Engineering Inc. - May/June 2003 - 4

MEMBERS ASK Q. I recently attended an ACEC seminar that awarded me
Professional Development Hour PDH credits. However, I've lost the
certificate. Can I get a replacement? A. Yes, you can. Simply call the
ACEC Education Department at 202 347-7474 and furnish your name and
company name, along with the seminar name, date, and location, and we will
send you a replacement certificate. A processing fee of $7.50 will If you
are unable to participate in an ACEC seminar, a colleague apply. Andrew
Fort, director of may attend in your place. educational programs, 202
cost, dispute resolution, you and your competitors, 347-7474,
afort@acec.org high-value services? Don't be environmental and health both
real and perceived, have afraid to expand into services or Q. I registered
and paid for hazards, limitation of liability, gradually disappeared,
driving joint ventures that seem non- an ACEC seminar, but I will no
statutes of limitation, down your fees. traditional to you, such as longer
be able to attend. Can indemnities, certifications, In this situation you
have two financial services, program someone from my firm attend
guarantees, and warrantees. choices. The first, and least management,
commissioning, in my place? Will we have to Some client-written clauses
are effective, is to reduce your costs hyper-track project delivery sys-
pay a penalty? so onerous that you should in order to remain profitable at
tems and risk management con- insist they be deleted before the same
prices. The second is sulting. That's where the high- A. Anyone from your
firm agreeing to do the project. Of more challenging but more profit firms
are making their may attend the ACEC seminar course, if you're not sure
about effective: continually update money today. as your replacement
without something, it's always a good and evolve the services you offer
Once you have done all of incurring a penalty. All you idea to consult
with an attorney. to maintain a significant advan- this, you may conclude
that Ed Bajer, director of coali- need to do is notify the ACEC tage over
your competitors. your current staff mix isn't Education Department at 202
tions, 202 347-7474, This strategy has two compo- going to work anymore.
Change 347-7474 and provide the new ebajer@acec.org nents. Step one is to
review all is tough, but failing to change is attendee's name and contact
the services you offer. Then deadly. Your firm must con- Q. The quality of
the work information. identify those that have the low- stantly evolve and
grow if you Andrew Fort my firm has provided for the past est return on
your investment are to stay on the front side of eight years has
continually gone i.e., the services that involve the the competitive wave.
Q. David Stone, senior consult- up, yet our ability to charge I have a
project that I most work for the least profit reasonable fees has
continually would like to take but I am and stop selling the lowest 20
ant, FMI Corporation, gone down. What's going on and concerned about
liability and percent. 919 785-9306 what can I do about it? my share of
the risk. Step two is to identify those services and clients that offer A.
A. First, it is important to Welcome to the free- the highest return. When
you I f yo u h a v e a q u e s t i o n determine your bottom line on
market economy at work! When feel you have distilled the high- you would
like answered in risk and determine a point you first started selling your
value services and clients, focus Members Ask, beyond which you will not
go. services, you were a new name your efforts on those specific e-mail
Andrea Keeney at In addition, pay particular in your market with a new
twist areas. Ask yourself what else akeeney@acec.org. attention to
language dealing on how your services were those clients need that you can
We look forward to with attorneys' fees, project delivered. Unfortunately,
over offer, and how you can expand hearing from you. delays, opinions of
probable time the differences between the list of clients buying those l
June 2003 4 E N G I N E E R I N G INC. M a y
Engineering Inc. - May/June 2003

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - May/June 2003
