1212

8 AD: Cultivating and nurturing solid relationships with our existing clientele is an everyday intentional effort. Provid- ing creative ideas, responsive solutions, and simply being present with an ear to listen is a recipe we follow. With new pursuits, we draw from our 50 years of experience. We have a good story to tell and with the backbone of our market- ing team, and the lessons learned, we’re able to put our best foot forward. CONFERENCE CALL, from page 7 “We’re always looking for good people. By that I mean people who have a background of giving back or paying forward in their personal lives. It’s the culture we promote and it seems to breed more of the same as we grow.” TZL: What’s the greatest problem to overcome in the pro- posal process? AD: Managing multiple submittals with similar deadlines. Solid coordination, communication, and frequent quality control checks are all part of the process. Missing a propos- al deadline is not an option per our marketing director. We also know that without personal contact our success rate drops dramatically. Finding the time to be face-to-face with that potential client is sometimes difficult to schedule and sometimes not allowed due to RFP protocol. TZL: Once you’ve won a contract, what are the “marching orders” for your PMs? AD: We’re currently working out and updating those “marching orders” to provide a higher level of consistency and predictability (thus profitability) due to rapid growth over the last three to five years. We have a few steps that are being implemented as follows: 1) Review the proposal and contract for consistency. This may sound elementary, but it ensures that a fully executed con- tract is filed. 2) Review the team as identified in the proposal to ensure com- mitments/prior commitments are and will be met. 3) Enter the project in our accounting/management system. TZL: What has your firm done recently to upgrade its IT system? AD: We constantly monitor feedback from our PCs/PMs department and office managers to respond to IT issues. Whether it be hardware or software needs, we commit to making the necessary upgrades to serve our team. This also includes staffing commitments within the IT department. Each office location has a designated person that is the go-to person. Most recently we have implemented a tick- et system to provide a clearing house of issues, needs, re- quests, and how our IT department will process and resolve them. TZL: What’s the best way to recruit and retain top talent in a tight labor market?

AD: We’re always looking for good people. By that I mean people who have a background of giving back or paying for- ward in their personal lives. It’s the culture we promote and it seems to breed more of the same as we grow. TZL: How do you raise capital? AD: Up until now we have primarily capitalized profits and/ or used “capital call” from the partners. We’re looking at how expanded ownership and management will affect this process. TZL: What’s your preferred strategy for growth, M&A or organic? Give us a synopsis of how your firm effected growth in the recent past. AD: We’ve used both. We’ve honed a process where we connect with an established firm – typically a sole propri- etor, which may not have done such a great job of looking at their own succession planning. We’ve offered a business plan to them where we finish out their existing contracts (sub consult), purchase their physical assets (furniture, etc.), selectively hire their staff, and offer an employment contract with performance incentives for their marketing efforts. We’ve also grown in markets organically by starting a pres- ence in a regional market and building on that office loca- tion within EAPC’s talent pool. These organic growth ef- forts have typically been developed around key employees who desire to build on these growth opportunities. We also seek established and experienced new employees who pro- vide connections and skill sets within the markets that are for specific targeted locations. TZL: What’s the greatest challenge presented by growth? AD: Keeping your culture intact where it’s appropriate and modifying that culture to respond where it’s appropriate to do so. This may sound elementary, however the very things that have made you successful at one level may be what has to change to expand and move to the next, without selling out who you are as a corporate culture. TZL: What is the role of entrepreneurship in your firm? AD: We value that role in marketing. We look to staff who have the abilities/skill sets to carve out new mar- kets and expand our client base. EAPC is review- ing options to enhance and reward internal entrepre- neurship regarding project management and find- ing new and improved methods of getting work out the door. entrepreneurship regarding project management and finding new and improved methods of getting work out the door.” “We look to staff who have the abilities/ skill sets to carve out new markets and expand our client base. EAPC is reviewing options to enhance and reward internal

THE ZWEIG LETTER August 14, 2017, ISSUE 1212

Made with FlippingBook Annual report