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Madimel
Joined: 06 Feb 2008
Posts: 153
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
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 Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:10 pm Post subject: What would you do in my situation? |
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| I was working in an office where I was in charge of 8 high end custom homes and a commercial development complex of multiple buildings. I was responsible for procuring the client contract, design, specifications, construction documents and construction administration (if needed), which didn't leave much time for anything else outside the 70+ hour work week. When another client approached me to do a project, I brought it into the company and gave it to another project architect to design. This architect was so "inspired" by the latest Bassenian Lagoni book, that he essentially placed one of their floor plans into this given site. I asked him to change the floor plan and he refused, citing that the client already have signed off on it. I pointed out to him that the Design Guidelines have already establish where the front entry would be. Per his (Bassenian Lagoni's) layout, the front entry needed to be in the opposite direction. So the architect replied to me that the "backyard" is now the front entrance (the door to the back yard is a 10'-0" high x 16'-0" wide sliding door that opens directly to the pool). At first, I thought it was a joke, but he was serious. I didn't have any time to redesign the project and in the end, the clients lost all confidence with our company and left. What I want to know is what would you do if you were in my position. |
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phansford
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 525
Location: SW Ohio
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:32 am Post subject: |
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I am assuming you are not a partner in the firm.
However, once you start to bring clients in the front door - you are essentially a partner. Title or not - share of the profits or not.
You have just learned a very important lesson. People hire people - not firms. It is personal relationships that count. By not working with "your" client and handing them off to another - you lost that relationship.... maybe.
First - you need to talk with the partners and figure out how to handle future clients and the increased work load. You need to stay on as the front person for any project you bring into the firm. PERIOD. Then you need to have people assigned to the project that will support you - you need to give the design direction. It might mean handing off some of your current workload to lesser staff....... Does a Licensed Architect (excuse me.... "registrant"  ) need to be doing construction documents if there is a staff to handle that work. I think you know what I am talking about ......
Second - contact the client and discuss the issue. Be open and tell them the mistake of giving the project to a less qualified person (They are less qualified as you are the "partner" on this project and they did not follow guidelines or provide the quality of service to retain the client)...... you'll need to talk to the Partners about eating the first design fee in good faith. YOUR client may or may not come back......
So again - lesson learned...... Clients are personal relationships and they want to work with individuals not firms - Your client wanted to work with YOU not the other architect. So.... NEVER hand-off your clients to other people in the firm. You need to keep control of those projects and discuss with the partners how you can continue to grow as a professional (and as a partner). Remember - people who don't bring clients into the firm are easily eliminated during hard times and they do not become partners.
One last thing to remember...... your clients will follow you whereever you go...... I had clients follow me to from one firm to another, then to my own pratice..... not that they are all still with me, but people want personal service..... particularily in residential design. You need to start thinking of yourself as an Intrapreneur .
I would also recommend that you begin to read some business books. I really like James Franklin's books on Practice and the business of architecture .... a friend of mine recommended The E Myth - his company makes all of their agents read this book (he works in the corporate arm of a nationally based insurance company).
Good Luck. |
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mx2
millennium club
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 1957
Location: Miami, Florida
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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Great advice phansford...question though, what is intrapreneurship? Curious play on the word...
mx2.5
_________________
*Art of Architecture: The conscious use of skill and creative imagination in the production of an aesthetic building.
*Science of Architecture: The calculated use of technical skill and knowledge in the construction of a functional building. |
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Madimel
Joined: 06 Feb 2008
Posts: 153
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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| That was great advice! I think many people can learn from the harsh lesson that I went through. I was a partner in the firm at that time, but it was only in title. In reality, the owner took all the money and left me and the other partners with all the liability. I will get that book you recommended, business is not my strong suit. Business is definitely something that is not emphasized in architecture school. |
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phansford
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 525
Location: SW Ohio
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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| mx2 wrote: | Great advice phansford...question though, what is intrapreneurship? Curious play on the word...
mx2.5 |
Check out the link to Wikipedia. That is a pretty good explaination. I was an intrapreneur at the large E/A firm I worked at before starting my practice.
| Madimel wrote: | | That was great advice! I think many people can learn from the harsh lesson that I went through. I was a partner in the firm at that time, but it was only in title. In reality, the owner took all the money and left me and the other partners with all the liability. I will get that book you recommended, business is not my strong suit. Business is definitely something that is not emphasized in architecture school. |
I really like the Franklin book. E-myth is good also - but Franklin talks about the business of Architecture.
Start hanging out with business people...... That's the best advice I can give.  Us architects are boring.... all we talk about is buildings.
I have a funny background and took a different path to licensure. I have a BS in Technology (construction) where I had to take 20 hours of business classes. (Management, marketing, business law, real estate law) We had a construction contracting class also - taught by a GC. Then I went an earned a Master of Architecture. I am also married to an MBA.
I tell younger people who have a professional degree (the B of Arch) to get an MBA. All the younger partners at the large E/A firm were people with the professional degree, then the MBA. Seems like a good fit.
I feel for you.... I have been in situations where my responsiblity did not match my authority. It was very uncool. Its been a long time and I still hold a grudge against those people.
I worked at two places where I was feeding myself, the firm, and others in the firm and my status never changed. In fact one place, during a review - the partner said he know all my clients..... so big deal.... when I pointed out they had never did work for my clients until I started to bring them in to the firm - he left the room. That firm is now dying on the vine and there are no young turks to take over the firm. We all left and started our own firms.
Bringing in new clients (marketing/sales) and expanding the work with existing clients (business development) is critical and should be rewarded. Demand your efforts to be respected and rewarded. |
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mx2
millennium club
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 1957
Location: Miami, Florida
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| Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 6:27 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Business is definitely something that is not emphasized in architecture school. |
This is one the biggest issues in the profession that is not nearly addressed often enough. I remember once having an argument with one of my bosses who insisted Architecture is not a business but a profession...to which I replied that all professions are businesses first. If you can't make money, you don't have any professional work to do...
Myself, I am also weak in business but I have been keeping notes for a decade now and have learned alittle. I still feel it is very daunting aspect particularly when I see how big firms make money and smaller firms lose money. In other words, it appears that quality drops as profits rise.
mx2.5
_________________
*Art of Architecture: The conscious use of skill and creative imagination in the production of an aesthetic building.
*Science of Architecture: The calculated use of technical skill and knowledge in the construction of a functional building. |
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