Sometimes it’s good to cast a wide net. Sometimes it’s better to cast a small net at a specific target.
This month’s contractor profile provides an interesting look at how East Coast Infrastructure has been built around the idea of specialization, but hasn’t limited itself to specializing in one specific service.
“We’re not generalists,” says company co-founder Shane Harris. “We’re specialists who know how to solve problems from multiple angles — and we’ve built our company to do just that.”
You and the crews at your utilities typically don’t have the luxury of specializing in one specific task. You do it all. But that doesn’t mean a jack-of-all-trades can’t be a master of at least a few.
At bigger utilities with a larger workforce, it might be easier to train crew members or whole crews in specialized services. A large utility might have a crew dedicated to CCTV inspections or manhole rehab. But that’s not so easy for smaller utilities where everyone has to respond to whatever the next work order requires. For a utility with only a handful of crew members, getting a handle on system maintenance, jetting and flushing, inspections of mainlines, laterals and manholes, as well as a host of rehab processes is nearly impossible. But if you have individual crew members with specialized training who can serve as the resident expert in a specific area, such as manhole inspections, your team can start building greater capabilities.
For a utility looking to take on more work in-house, East Coast provides a good roadmap. The company initially specialized in protective manhole coatings, which are still its backbone. But that specialty opened the door to vacuum services, which led to CCTV inspection and eventually CIPP rehab work.
And since East Coast operates lean with just 17 full-time employees, they can serve as a good example of how to build in-house capabilities without a big workforce.
You’ll likely always rely on contractors for certain projects, and it’ll always be all hands on deck when a water main breaks, but having a go-to staff person trained in manhole inspection and assessment — or any other specific task — will allow you to handle those projects more efficiently and cost-effectively.
The added bonus is that specialized training can keep employees engaged and less likely to leave for other opportunities. I doubt there’s any utility that wouldn’t be on board with more capable, engaged and loyal crew members. It’s good for you, your employees, utilities and communities.
Enjoy this month’s issue.
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