TZL 1574 (web)

February 24, 2025, Issue 1574 WWW.ZWEIGGROUP.COM

TRENDLINES

Regional salary differences

6.0%

5.0%

4.0%

Employee experience plays a crucial role in maximizing strategic outcomes. Advanced strategy execution

3.0%

East Central West

According to Zweig Group’s 2025 Salary Report of AEC Firms , firms in all regions of the U.S. saw fairly consistent salary trends. Firms in the Eastern region of the U.S. saw the highest increase at 5.87 percent followed by firms in the Central U.S. at 5.49 percent. Firms in the West region saw the lowest rate of increase at 4.35 percent. Participate in a survey and save 50 percent on the final or pre- publication price of any Zweig Group research publication.

A s I mentioned in my article released in last week’s issue of The Zweig Letter , “Strategy Execution Essentials,” the development of strategic growth plans in the AEC industry often follows a top-down approach, where visions and goals are crafted at the highest levels of leadership, and the successful execution of these strategies typically unfolds in a bottom-up manner. This dichotomy underscores the critical need to deeply understand and effectively manage the factors that influence the employee work environment. INTEGRATING FOUNDATIONAL TACTICS WITH EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE INFLUENCERS – MOBILIZING THE “VILLAGE.” After laying the tactical and structural groundwork for executing strategic initiatives, it becomes crucial to consider how these methods are perceived and experienced by those who bring them to life. Let’s now turn our attention to a more nuanced dimension that can significantly amplify these execution efforts. These are the four primary influencers that shape employee experience: 1. Stories that are told and the questions that are asked (driving motivation through vision and strategy). The interplay of compelling storytelling and open communication forms the backbone of a successful strategy execution culture. AEC leaders play a crucial role by articulating the firm’s big, bold vision and strategic objectives through powerful stories that not only inform but also inspire. They need to clearly communicate the “what,” “how,” and “why” of the firm’s strategies, ensuring every team member understands their role within the broader mission. This narrative clarity motivates individuals to align with and actively pursue collective goals. Simultaneously, fostering a culture where openness and trust prevail is equally essential. Such an environment promotes psychological safety, encouraging team members to express ideas and concerns without fear. This openness not only fuels innovation but also enhances the firm’s ability to tackle complex challenges effectively. When leaders welcome questions, they are not eliciting doubt about the plan itself, but instead are cultivating a workforce that is curious, committed, and aligned with the firm’s strategic objectives. Employees are encouraged to ask how they can contribute at an individual level and seek ways to continuously improve, directly enhancing firm-level performance. Together, strategic storytelling and a culture of inquiry create a dynamic where narratives set the

Ying Liu, MBA, LEED AP BD+C

FIRM INDEX EEA Consulting Engineers...................8

Fuss & O’Neill..............................................10

Tutor Perini Corporation........................8

MORE ARTICLES n MATT VERDERAMO: Four questions Page 3 n MARK ZWEIG: Uncertain times will test leadership Page 5 n MORGAN STINSON: Find your North Star Page 7 n KATHY NANOWSKI: Client experience starts within Page 9

