http://www.servicesmarketingblog.com/essential-criteria Professional Services Leadership, Marketing & Rainmaking Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:11:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://www.servicesmarketingblog.com/essential-criteria/comment-page-1#comment-1349 Kevin Dilton-Hill Wed, 01 Jul 2009 07:45:57 +0000 http://www.servicesmarketingblog.com/?p=873#comment-1349 Although you are talking about contractors I think that you have got it for any professional services work. Even at big corporates the individual buyer wants these things; especially the last one - stick to the budget. It always amazes me how few professional services businesses use the construction industry's 'cost to complete' approach to projects. If you are regularly reviewing how much it is going to cost to complete you know early on that you are going to go over budget. The earlier you know the more options you have; for example, change the scope, use more client staff. That way you can build a reputation on never having gone over budget. And, most often, if you are on budget you are also on time - a double benefit. Although you are talking about contractors I think that you have got it for any professional services work. Even at big corporates the individual buyer wants these things; especially the last one – stick to the budget. It always amazes me how few professional services businesses use the construction industry’s ‘cost to complete’ approach to projects. If you are regularly reviewing how much it is going to cost to complete you know early on that you are going to go over budget. The earlier you know the more options you have; for example, change the scope, use more client staff. That way you can build a reputation on never having gone over budget. And, most often, if you are on budget you are also on time – a double benefit.

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