THE 2025 SURVEY | fusionbdllc.com

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" BD/Marketing person is best utilized.

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.

Decision makers responsible for contracting A/E/C services.
Job titles include Vice President of Facilities, Director of Facilities, Plant Operations Managers, Chief Operating Officers, and other decision makers.
Market sectors include Healthcare Systems, Advanced Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, and Higher Education.

Average project range is between $1 million to more than $500 million. (Project construction value.)
377 surveys sent out.
114 Respondents completed the survey.
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.

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.

GET THE FULL SURVEY RESULTS

This research went directly to the source—asking the actual purchasers of A/E/C services to reveal their preferences across 9 critical business development scenarios, from cold calling to relationship building.

Full Survey With Supporting Materials Includes:

9 critical business development scenarios, from cold calling to relationship building.
Full research report (40+ pages)
Executive summary (2 pages)
Expanded analysis with actionable recommendations
Integration with broader industry research

For the full FREE survey results, email me directly: steven@fusionbdllc.com

If you'd like to arrange a full presentation of the analysis for you and your leadership team,

(Either virtual or In Person)

Email me directly: steven@fusionbdllc.com

I'd be happy to schedule at your convenience

The findings challenge several common assumptions about what wins work in our industry. They reveal fundamental misalignments in how firms structure business development, with high-volume BD activity potentially damaging client relationships rather than generating opportunities.

Target Audience:

Firm Principals and Managing Partners
Chief Marketing Officers
Chief Operating Officers
Market Leaders and Sector Champions
Technical professionals tasked with seller-doer responsibilities
Anyone involved in strategic planning for business development

Why This Matters To A/E/C Principals

While 89% of A/E/C firms say they employ the seller-doer model, 67% of firms say

they are still struggling

to better define where in the sales cycle a “Billable” Principal/Project Leader is most effective and where in the sales cycle a “non-billable" BD/Marketing person is best utilized.

Principals need a clear, evidence-based framework for optimizing their BD/Marketing model. They need specific recommendations for role definition and resource allocation. They need validation (or challenge) of their current approaches based on direct client feedback rather than “outdated” industry assumptions.

Firms face increasingly sophisticated clients - most with technical backgrounds themselves. As well as tightening markets, and the need to differentiate. Understanding actual client preferences—not assumptions—becomes essential to competitive advantage.

This research provides the data-driven foundation for firms to realign their BD/Marketing approaches with end-user expectations.

Full FREE Survey Results: steven@fusionbdllc.com

We offer several proven planning & Implementation modules that can be customized to your specific needs. You can click here to learn more: https://www.fusionbdllc.com/our-practice

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.