End User Survey
2025
Some very good research has been done on the topic of the Seller-Doer model by various trade organizations for architects, engineers and construction professionals.
Clearly the industry has taken note of the shift from nontechnical business development persons leading sales effort to design and construction principals and project leaders taking a bigger role.
However, the previous research was acquired by polling taken from A/E/C firm staff like Directors of Business Development, Marketing Directors, and firm Principals. The surveys were not conducted directly with End-Users themselves.
Additionally, 67% of A/E/C firms say that they are still struggling to better define roles and responsibilities for both Principals/Project Leaders and business development staff. And that they have uncertainty about where in the sales cycle a “Billable” Principal/Project Leader is most effective and where in the sales cycle a “Non-Billable" business development person is most effective.
To assess how End-Users respond to outreach efforts from Business Development (BD) personnel versus Principals/Project Leaders within the (A/E/C) industry. And to provide actionable insights into the BD preferences of End-Users.
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Decision makers responsible for contracting A/E/C services.
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Job titles include Vice President of Facilities, Director of Facilities, Plant Operations Managers, Chief Operating Officers, and other decision makers.
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Market sectors include Healthcare Systems, Advanced Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, and Higher Education.
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Average project range is between $1 million to more than $500 million. (Project construction value.)
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377 surveys sent out.
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114 Respondents completed the survey.
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17 Respondents provided additional coments.
For this survey, I leveraged my long standing relationships with End-Users from my 25 years as an A/E/C business developer.
377 survey requests were sent out to end users. 114 responded and 17 provided additional comments.
Based on strong responses and comments, it is evident the End-Users very much appreciated the opportunity to be heard.
The survey was formatted so that the respondent could provide critical feedback regarding their engagement with BD staff versus Principals/Project Leaders.
The results of the survey are shown below. Also included is a summary of the data as well as any additional comments given by respondents.
32% “Sometimes” for Principals/Project Leaders, and only 19% “Sometimes” for BD staff. The respondence commented that the pressures of their daily internal responsibilities, deadlines, and staffing issues, make it hard for them to give time to unknown firms. Still, they were 49% more likely to respond to a Principal/Project Leader.
The data clearly shows the End-User is more likely to respond to a Principal/Project leader (61%) versus a BD person (42%). Comments received indicated that they prefer to meet only when they have a specific design or construction need, or they are actively considering adding to or changing existing A/E/C providers. While name recognitions is helpful, the data significantly favors a meeting request from Principals/Project leaders.
78% of respondents receive 7 to 15 or more requests each week. Due to the high number of requests from BD people, End-Users say they are not willing to respond to so many requests. Several respondents indicated the volume of requests causes them to ignore BD people altogether. Two respondents said that they refuse to ever meet with BD people.
68% of End-Users will “Always” or “Sometimes” respond to a known Principal/Project Leader when they have changed firms. Only 28% of end users will “Sometimes” respond to a known BD person when they have changed firms. This data is important when setting expectations for new hires. End-Users are more loyal to Principals/Project Leaders than BD people.
49% of End-Users indicate they would “always” respond to Principals/Project Leaders when they have current projects in process. Only 9% of End-Users will respond “always” to BD persons. Even having an existing/current project with a firm, owners are reluctant to spend time with BD people. Further comments indicate that end users prefer to meet with Principals/Project Leaders versus BD people, because they don’t believe a BD person has the technical knowledge to answer their questions.
End-Users reported that Principals/Project Leaders request far fewer meetings than BD people. 56% (0-3) times, and 44% (4 -6) times per week. However, our previous data indicates that the end users are twice as likely to accept a request from a Principal/Project Leader versus a BD person.
92% of End-Users indicate they will “always” reach out to a Principal/Project Leader with and RFP/RFQ, while only 5% will reach out to a BD person. Main reason given is that End-Users believe that the BD person cannot speak to the technical aspects of the RFP/RFQ and that the response will come from the team of Principals/Project Leaders and technical staff who will be running the project.
Respondents favor relationship building with Principals/Project Leaders over a BD person at 3 times the rate. Several of the End-Users’ comments said that they prefer to spend time with Principals/Project Leaders because they believe it gives them access to the leadership of an A/E/C firm. They said that this is important to them because they don’t want to have to go through a BD person to get to someone with technical knowledge and/or decision-making authority.
89% of End-Users are either “always” or “sometimes” prohibiting BD people from participating in formal project interviews. Respondents indicate that they want to ask technical questions and evaluate the expertise of the proposed project team. Rather than “spend the allotted time with someone who’s only able to give a sales pitch”.
The client facing efforts like client meetings, relationship building, RFP/RFQ management, project interviews, and closing sales, needs to be led by Principals/Project Leaders.
For BD/Marketing staff, their primary responsibility is to set Principals/Projects Leaders up for success. A more productive and successful use of BD and/or Marketing staff will be to focus less on client facing activities and more on research, prospecting, qualifying target clients, and opening up the door for Principals/Project Leaders to directly interface with End Users.
In the last several years A/E/C firms have tried to make adjustment in the roles that BD persons and Principals/Project Leaders play in the business development process. However, the data from this survey brings clarity to just how essential technical engagement is to end users, as well as a much sharper understanding of where in the sales cycle a “Billable” Seller Doer is most effective and where in the sales cycle “Non-Billable” BD/Marketing persons are best utilized. To be successful in today’s market, A/E/C firms need to blend the efforts of marketing, BD, and Principals/Project Leaders, to meet the preferences of their End User/Target Client.
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To learn more about this survey and explore solutions that will best fit your firm’s needs, contact me. I welcome the opportunity to learn more about you, your firm’s vision for growth, and discuss practical ways that Fusion BD can get you there.
For your FREE copy of our survey in PDF format, simply click here.