Probably doctors, lawyers, accountants, and engineers. It s not a stretch to say that most people have established a relationship with a doctor. Lawyers and accountants seem to retain clients after one successful encounter. Businesses tend to have their lawyer and their accountant, or other professional, which makes sense. Professionals become familiar with a company s goals, values, expectations, and concerns, and shape their service appropriately.
Engineers provide services just like other professionals.
However, they are asked to prove themselves over and over again a process that can be time consuming for those seeking the service. Developing a relationship takes time. Currently, time is spent developing projects, sending and receiving RFP s and letters of interest, comparing and contrasting the information, and making a decision. Building a professional relationship can save the owner time and energy by allowing him to bypass the deliberations and get right to work with someone he trusts. Even the federal government is turning over a new leaf and using what they call the best-value selection, as stated in the October edition of Engineering News Record .