See YING LIU, page 2

THE VOICE OF REASON FOR THE AEC INDUSTRY

YING LIU, from page 1

direction and questions drive the engagement, both crucial for navigating the path to successful strategy execution. 2. Formal mechanisms that govern how work gets done. To ensure strategic growth plans translate into successful outcomes, it is essential to govern how work gets done through meticulously designed structures, processes, systems, and incentives. These formal mechanisms act as the backbone of strategy execution in AEC firms, providing a clear framework that guides daily operations and decision-making. A streamlined and optimized organizational structure defines clear pathways for information flow and accountability to help all team members understand their roles and how they contribute to broader strategic goals. Robust processes and systems facilitate efficient project management and coordination across various components and teams. Moreover, aligning incentives with strategic objectives ensures that all efforts are directed toward achieving set targets, motivating employees to perform at their best by linking their achievements to tangible rewards. This comprehensive governance of how work is conducted is crucial not only for maintaining operational efficiency but also for ensuring that every step taken is a stride toward the firm’s strategic ambitions. 3. Role modeling observed (leadership in action). Leadership behavior is pivotal in setting the cultural tone and driving effective strategy execution within AEC firms. The role modeling employees observe from the CEO, senior team, and others they consider influential is a crucial and yet often overlooked factor that shapes employee experience. AEC leaders must be more than just decision-makers; they need to be role models who not only advocate for the firm’s values and strategic goals but demonstrate these principles daily through both actions and words. This visible commitment inspires teams to internalize these values and go the extra mile to achieve unprecedented growth. A lack or absence of clear and consistent role modeling can lead to disengagement and a lack of alignment with strategic initiatives, ultimately risking the firm’s ability to achieve its goals. 4. Building confidence in desired behaviors. The importance of building confidence in one’s ability to behave in desired ways under the firm’s strategic framework cannot be overstated. Arguably, this is the most challenging factor as it requires perseverance, patience, and trust from both leaders and employees. AEC firms should prioritize training and development that equips employees not only with technical or functional skills but also with essential “soft skills,” which have transitioned from being nice-to-have to must-have for professional success. These tailored development programs should also promote effective execution practices aligned with the firm’s strategic growth plan, allowing employees to enhance their adaptability and creativity in a world shaped by AI and technological advancement. That said, it is more practical and helpful to start these programs with top performers or star players to allow them to later extend these practices throughout the firm. It is also important to create an environment where employees can safely fail and learn from their experiences to help build their confidence through internal and external interactions. As people grow more accustomed to this rhythm, their energy becomes contagious and scalable, positively impacting individual careers and the firm’s overall strategic success. As I conclude this series on successful strategy execution, it’s clear that the journey toward successful strategic outcomes is multifaceted. It begins with establishing foundational tactical and structural elements, extends to fostering a holistic effort that embeds cultural and motivational practices among employees, and culminates in mobilizing the entire organization (the “village”). In short, integrating tactical elements of strategy execution with the broader influencers of employee experience will streamline organizational processes, enhance employee engagement and satisfaction, and unlock new levels of innovation, efficiency, and growth for AEC leaders. Feel free to drop me a line if you’re looking for some support, a sounding board, or just want to chat. Ying Liu, MBA, LEED AP BD+C is director of growth consulting at Zweig Group. Contact her at yliu@zweiggroup.com.

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THE ZWEIG LETTER FEBRUARY 24, 2025, ISSUE 1574

OPINION

Four questions

F inding a mentor could be one of the best decisions you ever make in your life and career – I know it was for me. Finding a mentor can provide direction, accelerate career growth, and offer valuable insights, but it requires commitment and openness.

About three years ago, I started meeting monthly with a mentor I met through LinkedIn. Since then, I’ve made some huge life and career moves that I may not otherwise have made. It’s been such a fulfilling and productive relationship! In talking with construction professionals around the country, I’m finding that many do not have a mentor they can lean on. If you have ever wondered if you should find a mentor, try asking yourself these four questions to determine if it would be worth your time. Obviously, I highly recommend it, but is having a mentor really for you? Let’s find out: 1. Are you feeling a lack of direction and fulfillment in your life and/or career? I found my mentor when I was 28 years old. At that time, I had recently accomplished a lot of things that should have been considered positive: I was promoted to vice president at 28 years old, just finished getting my master’s degree part-time, recently got engaged to the love of my life, and was gaining notoriety on LinkedIn for writing construction-based content. But the truth is, I wasn’t happy.

