TZL 1396

JENNY PHAN & KYLE COPELIN, from page 3

moved forward in November 2019, the firm name became “EPOCH, a Division of Shive-Hattery” to raise awareness of the relationship between the two firms and to position it for its future name change to Shive-Hattery. The communication program included informing EPOCH’s clients of the new name before the change took place. With new clients, the firm is introduced as Shive-Hattery. “We’re equally proud of both EPOCH and Shive-Hattery but did not want to choose between nurturing the relationship or providing education on the name change.” For Kyle, employee-driven reasons determined the timeline for the acquisition. Client-driven reasons will determine the timeline of the name change. Kyle was thoughtful about the name change occurring too quickly or too late; both would be detrimental. Because the value of your brand name is individual to you and your market, clients, and staff, consider the following as you plan how to make the name change a non-event. ❚ ❚ What is the value proposition of keeping the previous brand name?

had the right cultural fit for EPOCH. “It’s about quality relationships,” explained Kyle. “This supersedes everything. Being successful means having quality relationships with one another, families, clients, and friends.” Over the course of two years, Kyle had conversations with several people on the Shive-Hattery leadership team to gather different perspectives and a sense of who they were. “As I investigated, our cultures were identical,” Kyle said. “I could talk to the leadership team about anything. I found they were honest people with a ton of humility who do great work. These conversations were eye-opening.” The flat, decentralized culture resonated with EPOCH’s value that everyone including leadership was an equal player on the same team and working together toward a common goal. “When developing your communication plan, adjust and customize your plan for the specific firms involved ... The result is an individualized approach that successfully transfers and enhances the brand equity that all parties have invested in.” PRE-GAME AND TALK TO THE PEOPLE WHO MATTER. Transparency was built in from the forefront and Kyle identified two stakeholder groups to personally deliver messaging to: employees and clients. As the point person, he created a trusted and safe space for everyone to ask questions and offer feedback which led to their support. Opening the lines of communication created a free flow of information to help guide the decision-making process. “I met with staff individually and as a group to learn what success looked like for them if we moved forward with the acquisition,” Kyle said. “I put myself in everyone else’s shoes. If it was not an advantage for everyone, I wasn’t going to do it.” Kyle also reached out to trusted clients and their top priority was a seamless transition. He was able to share why he was considering the acquisition. “Some of our clients were curious if the potential acquisition was driven for financial reasons and they appreciated the transparency,” shared Kyle. “They knew I was committed to maintaining the same level of service with the same people they’ve developed relationships with. The only change they’d experience is a name change and that the ultimate decision was mine.” MAKING THE NAME CHANGE A NON-EVENT. When the acquisition

❚ ❚ What is the risk mitigation of keeping it? ❚ ❚ How will clients (and employees) respond?

You can identify tangible variables with these questions.

To ensure a smooth transition, Kyle has migrated digital traffic from EPOCH’s social media and website to Shive- Hattery’s platforms. The next step will be to sunset “EPOCH, a Division of Shive-Hattery” and fully transition to “Shive-Hattery” by the end of 2021 including signage, marketing materials, and other supporting collateral materials. From acquisition to full rebrand, the process will conclude in roughly two years. With Kyle and the design team remaining the same, clients have confidence knowing service will not be disrupted. The same people will be there but with more horsepower. The only impact is a name change. The result is a seamless, successful energy transfer of brand equity. Because each merger or acquisition is unique, what works for one firm may not work for another. When developing your communication plan, adjust and customize your plan for the specific firms involved. Base your decisions on a continuum of what makes most sense for you, your employees, and your clients. The result is an individualized approach that successfully transfers and enhances the brand equity that all parties have invested in. JENNY PHAN is the corporate communications manager for Shive- Hattery Architecture-Engineering. She can be reached at jphan@ shive-hattery.com. KYLE COPELIN is a principal at EPOCH a Division of Shive-Hattery. Connect with him on LinkedIn .

WRITE FOR THE ZWEIG LETTER Have some advice for your peers in the AEC industry? Contact Sara Parkman at sparkman@zweiggroup.com to become a contributor for The Zweig Letter .

THE ZWEIG LETTER JUNE 14, 2021, ISSUE 1396

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