Project-based communication

From left to right: Nathalie Heerschap & Claire Doorschodt

With project-based communication, KH Engineering is filling in a new expertise. By developing specially arranged and secured communication platforms, we help our clients with their project communication and strengthen the cooperation with our clients.

'Project-based communication is something we implement in our own way at KH Engineering,' says Marketing & PR Officer Claire Doorschodt. 'This request first emerged at our client KLM. We carry out many different projects there throughout the year and the need to keep all stakeholders informed of the progress arose. For that sake, several newsletters were created during the project to inform the stakeholders. Our colleagues deal with the engineering, but nowadays the customer asks for an overview of the project in both details and headlines. For the latter, the Marketing & Communications department can be of added value. In the project for KLM, we made a project video of a complex renovation of their aircraft engine testing room in addition to newsletters and on-site communication. This collaboration with the client and our colleagues turns out to be a good and effective way to keep all stakeholders informed and to get them excited for a particular project.' 

Tailored information
Following the request from KLM, Claire saw that the communication could also be optimised for other projects. For example, a communication plan was drawn up for the Neste Terminal Rotterdam Expansion project in Vlaardingen. A specially designed platform in a secure and protected environment was chosen as the communication channel. 'From that platform, we keep everyone that is authorised informed of the progress. Together with the team and client, we developed and implemented a safety campaign. These posters, toolboxes, safety instructions and videos could also be found on the platform for the team. Moreover, it is a good platform to send newsletters from, and we can also distinguish all kinds of target groups. This way, everyone gets as much tailored information as possible. And if team members from other locations within the project want to watch, we can provide a timelapse video, which can be viewed via the platform. In this way, you create involvement in the project beyond the regular team on site, and the progress of the project can be followed closely.'

Practical results
In addition to project updates, the platform also features practical matters, such as contact details of those involved. This allows clients to quickly reach the right contact person. 'A nice side effect', says Marketing & PR Officer Nathalie Heerschap, 'is that authorised colleagues of KH Engineering who work in the office can also see how the project progresses in practice. After all, much engineering work is done from behind the desk and it is nice to also see the practical result of it. The same goes for employees of the client, who are not directly involved in the project but are curious about the work that KH Engineering is doing on the project site. Think, for example, of a Communication department.'

Offering value
'With another client, we took a different approach to project-based communication,' Nathalie explains. 'This client had a project for which it was a challenge to find suitable contractors and the client itself did not have the appropriate resources, tools and experience to promote the project in the preliminary phase. Since KH Engineering had supported communications around projects before, our help was called in. In many areas, we were an extension of the customer's organisation. For instance, we were involved in thinking about the best way to survey and approach the market for this project and drafted communication tools on behalf of the client. From Marketing & Communications, we were able to offer a fresh perspective on the preliminary phase of the project, and by thinking slightly outside the box, we found a large number of interested parties for the project. This way of project-based communication was a nice collaboration between the client, our Procurement department and Marketing & Communications. So for each client, we can determine where we can offer the most value with project-based communication.'

Involvement
'With project-based communication, we not only provide practical information, but also inspire each other to bring projects to the finish line in a good way,' Claire states. 'More understanding is created on both sides and that contributes to a good relationship with the team and the client. And of course, the client also benefits a lot: it helps to gain more insight and it promotes the project internally.' Steffen Walgien, Project Manager of the Neste Terminal Rotterdam Expansion project, says: 'In addition to working with KH Engineering as an EPCm contractor, we also made use of the service project-based communication in this project. Due to the schedule-driven aspect of this project, it was already foreseen that we really needed to focus on the execution of the project. Good communication is very important in this respect. KH Engineering supported us in this by providing timelapse images, project video updates, newsletters and direct news posts on a platform set up for us. Together, we also developed a safety campaign for this project with toolboxes, posters, flyers and incentives. The entire team on site, but also at other sites, was much more involved in the project because of all these actions. This was good for team building and also gives a nice overview of the entire project.'

This form of project-based communication is now being implemented at more and more clients.

For more information about project-based communication, please contact claire.doorschodt@khe.eu.