Welcome to September 2007 edition of the AEC Managing Partner Newsletter.

Yes, I have been missing in action over the summer. Between conducting seminars, speaking at industry events and helping my clients to earn the profits they deserve, there has been little time to to write my newsletter. Now that the summer is over, I hope to get back on track with my newsletter.

I know that it is perhaps impolite to criticize the competition but there is something that rubs me the wrong way about the Zweig White seminar "Best Firms Summit". While I have no problem with the seminar concept, I do have a problem with the potential for abuse when a firm that does recruiting combines the seminar with a job fair. Before you send any of your employees to this conference, please read my article below to see what I am talking about. The conference has also inspired me to dig out one of my previous articles "Beware of Recruiters Disguised as Management Consultants and Publishers".

In this months issue:

1. Zweig White "Best Firm to Work For Summit"?
2. Top 10 Website Mistakes
3. Beware of Recruiters Disguised as Management Consultants
3. Pathway to Profit Axium Pre-Conference Workshop
4. Upcoming Events
5. Reprint Rights to Articles

Best Firm to Work for Summit (and Job Fair)?
Like many of us in the A/E industry, I have been constantly bombarded with e-mails and mailings promoting the Zweig White Best Firm to Work for Summit. If we put aside the ridiculous notion of "Best Firm", the conference would seem to be harmless enough. The sessions include hiring strategies, employee relations, compensation, training and so on& It is tough to argue that most firms would not benefit from a session on these topics.

However if you dig a little deeper, you find more than a few problems.

1. The summit is also a Job Fair. Recruiting booths will be set-up at the conference. While the premise of the Job Fair is to invite students from local colleges - but don't you think they might also be interested in professionals with actual work experience? Maybe even the summit attendees?

2. Zweig White also does executive recruiting. Where do you think they get their database of candidates from? Is it possible the conference attendees are added to their database?

3. A sponsor of the summit is AEC Workforce. This is a Zweig White company dedicated to recruiting. Once again, where do you think they get their database of candidates from?

I am absolutely astounded that any company would allow their employees to attend this event. Why would any company send their employees to a job fair?

If you insist upon sending your employees to this event, I suggest you limit it to employees you hope would leave your company.

Top Ten Website Mistakes

10. Not Establishing your Company as the Expert
Your website must establish you company as an expert in meeting the clients needs. If you don't establish your expertise, what is the point of your website?

9. Google Rankings
Do you really think that someone will choose an architect or engineer using a keyword search on Google? They may try to find a specific company, but almost certainly not by using keywords like "structural engineer". Concentrate your efforts on providing valuable content - not keywords.

8. Broken Links
Check every link on your website at least once a week. Broken links detract from the otherwise valuable content on your website and discourage potential employees or clients.

7. Under Construction
Please don't use the "under construction" sign. You are far better off removing the link until the content is loaded.

6. Out of Date News
If your most recent news is from November 2004, you have a problem. There is either no news or you are too lazy to update your website. In either case you are sending the wrong message.

5. Out of Date Press Releases
If you are committed to having a press release section, please make sure you have at least one per month. Also make sure that the most recent press release is listed first.

4. Not Focusing on the Client
Too many companies fall into the trap of designing their websites to impress their competitors. Most clients care little about your "design philosophy" or your company for that matter and they care even less about your employees. They care about themselves.

3. Your Company Name is Not on the Home Page
This is hard to believe - but it is true. Type in www.coredc.com
for an example of what I mean.

2. Hide and Seek Links
I absolutely hate those sights that have hidden links that only pop-up when you accidentally scroll over it with your mouse. Aside from being a lame attempt to be clever, these companies are losing credibility because of it.

1a. Thinking your Flash Intro Graphics Impress Anyone
They do not impress potential clients. They annoy them. If annoying potential clients is your goal, this is one of the best ways to succeed.

1b. Contact Links that Dump to an Automatic E-Mail Inquiry
I really just wanted your phone number to call you about a potential project. Why are you forcing me to send an e-mail?

Beware of Recruiters Disguised as Management Consultants
There is a well known consulting and publishing firm in our industry that has developed a policy of recruiting their client's employees in order to earn a placement fee.

I was the victim of this policy about eight years ago when I was the Chief Operating Officer of an architectural firm. I hired this consulting firm from the back of the phone book to help with some Human Resource issues. Their services consisted of interviewing a random selection of our employees and preparing a report.

Unfortunately for our company we were overcharged for what was basically a transcript of selected comments from their interviews. They bound up these comments in a snappy binder with their logo, added some boiler plate comments of their own and called it a "Human Resources Audit". The report revealed nothing that we didn't already know and offered no solutions of any value.

It soon became clear as to why why the report was of little value. Over the next month or so, many of the interviewed employees were contacted by this consulting company to be placed elsewhere. It seemed that they were more interested in identifying key employees that they could place with a competitor and earn a hefty commission.

Needless to say I was not thrilled with this unprofessional and unethical behavior and called the owner of this firm. I was astounded that he offered no apologies and was only willing to not recruit any of our employees as long as he had an "active assignment" with our firm. Wow what a deal! As long as I paid for their overpriced services of little value, they wouldn't recruit my employees!

