Construction Blogging

The internet revolution has started to hit the construction industry. Most companies involved in the supply and specification of construction materials have websites, they all use email, and some do business directly over the internet.

With many merchants it's already possible to access your account online and request quotes or place orders.

So why do I say that the interent revolution has only started to hit the construction trade?

The internet promises to revolutionise the way we do business. It does this by providing instant access to information, and a reliable means of communication. Like all businesses, construction requires a constant flow of knowledge as well as reliable supply of materials and services. The need for information becomes ever more pressing as the burden of regulation increases.

But the construction trade is a traditional trade, and resistant to rapid changes. In some ways this can be a good thing. The best of our tradesmen are craftsmen, using skills developed over generations to produce quality results. Unfortunately these same individuals may not be best equipped to leap on board the technological bandwagon.

Despite this, the internet is still the first place that a significant proportion of our customers go looking for information; especially product information. That proportion is growing.

One merchant I work with has their whole stock profile visible online. They are a local merchant and are not yet equipped to take orders online, nor do they have a national delivery chain. Despite this they get regular enquiries from across the country. This is particularly true of several of their more obscure products (every merchant has some of those, right?). If you search the internet for some of these items, you will only get one result - their website. In many cases not even the manufacturer has a website.

It's clear that suppliers of construction materials and services have much to gain from a good online presence, and that will become ever more important.

This leads me to the main subject of this entry, blogging.

Blogging is an odd word and perhaps an even odder practise. It's quite young, maybe only three or four years old, and certainly not prevalent in the building trade. If you're not yet familiar with blogging, you may find this article interesting.

Blogs are a good way for companies to put a human face onto a corporate website. Their relaxed and informal style makes them more interesting to read than the 'informational' style of conventional articles. They serve much the same purpose that a 'newspaper column' does. They have three great advantages though.

• News and information can be made accessible in a matter of minutes.
• Anyone (anywhere) can access the information.
• They usually include a way of permitting feedback, like the comments enabled on this blog.

I've just completed an interview with Emily Wright of the Building Magazine. You might see the results in print. They're looking at the relevance of blogging to the construction trade.

As well as the possible advantages I outline above, blogging has another possible impact on the building trade. It's not just companies who blog!

One of the most prominent features of the blogging phenomenon is that anyone can do it, and anyone does. News and opinions from individuals can go online and reach an international audience. Recently bloggers have reached the headlines from Iran, China and even the American political scene. Maybe this doesn't sound relevant, but suddenly bad service and bad practises can become a matter of public record. It is important to be aware of new developments in the communications media, not necessarily to take advantage of them ourselves (although obviously we do), but also to be aware of ways they may affect us in the future.

Posted by Buildingtrade.org.uk on 2006-02-19 12:13:50.
Categories: news

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Better Late Than Never

Well, we were a little early going live with the website. Since last month we've had two excellent articles online :

• Being Independent

  The strengths of independent builders merchants. Reasons to be one, or use one. Read this and you will start to feel sorry for the national merchants.

• Problem to Profit

  How difficult times can be an opportunity to win your customers over. Anyone who has ever experienced the stress of orders gone wrong - when it is not your fault - needs to read this.

However, the links leading to the Building Search have been leading to dead links [1].

That is until yesterday, when we finally managed to get our Beta Service off the ground.

If you're searching for manufacturers, suppliers, or distributors of building products - then Building Search is the place to look.

[1]	The dreaded error 404 for the techno-savvy.

Posted by Buildingtrade.org.uk on 2005-11-02 22:04:02.
Categories: website, nationals, independents, news, articles

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Start of a Good Thing

Well, the summer is over. The grey clouds are once again sweeping over the British building trade - both literally and metaphorically.

Perhaps not the time to launch a new venture? We at Buildingtrade.org.uk think differently. Like the winter months, the current slowdown is only temporary.

The UK construction industry is only gradually waking up to the internet revolution - but we're willing to bet that when you need information, it's the first place you look.

We're going to be here with you through the winter - but also here in the spring, and whatever new trials that may bring.

This is the Buildingtrade.org.uk blog. Here we'll be posting news, opinions, and any short snippets we think you might find interesting.

If you have any news or feedback that you want us to hear, please use the contact page and let us know.

Posted by Buildingtrade.org.uk on 2005-10-10 15:08:54.
Categories: news, website, independents, nationals, opinion, articles, regulations, materials

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