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FROM THE FOUNDER
It’s time to take quality seriously
I f you look at most of the marketing materials from AEC firms of any kind, you will see the word “quality” used frequently. Pretty much everyone claims to be a high-quality service provider, or to do “high quality projects.” That’s great if it is true, but too often those are just hollow words with no real action to back them up. Many AEC firms claim high quality, but without consistent action those promises quickly become hollow words.
Mark Zweig
Let’s take a look at a few things related to “quality,” or at least the perception of it in the AEC world: ■ Office space. How is yours? Is it clean? How nice are your bathrooms? Are all the fixtures attached to the wall and functioning? Trash cans not overflowing? Is your lobby filled with 2-year-old magazines? How do your blinds look when you see the building at night? Is all of your signage clear and up to date? Lighting good? Work areas neat? Company lunchroom clean? Carpet clean and spot-free? Wall and trim paint in good shape? Parking lot clean? Planting beds weed- free? Dumpsters hidden away? Smokers out back where they can’t be seen? All of this is a reflection of your quality standards. It speaks to your visitors and employees alike. ■ Vehicles. How are yours? Are they all painted to match? No visible scrapes, dents, or other damage? Name, logo, phone number, and web
address on all work vehicles? Are they spotlessly clean inside and out? No trash in them? Your vehicles make an impression on people. It’s either good or bad. If bad, it calls into question the quality standards you maintain. ■ People. Do they all dress appropriately? Decent shoes? Do they each have the educational backgrounds and registrations required to be experts in their fields? Are they good communicators? Do they have good manners? Does everyone have a business card? Do they do what they say they will and follow up when they are supposed to? Are they quick to respond to emails and calls? Everyone in the firm has to meet certain standards for you to truly be perceived as a quality service provider. You are only as good as your weakest team member.
See MARK ZWEIG, page 6
THE ZWEIG LETTER SEPTEMBER 8, 2025, ISSUE 1600
ELEVATE THE INDUSTRY®
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