This misalignment of my “success” and my happiness helped me to see that something was missing. With the benefit of time and space, I now realize that what I was missing was fulfillment and direction on how to find it. Fortunately, I had been meeting with someone I trusted already, and we naturally stepped into a mentor/mentee relationship. If you are ever going through that same confusion about success versus direction/fulfillment, then it may be time to consider getting a mentor to help you through it. 2. Do you want to accelerate your career growth? On the other hand, you can be totally successful and happy, and still be a good candidate for pursuing a mentor relationship. Why? Because mentors can help you accelerate your career much more quickly than you can on your own. One of my mentors, a serial entrepreneur and Zweig Group founder Mark Zweig, always says, “Failure sucks! Don’t fail just to learn from it. Find people who have failed to teach you so you don’t

Matt Verderamo, MS

See MATT VERDERAMO, page 4

THE ZWEIG LETTER FEBRUARY 24, 2025, ISSUE 1574

I can tell you from experience that it is extremely frustrating for someone to continually ask for your advice, then ignore it and do things their way regardless. Change is one of the fundamental benefits to mentoring under someone, and most mentors don’t want to work with someone who is close-minded and unwilling to change. HOW TO FIND ONE. If you find yourself going through this exercise and getting excited about your desire for a mentor, then great! Now, you just need to find one. While there are so many ways you could go about this, this is how I have had the most success: 1. Identify a potential mentor. 2. Schedule a call or lunch to get to know them. 3. Repeat three times. 4. Ask them to be your mentor. I think it’s important to meet multiple times with someone before asking them to be your mentor because you need to figure out if you are really a fit for each other, and you need to figure out if they are willing to commit time to you as their mentee. Both of these things seem to naturally work themselves out over time. You will know if you are in the right position to ask for a more formal mentor/mentee relationship. I hope this helps someone out there, and if you have more questions about how or why to get a mentor, reach out any time. Matt Verderamo, MS is a consultant at Well Built Construction Consulting. Connect with him on LinkedIn.

MATT VERDERAMO, from page 3

have to fail as much yourself.” Such wise and simple words, but they are so often lost on people growing their careers. I think our egos tell us we are “supposed to figure it out on our own”, and I have found that this couldn’t be further from the truth! So, if you want to accelerate your career growth, getting a mentor is probably for you. But be sure to consider questions No. 3 and No. 4 before you do. 3. Are you willing to make a commitment outside of work? It is not easy to be a mentee. Even more, it’s not easy to be a mentor! So, before you consider asking someone to be your mentor, you really need to ask yourself: Are you willing to make this commitment? Are you going to show up bright eyed and bushy tailed at each call/lunch? Are you going to put in the work that your mentor incites you to put in? Are you going to be insanely respectful of their time? If you don’t feel confident about all of those answers, then you may not be ready to be in a mentor/mentee relationship. 4. Are you willing to open your mind and apply other people’s perspectives? One of the benefits of a mentor is that they can help you see the world – whether that is yourself, your job, your personal relationships – in a different way. If you have trouble opening your mind and applying other people’s perspectives, then you may need to work on that before you pursue a mentor.

THE ZWEIG LETTER FEBRUARY 24, 2025, ISSUE 1574

FROM THE FOUNDER

W e will not get into politics on these pages. All that accomplishes is to divide and alienate people, and we believe that most people have more in common than the media would have us believe. That said, regardless of whether you support or oppose the current administration, there is a lot of change and uncertainty in the air. These qualities will be essential for entrepreneurial leaders in the AEC business to have in the coming months and years ahead. Uncertain times will test leadership

Mark Zweig

It is times like these that will test your leadership capabilities. Here are some of the qualities I believe will be essential for entrepreneurial leaders in the AEC business (or any business, for that matter) to have in the coming months and years ahead: 1. Be relentlessly focused on the mission and vision. To keep everyone directed and motivated, the leaders have got to continuously live and promote the mission (why the business exists) and the vision (what the business is trying to become). Let me add that the mission should be something worthwhile and the vision one of growth. Missions to make a certain profit percentage and visions to stay the same size won’t cut it. 2. Project optimism. Leaders have to be optimistic. This does not, however, mean they should bury their heads in the sand and ignore reality. But it

does mean that even if things aren’t going well they project a belief that they can be turned around AND they have a plan for how to do so. Blind optimism is different from optimism combined with a plan for what needs to happen. 3. See problems as opportunities. We have all heard there is some Chinese philosophy around this one. And it makes sense. Everything that goes wrong presents an opportunity for improvement. Some things that go wrong even present opportunities to demonstrate to clients that your business is superior to anyone else’s because of how you handle those things! That could be how you win them over for life. 4. Delegate everything you can. The best leaders are the best delegators. That is how they multiply

