3 Mistakes to Avoid in Retail Project Management

Every type of project comes with its own set of challenges and possibilities, including those in the retail industry. You may feel totally ready to begin your retail project – but it’s important you avoid these common mistakes along the way.

Don’t Assemble the Wrong Team

You have a lot of options for choosing the people you want to work with for your project, especially when it comes to general contractors. Take the time to do your research on which contractors have the best track record in terms of the quality of their services and reliability they have maintained in past projects. Aside from having to deal with the setbacks associated with poor customer service, the mistakes of your contractors may also reflect on you, which could hurt your business moving forward.

The great news about this mistake is that it’s easily avoided. Find the right people who can help – look for those who have experience in retail projects, and don’t be afraid to ask for references from your contractor so you can verify their excellent work. Utilizing the right people for the job will make a world of difference.

Don’t Skip the Scheduling

It’s no surprise for you to learn that projected timelines can be tight and inflexible for retail construction projects. However, you also need to remember that while a detailed schedule is vital to the success of your project, you have to be realistic when it comes to planning your expectations.

Delays will happen – it’s one of the only things you can always count on in the project management world. You may run into unforeseen circumstances caused by vendors, weather, or any number of potential obstacles. Since you can’t predict exactly when these delays will occur or how long they will take to resolve, you need to plan for down time in your schedule that accommodate delays to the best of your ability.

Don’t Fall Prey to Scope Creep

It’s a common mistake that happens to a lot of project managers – you start with a goal in mind, but as you progress through your project, you begin to add new ideas or goals until your project has grown to be almost unrecognizable. You may even struggle to compensate your team for the additional work they need to do, because you didn’t budget for it. This is called scope creep, and it can kill a retail project faster than anything else.

To avoid scope creep, you need to have clearly-defined goals that break down each step you plan to take along the way. Work with your team to determine a final, achievable objective, and stick to that objective until your project is complete.

Of course, there are some situations where it makes sense for you to alter your plans; for instance, if months of rain force you to change your project’s completion date, you will have to update your timeline accordingly. But even after seemingly insignificant changes or delays, it’s important to reassess your project to make sure everything is still on track.

About Impact Construction Management

Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, Impact Construction Management is a full-service construction management firm. Founded by Louis Buonaiuto and Richard Bowlin, Impact Construction Management has been managing construction projects for clients throughout the Midwest and South for over 10 years. From our very first project to today, our focus has been on delivering the results our clients want by providing responsive service, up-front pricing and the highest-quality workmanship.