Kyriakos Tyrologos, AITPM QLD Vice President

Understanding the client’s perspective

AITPM Young Professionals Skills Workshop 18 June 2015

Client or Customer?

client[klahy-uh nt]  noun1. a person or group that uses the professional advice or services of a lawyer, accountant, advertising agency, architect, etc.

customer[kuhs-tuh-mer]  noun1. a person who purchases goods or services from another; buyer; patron.

Client Customer

• derived from the Latin word cliens which means "dependent" or "follower,"

• long-term, protective, loyal, and ongoing business relationship

• usually refers to services

• a regular customer

• the origin dates back to Middle English (1400s) and is related to "customs" as ways of doing things

• short-term, primarily economic relationship

• usually refers to goods

Which term to use?

Examples from transport consultants’ websites

Who is the client?

Who is the client?

• Federal Government• State Governments• Local Governments • Non Government Organisations • Other engineering consultancies• Other non-engineering consultancies• Land developers• Other Businesses• Individuals

The new type of client

• Less loyal and less trusting than in the past

• Have more power than in the past – Buyer’s market

• More diverse

• It’s more difficult to understand them due to an increased noise to real data ratio

• This ratio also confuses them – Too much choice makes decision making more difficult

• Economic uncertainty – Crisis and austerity narratives make the client/provider relationship even more difficult

The big secretClients don’t always know what they want.

They don’t always understand what exactly their problem is …

so sometimes clients are focused on a specific solution

How to understand your client

Understand their business “Why are we doing things”

Understand their culture “The way we do things”

Ok, but how do you do that?

RESEARCHBE PREPARED

OBSERVEASK & LISTEN

BE STUCTUREDFACILITATE

BE CONFIDENTBE PROACTIVE

ADD VALUE GIVE OPTIONS

OFFER FREEBIESFOLLOW UP

Something more specific, please?“Stand in their shoes” Understand their

range of choices“Live the experience” Role playing or

real tests“Learn together” Invite them to your

training“Anticipate” Predict future needs

Check their social media