Gesso Interiors
Platform case study
CLIENT NAME: Gesso Interiors
CONTACT: Michael Mazzarella, Owner
Overview
Gesso Interiors is a small to medium-sized building, plastering, and carpentry company.
“We have up to 15 people at any time on staff and are running all types of jobs across the residential, retail, and commercial sectors”
Challenges
If you can manage to secure someone qualified, then their wage is cost prohibitive. To afford this we need to secure a lot more work and keep staff busy all year round. It’s a huge risk and stress that’s just too big to carry in a competitive, uncertain and inconsistent market.
“The biggest challenge for a contractor in the current Melbourne market is a lack of available talent”
Why overseas?
I had been looking for an offshore solution on my own for as long as twelve months and just could not find anybody in the construction area to help. I just knew offshore was the answer to our growing pains and our ability to take on more work.
“It would give us the opportunity to be able to grow at a sustainable rate, without having to max out our overheads and not be able to sleep at night”
I ended up hiring an estimator from a generalist outsourcing company, the ones that provide overseas staff across a number of industries. At first, I was relieved to have someone in the chair but then it was becoming obvious that our employee was not just working for us. She wasn’t available to us all the times and while she was doing a great job and adding value to the team I needed and wanted a dedicated employee.
Why
Platform?
It was then that one of Project Management companies I was working with at the time told me about Alex and Platform.
“Finally, a company specialising in construction outsourcing. It’s what I had been looking for from the start.”
The Results
Up to 70% less
Wage cost compared to local professional
Seamless integration
of our O/S team member with our local team
Superior hires
Platform source candidates at the highest level of skill and experience and with an incredible work ethic
Our new offshore Estimator is fantastic. She was slightly more expensive than our previous hire but still only a quarter of the cost of hiring local. And the difference again is amazing – unlike our first offshore I know she is 100% dedicated to us. She takes complete ownership of her work and her job. We really got her involved and integrated as part of the team from the very beginning – she sits in on all the meetings and briefings, does quote submissions, communicates with our suppliers and clients .
“She really is one of us and fits in as if there is no screen between”
More time and work efficiencies
Straight off the bat, she has freed myself, my business partner and my estimator up so we can chase jobs and then do those jobs well. Personally I’m now out in my farm enjoying it more, instead of being stuck in office late into the night and on weekends.
More clients
I feel like we now have a foot in the door in places we haven’t had before and are ready to jump into action when we do eventually get the green light with these new opportunities.
“We are now growing our business without any significant financial strain”
The Future
If my business partner had his choice, we would get another offshore estimator straight away, and we will eventually, but I’m conscious of bedding down our new estimator as a key employee for now and growing the business in a controlled and sustainable way.
“Personally I’m now out in my farm enjoying it more, instead of being stuck in the office late into the night and on weekends”