer service experience that I outline in this post.)

Since I had been using Twitter on my own, the syntax didn’t phase me and, to be totally honest, wasn’t a large hurdle in the first place.  I just watched accounts that I trusted and copied their style.

It was the retweet syntax or conversation with context that took me a while to decide upon.  I soon realized that I like to respond at the beginning of the tweet (truncating as necessary).

My response RT @personA Original Text which could have been a quote or a question or …

vs

@personA Original Text which could have been a quote or a question or something way way longer. | My response

or

@personA Original Text which could have been a quote or a question or something way way longer. // My response

or (and possibly the worst because there is no context)

@personA My Response

But, like most things in social media, this is a personal choice.  My feeling is that because of the way email is formatted, we’ve all become used to reading the newest item first.  It’s really up to you. Continue reading →