Project Management and Customer Relations
Project Management and Customer Relations tests scope control, scheduling, change orders, submittals, RFIs, coordination, and customer turnover. Expect questions on documentation, communication, acceptance, and avoiding unauthorized work.
Core rules
- Define scope in the contract, drawings, specifications, and schedule. Anything outside that baseline needs a written change order before work proceeds.
- Track submittals, RFIs, long-lead equipment, permits, and inspections. Coordinate with the general contractor, electrical contractor, AHJ, and owner.
- A change order should price labor, material, cable, licensing, testing, commissioning, tax, and markup. Verbal direction is not authorization.
- Hold progress meetings and issue minutes. Document delays, site conditions, and decisions that affect cost or schedule.
- Close out with a punch list, customer training, as-builts, warranties, and a signed acceptance.
Worked example
After rough-in, the owner asks for ten additional cameras. The project manager does not tell the crew to pull cable. Instead, the change order includes ten cameras, mounts, cable, labor, switch ports, licensing, configuration, testing, commissioning, tax, and markup. The schedule impact is stated. Work begins only after written approval. The reasoning is that added devices affect power, network capacity, and acceptance testing, not just hardware cost.
Traps
Acting on verbal change requests; allowing scope creep to protect the relationship; promising dates before checking material lead time; failing to document delays; and turning over a system without training or acceptance records.