See MARK ZWEIG, page 6

THE ZWEIG LETTER FEBRUARY 24, 2025, ISSUE 1574

Being able to remain calm under fire is something that gets easier with age and experience. You know you have survived everything. I don’t know how to impart this serenity to those who don’t have it other than to personally demonstrate it yourself and hope that they can model your behavior. “Business hates uncertainty. There’s no doubt that change creates winners and losers in the pool of firms that make up our industry.” 8. Set a good example for everyone else. Expecting others to do what you say but not what you do never works. I have been saying this for years. If you want your key people to make sales calls, you have to be willing to do it yourself. If you want people to do their timesheets on time, you have to do yours on time. If you want people to be responsive to calls and emails after normal working hours, you need to be yourself. This is fundamental and there’s no way around it. Business hates uncertainty. There’s no doubt that change creates winners and losers in the pool of firms that make up our industry. The quality of your leadership will make the determination of which side of the line your firm ends up on. Mark Zweig is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.

MARK ZWEIG, from page 5

their effectiveness. They aren’t worried that they won’t have anything to do if they give something up, or that someone else will do it better than they do. That is the goal! And when they (the leader) does have more time, they will figure out how to use it in new ways to advance the goals of the company. 5. Constantly upgrade the team. The best leaders are doing two things: confronting non-performance and recruiting new talent. No one likes dealing with people who aren’t performing up to standard – it’s not fun. But it is essential. And so is looking for and hiring new team members to improve capabilities and move things ahead to the next level. It’s just like being the manager of a sports team. They never rest on the critical responsibility of upgrading the team, even when the team is winning games. 6. Keep their priorities straight. Ineffective leaders get pulled in many different directions and devote their days to fire-fighting. Effective leaders can fight fires but they don’t fight every fire. They know which ones can spread. And at the same time they are also still working on building the firm of the future. That takes real discernment of what the priorities are and concentration of effort over extended periods of time versus the immediate gratification that comes from solving a problem, no matter how small. 7. Stay calm under fire. This may be an extension of No. 2 above, but seems worthy of some individual attention.

THE ZWEIG LETTER FEBRUARY 24, 2025, ISSUE 1574

OPINION

Find your North Star

Leading with purpose helps firms navigate uncertainty by reinforcing values, fostering trust, taking ownership, and turning challenges into opportunities.

T here’s an old saying, paraphrased from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, which goes, “The only constant in life is change.” Now more than ever, it can feel as though not only is more changing around us than we’re used to, but the pace of change seems to be accelerating as well. Our brains evolved over hundreds of thousands of years, and for 98 percent of that time day-to-day life really didn’t change all that much. If you could survive as a hunter-gatherer 50,000 years ago, the odds are good that you could survive as a hunter- gatherer 3,000 years ago. Now, pluck someone off the streets of New York City from 1925 and plop them in Times Square today and their brain might literally explode.

Morgan Stinson

THE POWER OF PURPOSE. It is in this world of relentless change and uncertainty that firm leaders find themselves today. In professional service firms, the challenges are multiplied as clients, teams, and entire industries grapple with rapid shifts in the marketplace. Amid this turbulence, a clear and unwavering sense of purpose serves as a beacon for decision-making and a powerful motivator that rallies teams and strengthens resilience. Knowing your organization’s purpose allows you to create a vision that inspires action and aligns teams, even in the face of uncertainty.

financial goals or operational metrics; it is the core belief that drives a leader’s vision and inspires others to follow. In Start With Why , Simon Sinek argues that people are drawn to leaders who can articulate a clear and compelling “why.” This is especially critical in professional service firms where the people are the product. This purpose also connects to your firm’s core values, which if properly articulated and aligned throughout the organization will give everyone the same lens through which problems can be viewed and solved.