At my seminars I have related this story to many of my attendees and guess what? They have had the exact same experience with this company.

I find it actually laughable that the founder of this company goes around accusing contingency based recruiters of being sleazy. He talks about it at seminars, industry events and in his newsletter. The problem is that communicates his message with such a passionate belief that people actually believe him.

I guess the word must have leaked out after many years of this practice and he came up with an innovative solution - he renamed the recruiting division of his company and moved it to the front of the phone book. Don't be fooled - the stench of unethical behavior by any other name is just as great.

It is certainly beyond my comprehension as to why anyone would do business with this company. However I am a realist and know that many companies are unaware of their unethical behavior. If you do nothing else, please get them to sign an agreement that they will never recruit, refer or earn a commission on any of your past, present or future employees.

Just to be clear, AEC Management Solutions, Inc. is not involved with recruiting in any way, shape, or form - we consider it to be a conflict of interest.

Pathway to Profit - Axium Pre-Conference Workshop October 17th
In association with Axium Software users conference, there will be a 1-day Pathway to Profit Seminar in Portland Oregon.

Here is a sample of what the attendees had to say:

"Herb has a way of delivering his message in an easy to understand way. He distills complex issues down into simple solutions.
Ed Jerdonek
Luckett & Farley

"Great information! I wish I had this information when I started out."
Brian O'Keefe
Brian O'Keefe Architects

"Passion for the topic was great! Practical and useful information."
Doug Winger
MTE Consultants

"The program moved right along, did not get stuck on any one issue. This was a great 2 days - I would recommend it to anyone."
Barbara Lyle
Selldorf Architects

"This session was very informative. Given the limited amount of time a great deal of information was covered. I look forward to earning a 20%+ profit!"
Engineering Firm
Name witheld by request

At AEC Management Solutions, Inc., we believe that architects, engineers and related industry professionals create an extraordinary value for their clients. The simple goal of this seminar is to help these professionals consistently earn a 20%+ profit for their services.

Achieving Financial Success
Financial Success is a process, not an event. It is the result of our hard work -- not wishful thinking. It starts with an understanding of the basics, continues with the implementation of a well thought out plan and process and results in the financial success of a 20% + profit.

For some A/E firms squeaking by with an 8% profit on net revenues is considered a good year. For most others a 13 to 15% profit would be considered a great year. For a select few that have mastered the core principles of this program a 20% + profit on net revenues is considered par for the course. In fact, a 20% profit on each project is their minimum expectation for profit. On many projects, they can achieve much higher percentage of profit.

For the most part, the 20% + profit companies do not have smarter employees, better clients or harder workers than your company. What they do have is a project management system that delivers accurate financial information and a management process that encourages (insists) all employees to act upon this information. The happy result of this comprehensive system is satisfied clients, motivated employees, increased compensation and 20% + profit on net revenues.

Join Herbert M. Cannon, President of AEC Management Solutions, Inc to discover the secrets of how a select few firms consistently achieve a 20%+ profit on net revenues and how you can implement this system at your company.

The Program includes 1 day of instruction and a 200+ page workbook to help you earn the profits you deserve for your creative efforts.

Portland October 17th

Axium Software Convention October 18 -- 20 Portland
Herb Cannon will be presenting at the 10th annual conference.

Pre-Conference Workshop on October 17th
Pathway to Profit

Keynote Address
A Survival Guide to the A/E Industry October 18th

Plus 2 Breakout Sessions on October 18 & 19

Visit Axium for more details.

Herb Cannon will be speaking at the following events
SDA Western States Conference September 28th Orange County, CA
Incentive Compensation

Institute for Classical Architecture October 2nd New York City
Profit by Design: Successful Management for the Architecture Firm

Axium User's Conference October 17-19 Portland OR
Herb Cannon will be presenting a 1-day Pre-Conference Workshop + the Keynote Address.

Visit AEC Management For More Information

Want to Reprint an Article from AEC Managing Partner?
As a publisher of a print or web-based publication, you are hereby granted the right to reprint any article contained in this newsletter with the following provisions

1) The words "By Herbert M. Cannon" must be included immediately following the article title.

2) The following "resource box" is included following or preceding each article.

Herbert M. Cannon, President of AEC Management Solutions, Inc. and Publisher of AEC Managing Partner Newsletter, is a management consultant, seminar provider and speaker exclusive to the A/E Industry. He is available to speak at company meetings and conferences. For more information contact Herb via e-mail hcannon@aecmanagementsolutions.com. Or visit his website at www.aecmanagementsolutions.com

3) You quickly notify us of any publication, either in print or on the Internet. Notification may be made via e-mail at hcannon@aecmanagementsolutions.com

4) You send us a hard copy of any printed publication in which one Herb's articles appear. Printed issues may be sent to 183 Higgins Road Matawan, NJ 07747
 

I am looking for guest writers for my monthly newsletter. I you have an idea for an article, please send an e-mail to hcannon@aecmanagementsolutions.com

I hope to see everyone at one of my seminars or speaking engagements.

Regards,

Herb
     
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