Better Serving the Customer in a Networked Economy

We are living in a customer-focused world.

With information at their fingertips and technology encouraging a round-the-clock business environment, today’s customers have a number of options, especially when it comes to with whom they would like to work. To deliver on our many complex projects, we need to continuously re-invent ourselves, increasing the value we bring to the building process. We want to be even more indispensable to our customers. As a result, DPR entered Arthur Andersen’s sixth annual Global Best Practices Awards as a method for measuring the programs we have in place. And, we were recently awarded top honors in the “customers” category from among hundreds of entries Arthur Andersen received from companies around the world.

The question: How does DPR create customer value in the new economy?

Some of the answers:

• Use of the Web for increased project collaboration. Currently, we have more than 90 projects online, streamlining communication among our project teams and customers (particularly for national customers where we have multiple projects under construction in different locations).
• Use of wireless devices to reduce punchlist and expedite closeout, as well as improve safety. Our goal is to make punchlists obsolete through our Zero Defects Program, and we are incorporating the use of wireless devices to track defects during the project. This also assists us in “closing out” a project within 60 days of substantial completion, which in turn enables our customers to close their financing as quickly as possible. In addition, we are developing a system to use wireless palm devices to promote and track safety checklists company-wide, further promoting our Injury Free Environment Program.
• Conducting Customer Satisfaction Surveys. Technology is only as good as the people using it and will never fully replace personal, one-on-one interaction. We proactively seek feedback directly from our customers through an in-person survey conducted three different times during a project so that the service we provide continuously improves as the project moves forward. In 2000, we completed more than 260 surveys and have compiled the information in a database to track customer preferences and lessons learned.

In addition, following the completion of each project, we hold a “plus/delta” meeting to recognize successes and identify areas for advancement. This information provides a foundation for the next project whether it is for the same customer or the same type of facility and the sharing of these lessons learned among the project teams has translated into both time and money saved for our customers.

Today’s customer has many choices. As we continue in our purpose of “building great things,” we will maintain our ‘ever forward’ attitude of improvement for improvements sake to constantly increase our value for our “great” customers around the world.