Earning his Spurs - Pitchcare

properly, are often more complex than even
the clients themselves appreciate.
There are quite a few issues arising from
this that I have difficulty with. Firstly, the
ball is entirely in the contractor’s court. A
single contractor approached in this way
may well think of a number and, as far as
the client is concerned, that is how much
the project will cost. An element of
competitive tendering could be brought into
play by asking the same question of several
contractors, assuming the client knows who
to contact, but the primary aim of each and
every one of those contractors will be to
maximise their profits, not necessarily to
give the client the best facility. The very
vagueness of the question allows the
contractor to operate in a world that the
client is entirely mystified by. In this
procurement process, the extent to which
the client may or may not be taken for a
ride will remain forever unknown.
Another problem is that the wider
implications of the project are not taken
into consideration. For example, such
projects usually require planning permission
and the phrase ‘get through planning’ will
soon enter into the conversation. In terms
of achieving the best overall quality of any
new facility it seems to me that we, as an
industry, should have greater aspirations
than simply to meet those standards laid
down by planning authorities. Competitive
tendering amongst companies that offer
‘design and build’ will not automatically
allow this to happen.
This is where the consultant enters the
picture. Having said that, we don’t know
everything. It should be said that we are
consultants because we have made it our
business specifically to investigate and try to
understand the issues and principles
involved. This allows us to place an
individual project in the wider setting.
We can anticipate and address planning
issues, resolve technical problems, maximise
environmental benefits and, hopefully, make
a new facility deliver more than its core
purpose.
When the client asks for the best quality
we will ensure that they achieve this in every
respect, many of which the client may not
even have thought about.
Needless to say, we must also deliver the
best value for money. The drawing up by a
consultant of a detailed specification,
drawings and contract documentation, and
going out to tender with that, will ensure
that the tender process is not allowed to
operate in the vague and mysterious
commercial world that exists among the
various contractors and suppliers. Using a
detailed specification drawn up beforehand
ensures that contractors really are forced to
compete upon a level playing field, and one
where the referee, though he can’t control
the outcome, at least gets to see and control
exactly what is going on.
Of course the client has to pay the
consultant to do this. Unfortunately, our
fees are often resented. I think this is partly
because the word ‘consultant’ brings to
mind management consultants and the like
who are drafted into large public sector
organisations where they are seen, by the
majority, to bring no tangible benefit at
enormous cost.
I do not think this can be said of the
consultants in the sports industry.
Organisations such as RIPTA (for the
natural turf consultants) and SAPCA (which
has the Professional Services section for
consultants) have been established with the
highest motive, genuinely to deliver the best
quality to the client.
A good consultant will go out of his way
to find the best way of doing things. He’ll
keep himself up to date with developments
in the industry. He will also try to maintain
good relations with contractors, and within
the industry in general, so that projects can
be concluded smoothly and amicably with
the least cost to the client.
As consultants, we spend a great deal of
money on liability insurance, because we
know that, we alone, will be liable should
things go wrong. We don’t want this to
happen, of course, which is another reason
we try to produce tight specifications that
will deliver the best end product.
‘Honour good men and women; be
courteous to all; bow down to none.’ This is
a phrase that some Edwardian
schoolchildren were asked to memorise as
part of their instruction in personal
development. I think it is a wonderful
phrase because it encapsulates my approach
to life in general, and to the running of my
consultancy business in particular.
When you’re dealing with a technical
issue you need technically minded people
who know a lot about the job. You must
show respect to those people that know
more about things than you do. You are not
beholden to others that may be in the
middle of commercial price wars, or deals
made with other people around issues that
have nothing to do with you.
Dr Tim Lodge, Agrostis Turf Consultancy Ltd.
Tel: 01359 259361 www.agrostis.co.uk
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“The extent to
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taken for a ride
will remain forever
unknown”
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