On a scale of one to 10, how would your favorite client representative rate you as a civil engineer? To find out, take the following quiz, applying it to a favorite client representative who is, for the sake of this example, married and has children. Score 10 points for each statement you answer with "Yes."

1. I know the name of the client representative’s spouse.
2. I know the genders, names, and approximate ages of the client representative’s children.
3. I know where the client representative lives.
4. I am aware of some of the major ongoing issues in my client representative’s personal life, including issues affecting his or her family.
5. I am aware of some of the major ongoing issues in my client’s office/department.
6. I frequently check the website of my client representative’s employer (my client) to stay abreast of developments that are likely to concern the client representative.
7. I frequently check the websites of associations, societies, and periodicals that are closely associated with my client’s industry or industry segment to stay abreast of developments that probably concern my client representative.
8. I know my client representative’s passions and interests and ask questions about them fairly regularly.
9. I know the names of the schools that awarded degrees to my client representative.
10. I know where my client representative grew up.

So how well did you do? If you scored less than 60, chances are the client representative does not hold you in particularly high esteem because your answers show you don’t care that much about that person.

And what does that have to do with civil engineering? Everything because civil engineering is a service profession, and the service is performed for people. If you are to succeed at any service profession, you need to get to know your client representatives and show them that you care. You need to make them feel important to you.

Any competent competitor can deliver a report, a set of plans and specs, or any other instrument of professional service that is as good as—if not better than—something you prepare. But it takes someone special to ask, "How’s your mom doing?" as a follow-up to a conversation a month ago when the client rep told you her mother had broken a hip.

"That’s sales and marketing stuff," you might say. Well, to some extent it is. But what’s wrong with that? If you and the client representative only bond over your deliverables, beware: Someone may be "pitching" your client representative at this very moment, promising to deliver the same or better service and deliver it faster and for less money.

If you have clients begging you to perform services for them, losing some good ones here or there wouldn’t matter much. But if that’s not the case—and you know it isn’t—then losing a good client is a big deal. Besides, we’re talking about a favorite client representative here. Shouldn’t you care and, more importantly, shouldn’t you let the client representative know you care?

Additionally, having a good relationship with a client representative makes you the "go-to" person when an issue requires your expertise. This can often result in a project of some kind, with the "go-to" person being "the person I call when I need this professional service." And after that call you sit down with the client representative to discuss an appropriate scope and the fee for implementing that scope. No bidding required. No "nickel-and-diming" necessary.

Having such a relationship also helps elevate the quality of communication between the two of you. This helps lower the risks of misunderstanding and unrealistic expectations. It also encourages you to speak directly with the client representative at the first inkling that something unexpected is unfolding. And should that something unexpected be something you could or should have prevented, you will be able to work it out in a manner that strengthens your relationship instead of having to deal with a dispute, dispute resolution, attorney’s fees, lost time, and, worst of all, a lost client.

What’s more, having a good relationship with a client representative means that individual will respond to your queries about the background of others who have asked about your services. You will also be able to say to the client representative, with all sincerity, "I really love being able to work with you. We communicate well. You give us interesting assignments, appreciate what we do for you, and pay our bills on time. Are there others that you know in your company or industry or outside of it—maybe even a friend or relative—who might be interested in our services, too?"

Good client representatives are almost always flattered to have been asked. They often want to help, and usually do.

To sum it up, it’s wise to learn about a client representative and make the individual feel important to you. Why? Because that individual is important to you in terms of client retention, client attraction, and risk management, among dozens of other reasons. You’re in a risky business. People make it so. Deal well with people and you can deal well with risk.


John P. Bachner is the executive vice president of ASFE, a not-for-profit association that provides programs, services, and materials to help geoprofessional, environmental, and civil engineering firms prosper through professionalism. Visit ASFE’s website at www.asfe.org.