How Quantity Surveyors Should Actually Be Using AI (EP 284)

As we kind of come to a close, where do you think commercial management, we're talking about AI here, but I guess maybe in the wider context, where do you think over the next few years it needs to evolve?

What, AI?

Commercial management generally, given AI.

I would like commercial management as an entirety within the construction industry to just focus more on the actual needs of the project from a commercial sense.

So what actually is required from the surveyor Should they be reporting more? Should they be managing more? Are they following procedure and filling out quality forms for the sake of it? Is there abortive works which can be stripped out to allow them the time to do their duties? Because a busy and rushed off their feet surveyor is a surveyor who's going to make mistakes, who things are going to slip by.

They're not doing... what they should be doing for a full and efficient project.

Yeah, absolutely.

I'm a big fan of this commercial calendar

principle, so that's what I'm going to put forward.

But if every QS commercial manager listening to this had just one habit that you'd want them to take away after today's conversation, what would it be?

I'm a huge advocate for progress meetings.

And this is not just commercial.

This should align with all trades, all departments.

Take the time each week to sit down with your colleagues, your internal department, your subcontractors, your supply chain.

30 minutes to an hour in a fairly formal environment, an office, not walking around on site, just an environment where you can follow maybe a loose agenda, talk about potential issues, program delays.

And even if you've got nothing to talk about, use that time to strengthen the relationship.

It helps immensely.

You can pick up so many potential risks and key issues early on and get those resolved before they become huge issues later on.

So yeah, I'm a big advocate for progress meetings.

Building relationships is what it sounds like you're a big advocate for there actually, right? It's like, yes, obviously you want the structure and the rigidity that you're always kind of coming back together as a group, but why? Because A, you're dealing with that stuff, but also you're building a relationship and therefore you're able to kind of...

Navigate difficult conversations ahead, which inevitably there are, right?

Yeah, we are in a relationship industry.

I tried to move away from that early days.

I tried that transactional approach, thinking modern times, you don't really need that relationship.

There's not a place for it.

As we kind of come to a close, where do you think commercial management, we're talking about AI here, but I guess maybe in the wider context, where do you think over the next few years it needs to evolve?

What, AI?

Commercial management generally, given AI.

I would like commercial management as an entirety within the construction industry to just focus more on the actual needs of the project from a commercial sense.

So what actually is required from the surveyor Should they be reporting more? Should they be managing more? Are they following procedure and filling out quality forms for the sake of it? Is there abortive works which can be stripped out to allow them the time to do their duties? Because a busy and rushed off their feet surveyor is a surveyor who's going to make mistakes, who things are going to slip by.

They're not doing... what they should be doing for a full and efficient project.

Yeah, absolutely.

I'm a big fan of this commercial calendar

principle, so that's what I'm going to put forward.

But if every QS commercial manager listening to this had just one habit that you'd want them to take away after today's conversation, what would it be?

I'm a huge advocate for progress meetings.

And this is not just commercial.

This should align with all trades, all departments.

Take the time each week to sit down with your colleagues, your internal department, your subcontractors, your supply chain.

30 minutes to an hour in a fairly formal environment, an office, not walking around on site, just an environment where you can follow maybe a loose agenda, talk about potential issues, program delays.

And even if you've got nothing to talk about, use that time to strengthen the relationship.

It helps immensely.

You can pick up so many potential risks and key issues early on and get those resolved before they become huge issues later on.

So yeah, I'm a big advocate for progress meetings.

Building relationships is what it sounds like you're a big advocate for there actually, right? It's like, yes, obviously you want the structure and the rigidity that you're always kind of coming back together as a group, but why? Because A, you're dealing with that stuff, but also you're building a relationship and therefore you're able to kind of...

Navigate difficult conversations ahead, which inevitably there are, right?

Yeah, we are in a relationship industry.

I tried to move away from that early days.

I tried that transactional approach, thinking modern times, you don't really need that relationship.

There's not a place for it.