Why demolition companies SHOULD be using social media tools.
Improve, adapt and overcome is the unofficial mantra of the US Marine Corp but it would be equally well-suited to the demolition industry and its ability to be flexible enough to remain flexible enough to deal with unexpected challenges whilst sticking rigidly to rules and regulations.
Over the years, the demolition sector has improvised, adapted and overcome all kinds of challenges from on-site accidents, through problems of dust, noise and vibration, each time finding a new and suitable solution.
But if there is one mountain left for demolition contractors left to climb, it is that infinitely variable and unpredictable factor known as the general public. From the conservationists that would like to ban all demolition in case it harms a rare bead of ant, to the NIMBY (not in my backyard) faction; from the preservationists that believe all buildings over six weeks old should be protected, to the individuals who believe that demolition is all about explosives, plumes of dust and flying debris.
Some demolition companies have chosen to overcome this specific challenge with the appointment of a specialist liaison officer who visits local residents, schools and council offices to lay fears to rest and to generally keep the public informed of what they’re doing.
But we believe that even these forward-thinking companies are missing a trick by failing to harness the power of technology and the staggering growth in “social media” (and for the uninitiated out there, ask a 14-year old to explain Facebook to you and you’ll get the picture).
So what place does social media have in the demolition world; and how can it help with your dealings with local residents?
OK, imagine you have just won a contract that is scheduled to start in, say, two months time. You have some site preparation work to do, maybe a soft strip and, for the sake of good local relations, maybe one of your team needs to visit local residents to let them know what you’re going to be doing.
But what if they could reinforce that message by directing local residents to a specific website (or weblog, blog for short) that would not only give them details of what the job was all about, but which could be updated weekly, daily or even hourly throughout the contract duration with words, photos, and even video.
Sounds like an expensive headache, right?
Well, wrong actually. In fact, it might surprise you to learn that www.demolitionnews.com took just over 30 minutes to create, was totally FREE, and could be used to create just such a contract-specific blog by just about anyone with an Internet connection and the ability to type.
Sound complicated?
Well, we can prove otherwise but if you’re really that afraid of technology, why not take a look at doing the same thing via the micro-blogging site Twitter. You can set up a free Twitter account for your project in about 10 seconds, after which you can simply use your PC or even mobile phone to upload updates of 140 characters or less, with or without photos.
There are drawbacks, of course. The majority of blogs come with the facility for people to add comments to each post and that would either need to be monitored regularly to remove any unfair criticism or blocked altogether. But that’s just a mouse-click.
However, we firmly believe that the drawbacks are far outweighed by the benefits of being able to interact and engage with local people and businesses, to keep them informed, and to allow them to participate.
If you’d like to know more, please get in touch. Our advice costs nothing and you could have your first contract-specific blog up and running today!
