January 1, 2019
Happy New Year to you and yours! We at the Everglades Architecture Group have had a wonderful 2018 and we are looking forward to an exponentially successful 2019 as well.
Traditionally in our industry the week between Christmas and the New Year holidays are very quiet. While our firm has been busy putting the final touches on projects prior to building department submission for permits; we have sat down to audit the firm. This audit manifested itself in many forms. Not only did we close our financial books for 2018 we focused on the good the bad and the ugly. This eye opening introspection has made us realize the importance of comparing and contrasting what we have done well and what we can do better.
What have we done really well?
From a customer service standpoint we rival our competition in response time. Always answering the phone, responding to emails in minutes, and communicating through text messages. We even respond where possible on the weekends and after hours.
Building code analysis; we consistently push the limits of the code to make sure our client’s spaces fit them. I hear stories from individuals who opted to use our competitor and the common theme is that they couldn’t accomplish their ultimate design due to complexities in the Building code. Our competitors are either inexperienced in code navigation, lazy and do not wish to explore possible solutions, or worse not creative enough to find the grey that lies between the black and white prescription of the code.
2018 our principle architect Jessica Dornblaser was the volunteer treasurer for the AIA (American Institute of Architects) Palm Beach Chapter. Additional to her donating her time, the firm sponsored events for AIA. Industry involvement is vital in any successful architecture firm. Jessica was and still is an active member of the City of Boca Raton’s community appearance board, where she helps shape the city she lives in.
Creativity has not only helped this firm, design wonderful spaces for its inhabitants but also has helped in the process of problem solving. Most of our projects have some layer of complexity to them. Whether it be an existing structure, a brewery with mixed use spaces requiring fire separation, an office space with no private offices and shared work space, historical preservation, and projects involving environmental awareness.
What could we use work on?
Managing clients expectations. While we explain the process in a very thorough manner clients still push for earlier timelines. We are only as fast as our engineers and unfortunately they pass their deadlines on projects. Its impossible to anticipate the work load of the authorities having jurisdiction (building departments).
Our firm consistently has individuals that require special attention or have such complex projects that have the potential of setting the firms schedules off track.
The start of 2018 and just about every year before that starts off as a big bang with regards to our Business Promotion. Somewhere along the calendar year we get busier and and tend to slip in Promotion and Social Media departments.
Our firms resolutions for the New Year:
Promote your business regularly and consistently. We have established a fifty-two week strategy for this. Setting aside time once a month to setup blogs, posts, pictures and videos for the upcoming month will help us focus more time on face to face networking, friend raising, and cultivating existing memberships.
Weekly business planning meeting is a great opportunity to quickly reassess minor changes in our marketing strategy. It also acts as an important meeting to discuss progress of projects, Reinforcement of everything we are doing right and where we can use improvement.
Learning to delegate and doing more of it will help free up more time to learn something new to increase skills in the firm. It will also free up time to exercise in creativity!
Here are a few other resolutions that other businesses are doing this year, perhaps some pertain to you:
1. Put time for yourself in the calendar
2. Set realistic goals
3. Network
4. Find an accountability partner
5. Mentoring
6. Communicate Better
What are some of your New Year’s Resolutions?