Start with why. Purpose is the “why” behind every decision, strategy, and action. It transcends

■

See MORGAN STINSON, page 8

THE ZWEIG LETTER FEBRUARY 24, 2025, ISSUE 1574

BUSINESS NEWS FRONTIER-KEMPER-TUTOR PERINI JOINT VENTURE AWARDED $1.18 BILLION MANHATTAN TUNNEL PROJECT Tutor Perini Corporation, a leading civil, building and specialty construction company, announced that a joint venture between Tutor Perini and its subsidiary, Frontier-Kemper Constructors, has been awarded a design-build contract valued at approximately $1.18 billion by the Gateway Development Commission for the Manhattan Tunnel Project, a

component of the Hudson Tunnel Project. The HTP is a resiliency and reliability project to build two new passenger rail tracks between New York and New Jersey and rehabilitate the century- old North River Tunnel, which was badly damaged during Superstorm Sandy. The Manhattan Tunnel Project scope of work entails the design and construction of twin 30-foot diameter tunnels approximately 700 feet in length

beneath the eastern shore of the Hudson River to existing cut-and-cover tunnels beneath Hudson Yards, along with an access shaft at 12th Avenue and the Manhattan West Side Highway, which will later become a ventilation facility for the tunnels. Work is expected to begin in the spring of 2025 with substantial completion anticipated in 2029. The contract value is expected to be added to Tutor Perini’s backlog in the first quarter of 2025.

don’t exist to “maximize profit in the current quarter,” but rather to serve their customers in a way that uniquely meets their needs and leans into personal connection and relationships to drive value. Mass layoffs remove those value drivers from the company, likely leaving both you and your client worse off than before. ■ Proactive communication. Host an “all hands” meeting to outline the challenge and invite input, demonstrating vulnerability and fostering trust. When bad things happen, the team is likely already aware, so discussing it openly and with candor lets everyone know that you’re aware of the problem and committed to solving it. Engage a broader audience in finding other clients and projects to pursue to help back-fill the lost revenue; they’ll be more willing to be part of the solution if you’re clear about the problem. ■ Taking ownership. Even with an engaged team eager to solve the issues, it’s very likely that some pain will be felt. In a purpose driven organization, leaders need to own the consequence first. Before removing good people from the organization or asking them to take pay cuts, leaders of the firm must be willing to step up and go first, sacrificing in the short-term for the long-term health of the company. To quote Sinek yet again, from his book Leaders Eat Last : “Great leaders truly care about those they are privileged to lead and understand that the true cost of the leadership privilege comes at the expense of self-interest.” This approach not only mitigates fear but also channels energy into purposeful action. TURNING TURBULENCE INTO OPPORTUNITY. Leading with purpose doesn’t mean having all the answers – it means having clarity on what truly matters. By staying grounded in core values, fostering trust, and empowering others, leaders can transform uncertainty into an opportunity for growth. Success is not about winning today but building a legacy that lasts. In the end, professional service firms that lead with purpose aren’t just weathering the storm – they’re charting a new course, one guided by vision, trust, and the steadfast belief that uncertainty is a chance to innovate, connect, and excel. Morgan Stinson is chief operating officer at EEA Consulting Engineers. Contact him at morganstinson@eeace.com.

