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O P I N I O N
One and the other Project needs and client needs are two different things. If you want to win more work, figure out the human side of the equation and you’ll be rewarded.
A EC firms often approach proposals and interviews with military-type shock and awe: “We’ve done this type of project dozens of times. We’re the most qualified – and the best value.”
identify the client’s need as something generic, such as finishing within budget. That’s important – but it’s a project need. To find the client need, we add the phrase “… so that,” followed by the phrase(s) required to finish the statement: “We will finish the school within budget … so that the school district doesn’t have to ask taxpayers for more money … so that when the next levy comes along, voters won’t be thinking about that school costing more than planned … so that we can maintain our trusted position within the community for years to come.” The farther you take the “… so that,” the closer you get to the real client needs. AFTER THE RIBBON CUTTING. A team we coached for an expansion project believed the client need was “getting the building done on time.” Well, it wasn’t
However, selection panels are trying to answer the question: Who do they want to work with for the project duration? As one public works director said: “We’re getting married to these people for three years!” Selection panel members tell us that AEC firms often try to answer this question with some combination of: 1) “We’re passionate about this project.”
Scott Johnston
2) “We’re really great to work with.” 3) “This is a big opportunity for us.”
PROJECT NEED VERSUS CLIENT NEED. The path to being the firm a potential client wants to work with starts with understanding the client’s needs. No surprise there, but the client’s needs are probably not what you think. When JTG helps teams develop propos- als and prepare for interviews, the teams often
See SCOTT JOHNSTON, page 8
THE ZWEIG LETTER October 3, 2016, ISSUE 1170
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