Читать книгу Voices of Design Leadership - Ken Sanders - Страница 18

At ZGF, I helped my partner Doss Mabe pursue a project for an arts college in Southern California. As part of the interview and selection process, the prospective client asked for a tour of a recently built project by each competing firm.

I joined Doss and our prospective client for the tour of a recent ZGF project. Doss also invited his client for that project to join us. How did his client greet him when we arrived? With a huge smile and a big hug. “Doss, I’m so happy to see you!” It was the greeting of a client thrilled with her building and her experience. After ZGF was awarded the project, we were told the tour and emotional welcome had made a big impression.

More recently, I had a similar experience touring a Minneapolis law firm office with Deanne Erpelding, a former Senior Vice President at NELSON and now a Workplace Market Leader at Gensler. Deanne’s client greeted her like a close relative: laughing, smiling, and sharing family updates.

The strongest client relationships are not about satisfaction. They are built on trust, friendship, loyalty, and even love. Both Doss and Deanne are examples of successful design leaders with clients who have no problem publicly showing affection toward them. Do yours?