MORGAN STINSON, from page 7

During periods of uncertainty, reconnect with your firm’s purpose. Ask yourself: Why does this organization exist? In The Infinite Game , Sinek reminds us that leaders playing the infinite game focus on building lasting impact rather than short-term wins. Aligning decisions with the overarching purpose ensures every move strengthens the long-term viability of your firm. ■ Foster trust through vulnerability. Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead highlights the importance of vulnerability in leadership. During uncertain times, transparent communication builds trust. Share not only your vision but also your concerns and uncertainties. This openness fosters psychological safety, inviting your team to join you in solving the problems your organization faces. There’s an African proverb that states, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” Transparent communication about your purpose, values, and challenges can rally others to the cause. ■ Take extreme ownership. Getting buy-in and engagement from the team to join you in the journey does not absolve leaders of their responsibility for the outcomes. In their book Extreme Ownership , Jocko Willink and Leif Babin relay lessons learned from their decorated military careers serving as Navy Seals. They assert that leaders must take full responsibility for their team’s success and failure. In uncertain times, this means stepping up, making tough decisions, and ensuring alignment across all levels of the organization. By owning the mission and removing obstacles, leaders empower their teams to execute with confidence. CASE STUDY: LEADING WITH PURPOSE. What might this look like in practice? Let’s take the example of a professional service firm navigating a sudden change that upends a significant portion of its revenue. Maybe a key client has decided to put a major project on hold, or a public sector entity has had its budget slashed and can no longer roll out the full portfolio of project opportunities. The firm’s leaders could panic, reactively reducing headcount through layoffs or furloughs (as often seen in large, publicly traded companies). Alternatively, a purpose-driven approach might look like this: ■ Reenforcing purpose. Remind everyone why you exist, and the values by which you operate. Most companies

THE ZWEIG LETTER FEBRUARY 24, 2025, ISSUE 1574

OPINION

Client experience starts within

A strong employee experience leads to a stronger client experience, ensuring sustainable success and differentiation in the market.

R epeat business is vital for the bottom line, and it often stems from exceptional project execution and an outstanding customer experience. But here’s the secret: it becomes almost effortless when you have happy, engaged employees. Did you know that companies with highly engaged employees experience 21 percent higher profitability and are 17 percent more productive? It’s no coincidence – engaged employees deliver exceptional client experiences.

Kathy Nanowski, MBA, CPSM

A powerful tool for measuring both employee and client satisfaction is the Net Promoter Score. This is a success metric that measures both customer and employee satisfaction and loyalty. It was created by Bain & Company in 2003 and is widely used by both B2B and B2C businesses. Client’s answer, “How likely are you to recommend our firm to a friend or colleague?” while employees respond, “How likely are you to recommend this organization as a great place to work to your family or friends?” on a scale from 0 to 10. NPS responses fall into three categories:

NPS benchmarks range from -100 to 100, with scores from -100 to 0 indicating a negative experience, and 1 to 30 being acceptable but with room for improvement. Scores from 31 to 50 are typical for most companies, while 51 to 70 shows above-average performance, and 71 to 100 reflects industry leaders who significantly outperform competitors. However, NPS varies by industry, so you’ll want to take that into consideration when measuring success. WHY HAVE A CLIENT EXPERIENCE PROGRAM? Client experience encompasses the entire customer journey, beginning with how clients first interact with your firm – your brand, or what people say about you. Remarkably, 92 percent of people trust word- of-mouth recommendations over advertising. CX includes everything from navigating your website

Promoters (9-10). Enthusiastic supporters.

■

■ Passives (7-8). Satisfied but not necessarily loyal.

Detractors (0-6). Unhappy and likely to discourage others.

