The year may be 2023, but SMPS’ Marketing 2022 survey results showing that client experience will be the single most important marketing and business development approach by 2022 still rings true. And while only 18% of survey respondent firms had a client experience program in place in January 2020, the percentage likely hasn’t much improved since.
Going against this trend, the leadership team at Henderson Engineers embarked on a journey in 2020 to develop a firmwide CX program that is changing the business from the inside out. Moving from having a “client focus” to truly becoming “client-centric,” Barry will share how he’s helping the firm become obsessed with delivering the best client experience. You’ll hear the path Henderson took to bring the program to life — including client feedback, employee insights, and data gathered at every step of the way — and you’ll walk away with key insights on how to develop your own CX program. Don’t miss the reasons why CX should be your top business priority.
About the Speaker:
After nearly 12 years on the architecture and construction sides of the AEC industry with HOK and McCarthy Building Companies, Barry Sutherland joined Henderson Engineers, a 1,000-person, national building systems design firm based in Kansas City, as the director of client relationships in October 2019. In this position, Sutherland used his extensive marketing and business development experience to strengthen relationships with clients across all practices firmwide and in markets from coast to coast. Now as client experience director, he is responsible for developing and implementing a robust Client Experience program aimed at making Henderson the industry-leader in this area.
Sutherland has been a member of SMPS since he joined the industry in 2008 and has served in leadership roles for the St. Louis and Kansas City chapters, including president for St. Louis. He currently serves on the board of the Olathe (KS) Chamber of Commerce, where he resides with his wife, Christa, and two kids (Evan, 13, and Molly, 13). Sutherland has also served on boards for the Kansas City chapter of the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) and Kansas City Area Healthcare Engineers (KCAHE), as well as the Olathe Planning Commission and Olathe Board of Zoning Appeals.
