Scales of Engineering and Feel Good Friday

Would you employ a Structural Engineer who has spent the last 15 years designing concrete bridges, for a single storey house extension?... Would you even bother talking to a local one-man-band-engineer who is advertising loft conversion design services, when you need a 30 storey tower in Dubai built...?

As with many professions, there is an economy of scale... and when I say that - I mean that your chosen consultant will have more design experience in one field over another [i.e. a specialism] and hence be able to provide an enhanced service for the same fee as a lesser prepared pier. I hasten to add that reduced fees and cutting costs do not help anyone. BUT increased levels of customer care and positive communication DOES!

Bear that in mind when you are thinking about your next marketing campaign. Narrowing the field of play could net you a very appreciative and loyal set of clients. I'm excited just thinking about the potential of uncovering a niche market...

OK time to very quickly discuss the avenues available to us as engineers when we finally decide where to market ourselves.

1. Working direct for consumers [private clients]. Please take a step into a world where most of your clients are people who do not know what it is that you are doing for them. I am of course referring to small scale residential clients. They will be able to see where the time was spent...a small parcel of calculations and sketch drawings will be testament to that fact. This however will not stop them from feeling confused and maybe even 'slightly' robbed. The question on their quivering lips is why was your input required in the first place! This is why they employ builders right? To build? Answer: EDUCATE BUILDERS & CONSUMERS. Build trust and take every opportunity to inform them... but not lecture them. Be a great diplomat and advocate for safe sustainable design. Everything the Institute asks of you and more.

2. Work for the construction professional [Architects, testing engineers, builders, project managers, Surveyors]. Without trying to hurt your feelings, our construction contacts may well pick and choose us based upon past project experiences and our 'apparent' specialities. There are also other factors like work load and insurances too, but you may well get first dibs on projects from your most avid supporters. Answer: If you have a good working relationship with these contacts, then they are less likely to muddy the waters by giving your competition a chance. Therefore build in extra value and take time to understand how you can help them best serve their clients. Be the best advocate for their company that you can. Respect is paramount.

3. Partnering Professionals. These contacts will seek you out every time they get sniff of a project. They will require constant help and advice. If you have negotiated a monthly retainer fee then you are one of the lucky ones. Weldone and please share with us your secrets! Potentially these clients [partners] will advertise your services alongside their own. For example, design and build contractors or multidisciplinary design offices. Answer: Getting an invite to join a well established party of hard hitting construction junkies is what I would call the 'golden' opportunity. I would describe a 'silver' opportunity as when two or three established firms collaborate in a consortium style arrangement. All partners bringing to the table a wealth of happy clients to share. Finally the 'bronze' or 'rusty' approach. Two or more non-established companies decide to huddle together for comfort and to share the good times with the bad. A potential slow burning partnership, promises lots... with no proven track record. Buyers beware.

More often than not, your ability to exhibit your infectious personality with your ability to make your clients problems vanish is what gets you chances in the business world.

How do you do that? It takes time, experience, persistence, excellence, knowing when to listen and when to speak, to give, learn, teach, run [had to shoe horn that in], exposure to the unknown, to explore. Please add some more in the comments box below.


Engine[er]