Introduction:
In the first of our five-part blog series, we discussed ongoing challenges in delivering large-scale projects in our region. We outlined the pivotal role of our new project controls managed services in addressing these challenges effectively.
Subsequently, in our second blog, we have looked at how our project controls managed services solutions leverage the latest technology to deliver sustainable outcomes in the region, particularly amidst the surge of giga projects that necessitate advanced project management techniques.
Overview
In the ever-evolving landscape of capital projects where time, resources, and collaboration are critical to success, one constant remains: the invaluable role of human talent. This is particularly evident in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which has a significant pipeline of giga projects. In this part of the world as Vision 2030 developments move into their design and construction phases, clients face an unprecedented need for qualified project controls and delivery professionals. According to PwC’s latest Capital Project & Infrastructure (CP&I) Survey, project management was cited as the most in-demand functional skill by 59% of respondents, followed closely by cost control, which was indicated by half of the respondents. This shortage of qualified talent makes it more challenging to realise and deliver those unique projects with their ambitious timelines.
PwC’s capital project controls human-led tech-driven managed services offer a shift from the traditional in-house front-office model to a dynamic blend between front-office deployment and near-shore delivery centre support. While the human touch remains essential, especially in customer-facing roles, the strategic use of near-shore delivery centres can help organisations strike the right balance between maintaining personal interaction and achieving operational excellence.
Accordingly, our project controls managed services have been designed to follow a hybrid approach of client-site-based resources, supported by a near-shore delivery centre, unlocking multiple benefits.
This blog, co-authored by Sari Kalakesh and Marwan Daher, explores the benefits of our human-led tech enabled managed services across various domains. From cost-efficiency and capital projects industry expertise to scalability and seamless technology integration, we discuss the advantages here, while focusing on core business functions.
- Cost-efficiency
- Expertise and specialisation
- Seamless communication and collaboration
- Scalability and flexibility
- Risk mitigation and business continuity
Cost-efficiency
One of the advantages of our human-led tech-powered managed services is cost efficiency. Powered with the right technology, communication tools and subject matter expertise, satellite office resources can be deployed effectively and efficiently to optimise operations, serve multiple projects and minimise downtime as we’ve experienced in our pilot project.
Moreover, deploying all resources on-site incurs significant expenses related to travel, accommodation, and local infrastructure. In contrast, the front-office and near-shore collaboration model allows for optimised communications and stakeholder management in the front office, while leveraging skilled professionals for project controls functions in near-shore locations at a lower cost. This leads to substantial savings while ensuring that we maintain the quality of service delivery.
Expertise and specialisation
Our near-shore delivery centres have subject-matter experts who specialise in specific domains, such as planners, estimators, contract administrators and claim experts. They bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table, ensuring that tasks are performed by individuals who are experts in their field. This level of specialisation results in great engagement, leading to higher quality work and maximising impact of the outcomes for our clients.
Our managed service centers are also powered by a tailored and dynamic learning and development programme to address specific skill gaps while keeping up with industry trends and local market demands.
Seamless communication and collaboration
Our project controls managed service solutions will continue to have a dedicated core front office team to serve as the primary point of contact for clients, providing personalised support and communication. Meanwhile, our near-shore offices serve as hubs for communication and collaboration, expanding the reach of project management capabilities. They offer round-the-clock support and leverage diverse skill sets from different geographical regions. This ensures that clients receive comprehensive support tailored to their needs while tapping into a global talent pool.
As detailed in our second blog, where we explained one of our digital solutions’ architecture, our project controls managed services are powered by modern communication technologies and cloud-based project management platforms, allowing teams to seamlessly share information, updates, and documents in real-time. This fosters greater transparency, alignment, and accountability among team members, leading to more efficient decision-making and problem-solving.
Scalability and flexibility
Our human-led managed services offer scalable operations without the need for long-term staffing commitments, or the need for large-scale recruitment or downsizing efforts, ensuring that projects are adequately staffed and resourced at all times. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for clients experiencing seasonal fluctuations or those in growth phases. Our approach is an output-focused delivery model that can quickly adjust to the level of service to meet changing demands, ensuring that companies can respond to market conditions more effectively. By centralising core project management functions in the front office and leveraging near-shore resources as needed, organisations can optimise resource allocation based on project requirements and workload fluctuations resulting in improved efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Risk mitigation and business continuity
Our managed services leverage near-shore offices across diverse geographical locations and time zones, enabling round-the-clock support and accessibility. This ensures enhanced productivity and minimise disruptions, critical for delivering world-class projects with ambitious timelines. In case of downtime in one office, operations seamlessly continue from other locations, safeguarding project timelines and investments, thus ensuring business continuity and resilience.
Transitioning into the new model
We are in the era of giga projects, faced with the delivery of capital programmes at a scale and complexity never seen before. The need for qualified professionals to navigate these complexities and meet the ambitious timelines of these projects has never been more urgent than it is now, and this is confirmed by our CP&I Survey results where 42% of respondents have identified people-related investments as their top priority.
We believe our capital project controls human-led tech-powered managed services, that offers a combination of on-site and off-site human resources, enables easier access to talent while centralising key back-office project functions in delivery hubs. This improves efficiency in managing giga-developments that are transitioning into their implementation phase. Our managed service solutions will allow clients to redirect their focus and resources towards their core business activities, enabling them to be in a stronger competitive position in the marketplace, while concentrating on their strategic growth and development.
