SRA Research Group, Inc. -

N E W S & A R T I C L E S

[Cont.] Firms Say No. 1 Challenge Is Keeping Up with Technology

E-Technology Savvy

Nearly three fourths of members think their clients are satisfied with the member firm's e-technology skills, but only half of clients actually say they are. When clients are asked specifically where AEC firms could improve, the majority of responses are in the categories of better communication and better software compatibility. The study cites two representative comments: "Better compatibility and standard software for marketing materials to enhance teaming/joint proposals" and "I would like more staff at the architect's office to have dedicated mailboxes so I could e-mail them directly."

Clients do not consider themselves early adopters of e-technology. SMPS members' perceptions of their clients are on target with their clients' own definitions in terms of how receptive they are to technology. In general, 60% of clients describe themselves as wanting to "wait a little while" before adopting new technology; 60% of members evaluate their clients in that category. Around 20% of both members and clients see the clients as early adopters, with about the same number seeing clients as "late to enter" the technology arena.

Nearly one third of AEC firms report using Web-hosted extranets on projects. It is the same across the three types of firms, architectural, engineering and construction firms.
Source: SMPS e-Technology Survey

Web Sites as Selection Criteria

More than half, 53%, of clients say they use the Web to research AEC firms either sometimes (40%) or often (13%). Just 15% say they never go to the Web to find out about AEC firms.

Upward of 90% of SMPS members say that their firms have Web sites; those that don't tend to be smaller firms of under 50 employees or younger companies in business for less than 10 years. Most member firms, more than 90%, say they utilize their Web sites to impart information, mostly brochure-style with little interactivity, and nearly 80% of them use their sites for recruitment. About half of the members responding to the survey say they post and update project information.

Clients name contact information and basic brochure information as what they most want to see on AEC firms' Web sites, followed by updated project information. There lies a disconnect. About three-fourths of clients say they want project information, but only about half of member firms provide it on their Web sites.

Sixty percent of clients say they expect to see electronic capabilities for RFP/RFQ submissions on AEC companies' Web sites, and nearly one third of clients expect billing and payment capabilities on the Web, though just 4% think it's "very important.". Almost 20% expect Webcam technology. Whether SMPS member firms offer those features and technologies is not addressed in the survey.

One controversial element of the survey is that 13% of clients want pricing information but just 2% of SMPS members put that on their Web sites. Many members feel that pricing information is inappropriate for Web sites, according to the discussion at the SMPS conference.

Clients indicate that e-technology is not nearly as important a factor in the selection of an AEC firm as specialized expertise and exceptional service. "Only 11% feel a firm's e-technology expertise plays more than 50% level of importance in the selection of an AEC firm. However, 33% feel expertise in e-technology will become a more important selection factor in the future, and 44% feel it will become somewhat more important," the study says.

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