■

See KATHY NANOWSKI, page 10

THE ZWEIG LETTER FEBRUARY 24, 2025, ISSUE 1574

your team’s needs and expectations. Here are several effective ways to gather feedback from your employees: ■ Stay interviews. These one-on-one conversations help identify what keeps employees engaged and what could be improved in their experience. ■ Exit interviews. Insights from departing employees can uncover opportunities for growth or changes in your firm’s culture or processes. ■ Affinity groups. Create employee groups, such as an early- career professionals’ group, to gauge the pulse of specific segments of your workforce. ■ Employee surveys. Pulse surveys are an effective way to gather quick, actionable feedback. For example, Amazon asks employees daily questions like, “Do you have the tools you need to do your job?” or “Rate how well your manager listens to your ideas.” This kind of constant feedback helps drive continuous improvement. WALKING THE EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE TALK. One impactful way to prioritize employee experience is by hiring an employee experience manager, a role that signals to employees that their feedback matters. This person is dedicated to improving the work environment, and at our firm, we’ve seen firsthand how this role has helped cultivate a positive, supportive culture. When I spoke with our employee experience manager, Victoria Verlezza, Ph.D., she shared the following: “Employee experience starts with relationships. To truly understand how folks are being impacted by the company culture, developing relationships is key. Culture is about how folks feel on a Sunday night before the start of the work week. If that feeling is dread, you know something in their experience is off and it could be anything from negative clients, to micromanagement, to negativity about whatever topic. If they don’t feel some type of way on a Sunday night, most likely, they are experiencing a culture that is developing them and keeping them satisfied. When our employees feel like they are seen, valued, and heard at work, their satisfaction is translated to positive client experience, therefore, increasing positive impact regardless of the business or organization. A key element of that is fostering psychologically safe environments that all employees feel like they belong in their environment.” WHAT’S NEXT? To improve both employee and client experience, start by establishing a baseline for your firm’s NPS scores and setting goals for year-over-year improvement. While happy employees don’t always guarantee happy clients, engaged employees are more likely to anticipate client needs and deliver exceptional service, building trust and loyalty. Employee and client experiences should no longer be treated as separate initiatives. Our client survey revealed that responsiveness was the most important quality they sought in a consultant. Many of us have gained clients after competitors failed to deliver excellent service. Recognize that a strong employee experience leads to a stronger client experience, ensuring sustainable success and differentiation in the market. Kathy Nanowski, MBA, CPSM is vice president and director of marketing and business development at Fuss & O’Neill. Contact her at knanowski@fando.com.

KATHY NANOWSKI, from page 9

and the ease of hiring you for a project to how you handle project closeouts and follow-ups. Despite its importance, only 14 percent of large B2B companies are client-focused versus product-focused, according to Blake Morgan, author of The Customer of the Future . Companies with superior customer experiences generate 5.7 times more revenue than their competitors. In the AEC industry, firms typically differentiate themselves in one of three ways: lowest price, offering a niche service, or delivering exceptional customer service. Since most firms don’t aim to compete on price, and true niche services are rare in a crowded market, the most viable path is focusing on CX. Differentiation lies in anticipating your clients’ needs before they even realize them, making their lives easier, and delivering outstanding service. Some examples could include acting as an extension of their team by working out of their offices or offering to be available 24/7. A McKinsey study found that 70 percent of the customer journey is shaped by how clients feel they are treated. To truly excel in CX, ask your clients: What would exceed your expectations when working with us? Their answers will often surprise you – and provide the insights needed to stand out. HOW TO TRACK CLIENT EXPERIENCE? Tracking client experience ensures your firm is meeting and exceeding client expectations. Here are a few effective methods to gather and measure feedback: ■ Client focus groups. Gather direct feedback in a collaborative setting, allowing for in-depth conversations about your firm’s strengths and areas for improvement. ■ In-person check-ins. Regular, personal check-ins provide an opportunity to engage with clients and thank them for their business while gaining valuable feedback. ■ Surveys. Surveys are flexible and can be customized to specific points in the client journey, such as after proposal submissions or key project milestones. Always include the net promotor question. WHY HAVE AN EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE PROGRAM? Employee experience encompasses everything an employee encounters at work – from onboarding and daily interactions with colleagues and supervisors to the tools and technologies they use to perform their job. While a positive employee experience is great for morale and culture, it has significant financial benefits. Companies that invest in strong EX programs experience improved performance, innovation, productivity, and higher retention, all contributing to increased profitability. Every aspect of your business should be optimized to create the best possible employee experience. One often-overlooked area is technology. Since CX is closely related to EX, it’s important to consider the technology that employees have at their disposal. Employees with zero-friction experiences at work are more likely to deliver seamless service to clients. As Blake Morgan writes, “Culture isn’t just about feelings – it’s about optimizing efficiency so employees face fewer struggles and can focus on delivering exceptional work.” HOW TO TRACK EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE. Measuring employee experience is critical to ensuring you’re meeting

THE ZWEIG LETTER FEBRUARY 24, 2025, ISSUE 1574

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