Managing client relations in architecture

Managing client relations in architecture is the sixth article of a series. Articles about design management in architecture practice. I have discussed in the previous articles what is design management, who is the design manager in practice. Also, firm or project design management plan, what are the key functions of a design management plan in practice. In addition, what needs to be managed in architecture firm. And this article (Managing client relations in architecture) is the first article on building and writing a design management plan.

A managing director or CEO informs the design manager about a new project award.

He holds a meeting with higher management to identify the project size, location, type, and client. The design manager requests a first meeting with the client. The senior-level team attends to stand on his views, and perspective about his project.

. The design manager identifies the client type as the first step of managing client relations in architecture.

The first role of a design manager in practice includes managing client relations in architecture firm. In addition, it represents the first role of a design management plan.

Architecture publications, categorize clients. Clients vary in the level of experience in design and construction projects. Firms show care when dealing with the type of clients and effect on management and business. Categories of clients fall into:

Cooperative clients: Include the ones willing to work with the office towards a common goal, emphasize sharing values. And show open communication throughout the project life cycle.

Challenging clients: they demand a high standard of service; they are good for the office. They help to develop a focus on standards of work which leads to the success of the business and development.

Inoperative clients: they tend to offer constant resistance and criticism and need a lot of management effort. Otherwise, the office is unlikely to make a profit.

I have worked as a design manager and managed various types of projects including housing, buildings, landscape, and industrial projects. Also, villas, food packing factory, and mega project and towers. And these types of clients do not exist in practice. All project clients, even if not professionals, showed the same character. Practice bodies and academic publications tend to categorize clients based on theories only with no direct relation to practice.

I have worked as a client representative with a real estate developer for mega projects. And we have identified when we invited consultants for bidding on consultancy contracts what needs to be considered. For example, the firms to submit a unique concept and to create a landmark in the plot. The firm to follow all local rules and regulations in the initiation phase, and before attempting to submit a concept design for the project. We informed that a major concern is the cost and the firm to consider the budget for the project and funds are not open. The firm to consider the local construction capacity and capabilities in the construction phase and to study all construction methods well in the beginning.

Client told to follow project timing due to its impact on construction cost and units rent and sales. As the units released every year into the market affect the project units’ prices. The firm to follow project progress meetings and schedule before starting the concept design phase. We informed the firm that the client will show flexibility when the firm achieves the required project outputs and design. These include the number of units and build up area and ease of construction. The client will be highly cooperative in terms of money installments and payments when the project is following time schedule and required outputs.

These categories do not exist but only for small projects like a house design or villa design.

So, managing client relations in architecture now is clear. Clients will be positive when a firm follows the project requirements and timeline. That in terms of output as per the client’s plan for his project. Clients will be more positive when the firm submits project phases in a higher quality than required when taking into account his plan. That includes the cost, build-up area, design quality and innovation, and following the contract schedule. From experience in managing a university design in the UAE, clients became highly resistant and did even not follow financial obligations due to several factors.

The level of creativity and innovation in the project design was a major problem. The senior architect submitted an extremely simple design and lacked a strong concept. His project submittals did not follow the schedule; the client commented always on the project. But the firm did not consider his comments, project payments and installments which were not coming on time created the problem in financing the firm’s staff salaries. The senior architect did not follow rules, and regulations which created multiple adjustments in the design phase causing a delay in the project handover milestone.

Upon receiving the design management of the department in cooperation with the managing director, I managed to push forward the project, decrease the time delay and increase project design quality with the project manager and his team. This is one of the projects of 60 projects I have managed in the design management plan. This shows the importance of managing client relations in architecture.

All clients need projects designed to high standards. Whether it is project design innovation, project cost and budget. Or construction method and ease of construction. Following the project timeline and schedule, and identifying the correct person or group to manage the client relations. Clients tend to be more resistant when the company allocates just a senior person to client relations.

In the design management plan the first step is meeting the client and understanding what he requires. The points I have mentioned above, creating a database of the client’s requirements for his project is essential in the first step to building a design management plan for the firm and the project. This identification will help the firm to identify the number of staff, skills, and outsourcing required for the project in its life cycle and to stand on the number of financial benefits for the firm.

The design management plan for managing client relations needs to reflect many objectives. These are listening to a client, managing his expectations, and building client trust and satisfaction. In client relations, a client wants various qualities from the firm staff like chemistry, understanding, loyalty, and commitment. In addition, trust, respect, integrity, passion, collaboration, and partnership. These are the key success factors for firm hire or fire.  Here I covered every aspect of managing client relations in architecture in practice. Other related articles you can find in these links ^1,2,3,4,5