Client satisfaction falls within construction industry

A Constructing Excellence survey of the 2007 UK Construction Industry Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) has revealed improved industry performance across a number of indicators and reduced levels of improvement across others.

On client satisfaction indicators, figures show a fall. The biggest of drop was seen on service and value for money from 79% to 75% and from 80% to 75% respectively. But predicted figures in the long term over the five year period remains steady.

Peter Cunningham, director, Constructing Excellence said: “Compared with last year’s results, the 2007 KPI survey paints a mixed picture of performance improvement. We have seen improvements on the predictability measures at the same time as falls in client satisfaction. The demonstration project programme is delivering better performance than the general industry and we are continuing to see good progress. Publishing the KPI results online means that companies will be able to benchmark their own performance much more effectively which we expect will advance the continuous improvement agenda.”

The housing sector registered improvements. Project predictability in the sector has gone up from 43% last year to 48% in 2007. The percentage of projects delivered on-time or better was also up from 42% in 2006 to 46% in 2007. However, client satisfaction in the housing sector for service and defects worsened with service falling from 78% in 2006 to 74% and defects from 82% in 2006 to 74%.

On the environmental KPIs, compared with last year’s figures, the industry is performing badly. On the opinion indicators, which measure the perceptions of clients on how much care is being taken for the environment in the design of the product or facility, there has been a fall with clients giving 8 or more out of 10 for Impact on the Environment down from 54% to 51% in 2007; impact on biodiversity fell from 36% to 34%; and, whole life performance went down from 41% to 39%.