Years ago, a civil-engineering firm CEO complained that some clients balked at his $135 hourly rate, even though he had 34 years of experience as the lead design professional on projects whose replacement value exceeded $3 billion. "My son works for Andersen Consulting," he said (this was before Andersen Consulting became Accenture). "He got his BSCE degree three years ago, he's licensed nowhere, and has little experience. But Andersen bills him out at $375 an hour and no one bats an eye. Why?"

I asked that same question of a friend who works for a huge firm. "Andersen learns about a client organization's needs and aspirations," he responded, "and proposes projects directly to the CEO or CFO, with the goal of boosting the client's profits. Civil engineering firms respond to RFPs and, when they land a project, they work with people layers below the C level, usually with the goal of reducing costs."

"But when costs go down, profits go up," I said, confused.

"Everyone in the client organization is tasked with reducing costs," he answered. "Only the elite focus on increasing profits, and they're prepared to pay well for assistance. Someone who charges $135 an hour won't be perceived as knowing much about improving profitability."

"In other words," I said, "it helps to have relationships with C-level folks, because they're used to paying a lot."

"Exactly."

What are you doing to establish relationships with C-level people in client and prospective-client organizations? If you're not dealing with them now, you obviously are not doing enough. Consider the following approach:

Step one: Identify whom you want to meet, then learn about them. What schools did they attend? Where else have they worked? What organizations do they support – Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, a fraternal group, a community-service organization? Which could you join?

How do you acquire the information you need? Start with the Internet, using a search engine such as Google and social media like LinkedIn. Local newspapers' online archives can help, too, as can various providers you deal with, such as your accountant, attorney, or banker; friends and peers; and colleagues.

Step two: Once you know where you need to show up, do so at the right time and strike up a conversation. Offer to help the group achieve its challenges using your volunteered engineering skills, or just your skills as a person to assist in a soup kitchen or to mentor disadvantaged kids.

Does this sound crass? No problem, but face facts: Unless you establish C-level relationships, you won't cultivate opportunities to discuss common interests, to expand on that over time, and ultimately to explain how you can help a fellow volunteer's "day-job" organization. But don't assume that's all it takes; that's just where it starts.

Step three: To build something really solid, learn all you can about the client or prospective-client organization. Volunteer to sit in on its planning sessions, to learn about the organization's vision and how you could help make it materialize. And when that investment results in an opportunity, propose a service that considers socio-economic issues in addition to technical issues, relying on staffers or consultants whose socio-economic awareness can lead to enhanced design, approval, and performance. As always, keep client representatives 100 percent "in the know" as a project progresses, then deliver on or ahead of schedule and budget.

If this isn't the way you've practiced civil engineering in the past, now's the time to change. It could make the future far more rewarding.

John P. Bachner is the executive vice president of ASFE/The Geoprofessional Business Association, a not-for-profit association of geoprofessional firms – firms that provide geotechnical, geologic, environmental, construction materials engineering and testing (CoMET), and related professional services. ASFE develops programs, services, and materials that its members apply to achieve excellence in their business and professional practices. He can be contacted at john@asfe.org.