In the highly competitive AEC world, strategic marketing campaigns are a tried-and-true tool to reach customers, drive business and raise the brand profile. But there is another way to achieve those goals: challenging all employees—managers and mid-level workers, specialists, support personnel, entry-level and executives—to truly understand their clients and align the firm’s services with their desired outcomes.

An eye-opening insight is found in the 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer, an annual study that gauges the level of confidence in business, government, media and NGOs and analyzes the factors underlying those perceptions. In response to a question about who is the most credible source of information about a company, 53% replied a “regular employee.” That’s a powerful endorsement of the impact workers can wield when it comes to communicating about their firms.

A team effort, not an individual task

Communicating with clients and potential clients requires all team members to understand the different functions and services of the company, beyond their own job descriptions. A cost estimator needs to know what schedulers do; a project manager needs to know how construction advisory experts work. Having this 360-degree perspective allows people to talk assertively about those services and relate them to the client’s objectives. 

Naturally, implementing such a far-reaching program will have some challenges. Knowing how to pivot a conversation when faced with a gap in the employee’s knowledge is very useful—and very easy to master. A simple statement like, “That’s a great question for Jenna Hawthorne, who’s our expert in project scheduling” demonstrates a cooperative, proactive approach to achieving the client’s objectives while communicating the scope of your firm’s resources.

Empowering the in-house team

While traditional, face-to-face training sessions are important since they allow team-building exercises and the opportunity to network with other individuals within the firm, the pandemic has upended—at least temporarily—that long-time model.

As an alternative, firms that are dedicated to ongoing training and upskilling of staff are using webinars and online workshops to supplement in-person trainings. With an unlimited “capacity,” these are open to all employees. Efficient to produce, webinars can be serialized on a monthly—or more frequent—basis. Finally, the recorded webinar becomes a permanent resource, fixed in the company culture, as it is archived for easy reference by new hires as well as firm leaders.

Encouraging the culture

While formal training remains relevant for technical processes, more open, ongoing and organic communication with the team can build internal allegiance with authenticity, rather than prescription. The message needs to feel genuine to who they are as people as well as why they are working at the company. Transparently sharing the company’s goals is key to this. Remember that employees want to feel like they understand the goals of their organization, and that they each have a role to play to achieve these goals. Actions and initiatives that employees see happening inside the firm need to align with what they are expected to say outside it. 

The company intranet is also an effective communication tool. In addition to being a source of firm information—such as job openings, company directory, human resources material, learning and education opportunities—every office can contribute unique content to the site: news items, project wins, employee profiles, video messages from leadership—even birthday and anniversary announcements. Consider creating an app for your intranet, extending its reach and making it easier for people to use. All this helps to bring the firm closer together by sharing what is going on in other geographic regions.

There are other measures to take to help employees focus on clients’ expectations. If a company has conducted a client survey, consider sharing the results with staff so they can better perceive clients’ perspectives. Everyone can be encouraged to go the extra mile in communications. Rather than respond with a rote “He’s not here” when a call comes in for another team member, ask employees to answer with a more proactive “I understand the urgency and will contact him and ask him to call you” or a simple “May I be of assistance?” And if an employee is truly at an impasse in a conversation with a customer, simply saying what they can do at that moment, then quickly finding out additional information to follow up with is a great way of gracefully pausing the chat while seeking assistance.

The takeaway here is that putting people first—with exemplary customer care as well as through targeted training of the workforce—communicates a company’s dedication to service, and builds loyalty. When clients observe and experience employees’ emotional commitment to their company, it makes a lasting, positive impact.

Reputation is hindsight; trust is a predictor

Top firms stay at the top by solving their clients’ problems, not by rolling out a checklist of professional services or ticking off their industry accolades. Entrusting employees at all levels to build business for the company in a way that is empathetic and team-based delivers results that are two-fold: it makes workers feel more invested in the firm’s future which in turn increases client confidence and allegiance.