Constructive Conversations

CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS #12 – Doug Doucet of MERIT Nova Scotia’s rcs construction

Doug Doucet is no stranger to the world of construction, he has spent the last 25 years at the helm of rcs construction in Nova Scotia building a construction company from the ground up. Today the company is invested in both the real estate and construction agencies, but if you talk to Doug he still has his sights on bigger things. While he built his business to tailor to the needs of retail customers, today his major role is client satisfaction and networking, and clearly, he is quite capable of it so there is no telling how the company will continue to grow.

Customer Service as a Strategy

If you ask Doug what the strategy of rcs construction is, he would say “customer service is our unique ability.” The company started with a focus on grocery store construction because he had eight years of experience working at grocery giant A&P. However, soon their base evolved to include all types of tenants throughout Atlantic Canada. He describes it as an “evolution of growth” which the construction industry is currently experiencing again because of COVID, but that applying the same leadership principles has helped rcs construction continue to navigate upwards.

In fact, one of the largest strengths of rcs construction has been its ability to maintain customers. The company actually has many customers that have been with them for 15+ years. The goal of rcs construction is to deliver excellent service, support, and results every single time because it leads to more projects from recurring clients slowly building their schedule and gaining new clients continuously. Describing this relationship as another unique ability of the company, Doug says “I live my life or relationships with clients.”

Relationships with Employees

Doug says that happy clients start with happy employees, which is why the future of the company heavily depends on the team behind it. He is proud of the work culture that has been carefully cultivated at res construction and even mentions that they have a lot of project managers and people on the ground who have been there for the last 25 years along his side. He describes the work culture as an “open environment” and the home of one of the “largest non-union companies in Atlantic Canada.”

Construction Post-COVID

One big challenge the construction industry is now facing is how they thrive in the Post-COVID world. Doug believes that maintaining his four pillars is the key to continual growth: digital platforms, mental wellness, diversification, and engagement. He emphasized that COVID and digital construction management have proven there is a lot of value to digital platforms, but companies need to do more to develop these platforms to integrate suppliers, employers, and clients. If you want to see the future of construction, he believes “you better be diversified” and get on board with new tech opportunities.