The late Bob
Dunlap, founder and president of RETEC where I worked for a decade,
often would show an organization chart with clients at the top, then
project managers, then the rest of the organization, and him at the very
bottom. He would proudly say, "My job is to serve those who serve our
clients, because that's why we're in business."
It was Bob who
fashioned our core values, the first of which was: "Our clients are the
focus of everything we do." Unlike many companies, RETEC was serious
about their values. They routinely came up in conversations about
strategy, operational matters, business development efforts, and
personnel decisions. That focus on clients was perhaps the most
important factor in RETEC's success as one of the top performing
environmental firms—before they were acquired by AECOM.
I've since been
involved in several debates within different firms about organizational
structure. These discussions are typically internally oriented, in
contrast to Bob's vision of an externally-driven organization. Ego is a
common visitor in these conversations, as managers vie for their favored
spot on the org chart where the extent of their domain will be visually
displayed. In general, people's perceptions of the org chart within the
firm take precedent over any concern about clients and markets.
Interestingly, what results is often internal dysfunction. Every subdivision of the organization is a potential barrier to communication and collaboration. When client focus is subjugated to internal realms of control, functional silos
inevitably develop. While A/E firms tout the breadth of their
experience and expertise, the fact is that many of them struggle to make
the full benefit of these assets available to clients because of
organizational hurdles.
So here's a
homework assignment for you: Sit down with your management team and do
an honest assessment of how well your organizational structure serves
your clients' interests. Does it facilitate the efficient delivery of
your services? Does it expedite access to your best resources as client
needs dictate? Does it promote cross-disciplinary collaboration? Does it help you focus efforts on your target markets?
If you find
your org chart is a hindrance rather than a help to serving clients,
perhaps it's time to restructure. You don't necessarily have to invert
it like Bob did. But it wouldn't hurt to remind your management team in
the process: "Our job is to serve those who serve our clients, because
that's why we're in business."
I've written in this space before about the importance of making the client the central character in your proposal narrative. This can be quite challenging since most RFPs encourage you to do the opposite, to feature your firm rather than the client. But clients notice when you turn the attention to their needs and aspirations (while still being fully responsive to the RFP requirements).
I think client focus has been the single most important differentiator in my compiling a 75% win rate over the last 25 years.
Typically the most client-focused section of your proposal relates to the project approach. This section should include a description of the project's background, objectives, approach, and expected outcomes. Don't simply provide a scope of work; demonstrate that you have a deep understanding of the project from the client's perspective and how best to deliver it successfully.
But what if there's no specific project involved? A common scenario is a client solicitation (RFQ) to provide a statement of qualifications for an indefinite delivery contract. There may be many and varied projects and consulting assignments packaged within this contract. You may have little idea what specific projects you might be working on. So much for the project-centered approach to writing a client-focused submittal.
Don't give up yet! There are still ways to feature the client in an SOQ. Here are some for your consideration:
Connect with the client's broader needs and goals. There is no difference between an RFQ and an RFP in this respect—they are both driven by the client's needs. Differing needs motivate the client to package several projects under a single contract rather than individual contracts. Different expectations influence the client's assessment of the A/E firm's performance under an IDC compared to a single-project contract. Assuming you have uncovered these critical success factors, be sure to address them in your SOQ. In particular, consistently point out how your project experience, project team, and other qualifications are directly relevant to the client's needs.
Always include a compelling executive summary. This enables you to distill the essence of your SOQ with a particular focus on the client. The basic message of your executive summary is this: "You said you had these needs and wanted these outcomes; here's how our qualifications are a perfect fit for you." Don't hesitate to include an executive summary because the RFQ didn't ask for one. In my experience, this section of your submittal will almost always be read, often be read first, and commonly will be a factor in your selection.
Describe how you will optimize the working relationship. While you can't describe your approach to a specific project, you can describe your approach to your relationship with the client. This is a critical success factor that is commonly overlooked in A/E firm SOQs and proposals. To avoid the usual marketing hype, you'll need to outline a formal process for defining and meeting the client's service expectations. Besides the real advantages of having such a process, you'll also benefit from likely being the only firm to address this in your SOQ.
Describe how you will deliver quality, on-time projects. Sometimes the RFQ will ask you to include a description of your QA/QC process, and possibly other routine activities such as budgeting and scheduling. If not, you should briefly outline your project delivery process. The emphasis should not be on internal procedures as much on how you ensure the client receives what they want. Of course, this advice is hard to follow if you've never really defined your project delivery process.
Use personal language. If you use third person exclusively, as is common in our business, your SOQ will come across as impersonal. If you only use first person (we, us, our), it helps reinforce the impression that it's all about you. Adding a generous helping of second person (you, your) puts the spotlight on the client where it belongs. Don't discount the power of pronouns. Several studies going back to the 1960s have concluded that you is the most persuasive word in the English language.
Make your SOQ skimmable and easy to navigate. I can't think of a much more boring reading assignment than reviewing a stack of A/E firm SOQs—can you? Help the client reviewers out by making your submittal user friendly. This is the differentiator that no one talks about. Any important messages in your SOQ should be provided at the skim level; don't make the client read for it. That means making ample use of boldface headings, bullets, graphics, and captioned photos.
