Shopping Centre Construction Services Market Procurement Intelligence Report

Several macro changes in the dynamics of overall Construction Service Providers as well as Shopping Centre Construction Services procurement trends are poised to change the business practices and procurement thumb rules. Fluctuation in prices of construction materials has made it difficult for project contractors to maintain a steady cost projection on construction projects. Also, the risks associated with project cost overruns are contributing to project delays and abandonment. Procurement functions are more careful while drawing up supplier contracts and insulating their projects from price uncertainties to the extent possible on negotiation tables.

The growing need for smarter and resilient construction has encouraged a rapid implementation of advanced BIM solutions. The integration of 4D BIM and geographical information system (GIS) is helping in improving construction productivity, construction supply chain management, material supplier selection, estimation of deliveries, and overall coordination between construction companies and material suppliers.

Over the years, regional boundaries have blurred as suppliers foray into different continents, increase their capital expenditure and spend on cross-border M&A initiatives. The deployment of geographic diversification strategies through such consolidation initiatives has enabled the large suppliers to improve their performance and expand their business footprint.

Category managers need to take note of the potential of these developments and reassess the changes required in their procurement practices.

Sometimes, procurement functions are unable to timely alter their practices while responding to market conditions. Industry experts acknowledge that periodically reviewing procurement best practices and adopting learnings from across procurement categories can help procurement teams respond to market needs in a more agile way. This report combines our experience of other categories with Shopping Centre Construction Services procurement insights and hand picks best practices that can work for category managers delving in this market.

For example, It is highly recommended that buyers prioritize regional suppliers unless the project specifications are extremely sophisticated and require specialized vendors. A regional supplier base enables buyers to have significant negotiation power due to spend consolidation and exhaustive knowledge of the local codes and environmental regulations. It also insulates them from adverse fluctuations in currency exchange rates.

Service providers may outsource certain aspects of the project if they lack the required expertise or to expedite the project progress. If the subcontractor is not covered by a reliable liability insurance or does not abide by the same terms and conditions that were laid down for the main contractors, then it can hinder the main contractor's ability to perform its services. It may also entangle the buyers in legal complications and negative publicity.

Buyers should prefer working with suppliers who can bring in specialized solutions for their specific industries to ensure comprehensive delivery of construction related services to buyers.

Shopping Centre Construction Services procurement managers also need to proactively identify and mitigate potential risks that can arise in the supply chain or contracts for Shopping Centre Construction Services procurement. Some examples include: