Electrical Construction: 5 Ways to Keep Things BAU
Getting Started With An Electrical Construction Rollout
Unless you’re an avid licensed electrician or of course Albert Einstein, you should never begin any electrical project without digging into the major details. Often in the midst of a major remodel program, electrical construction work will need to be done as well. These types of projects require the eyes and hands of trained professionals so your remodel flows smoothly and reduces any chance for major malfunctions in your wiring systems. Whether you’re looking to implement a new or update an existing electrical infrastructure in one or more facilities, proper planning and coordination are essential to success.
For facilities where employees are currently in the office, as well as for spaces with customers coming in and out, electrical construction updates must be carefully planned for and timed to prevent operational and sales issues. In construction and renovation programs, there are a number of variables that often aren’t foreseeable, but working with the right partner will ensure you’re able to maintain your momentum and adjust accordingly as needed.
Five recommendations for keeping electrical construction work low-impact on you, your employees, and your customers
1. Employee/customer communication is critical
Most likely, if you’re working in an open store environment, electrical updates will impact employees or customers. A critical step to your success is how you communicate the potential impact to people working in and visiting your spaces. While most of the load rests on your shoulders, choosing an ideal partner will take the operational burden away. They will be able to share their experience and recommendations to ensure everyone is prepared. Most of the communication will be visual in nature and having clear directions or markers on the areas to bypass will be key in avoiding any dangerous interactions.
2. Flexibility will be essential
It’s likely some areas will be off limits during certain times. This could include instances where the power is completely shut off and generators need to run. The noise alone can cause major disruptions to the customer experience or just work in general. It’s important to be as flexible as possible with not only your customers but your employees too! Putting a short term work from home plan in place or having an in store pop up shop to make products more accessible will create a better customer experience. It’s also important for your contractors to match your flexibility, by creating schedules to work after hours or set up a proper open-store work strategy.
3. Know that additional renovation may be required (and budget for it)
Electrical systems are complex. Most wires, cables, and cords are buried in ceilings, walls, and under floors in order to hide them from public eye. While there are access points, there is always some guesswork getting to just the right wires. Due to the complicated nature of wiring systems and how accessible they are, upgrading an electrical system can come with unexpected costs. In any renovation, it’s important to account for the unknown. When any electrical construction work begins, a trained professional will know where to start but there is no guarantee it will be a clean, clear path. During the project walls may need to be opened to run new power, relocate electrical outlets, or install new panels. Teaming up with a partner who has a diverse background working in various environments will come at an advantage in preparing for what could be needed during your project and how to realistically budget for your electrical work as well.
4. A program timeline will be essential
Your electric system is the lifeblood of your organization. If your power is down, so are you. Upfront planning of an efficient timeline will be crucial to the success of your project. While you likely won’t be shut down completely for the electrical construction implementation, you may not be at full operating capacity. Any downtime can affect your performance during that period – which will not only cost you time but money. It’s important to work with a partner that is well versed in managing projects with a proven history of staying on time and on budget. Having a partner you can rely on to keep the project running with firm deliverables will be essential to getting your business back up and running so employees can maintain productivity and the customer sales impact is minimized.
5. It’s an ideal time to consider energy-related opportunities
Today more than ever, companies are looking to reduce energy utilization and costs. Depending on what your energy target is, an ideal partner will be able to identify utility savings rebates and incentives and will also have a thorough understanding of the latest energy/electrical equipment that yield the best ROI. No company fits into a one size fits all mold. It is important to look for a partner that will design a custom program that meets your requirements. From LED retrofits and photometrics to energy audits and control systems, these are all opportunities to reduce costs, increase sustainability, and improve long-term performance.
How Stratus manages your electrical construction rollout program
As a national brand implementation company, our team is committed to supporting you in every way possible. Stratus is your all-in-one partner for creating the ideal image and maintaining that image with the utmost reliability. Our construction division is highly experienced in electrical construction implementation programs working alongside our energy team who is highly experienced in identifying rebates and other incentives with local utilities, national programs, and more. We have a national field partner network ensuring we’re able to hit multiple locations throughout your footprint and complete them on time and on budget. We’ve helped numerous companies achieve measurable energy savings and are ready to help you do the same!
Connect with the Electrical Construction Experts Today
Our refresh & remodel and energy services teams are the leading experts when it comes to electrical installation and other electrical services. Whether it’s for a construction program or a multi-facility electrical upgrade, put our expertise to work for your success.
Contact us today to learn more about our electrical services.