Order Minimums, Winners, and Losers - What Owner's Desire from Consultants (A/E's)

Timothy D. Blackburn, MBA, P.E.

Course Outline

This course provides practical information related to Order Minimums, Winners, and Losers for Architect/Engineers (A/E's). Do you wish to know what Owners really want, need, or pleases them? Do you wish to have a competitive advantage that naturally results from excellence? You must first understand the minimums required to obtain and sustain work (Order Minimums), add to it those things that ensure repeat work and a competitive advantage (Order Winners), and avoid those things that prevent work (Order Losers.)

This course includes a multiple choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

Learning Objective

The following are the course learning objectives. Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to understand and apply the following:

• Understand the difference between minimum things required to secure and maintain an order, and those things that differentiate you from your competition;
• Order Minimums and Winners Categories including the following:
  a) Values
  b) Financial
  c) Schedule
  d) Technical
  e) Quality
  f) Other Attributes
• Understand the key attributes by category and Order Minimums/Winners;
• Understand and avoid Order Losers;
• Complete an assignment for your company's specific Attributes;
• Understand Categories and Attributes Summary Table; and
• Be better able to apply the three elements of the Project Management triangle
  
  

Intended Audience

The intended audience can include the Architect/Engineer in a leadership role, business development staff, and others interested in learning what it takes to meet and exceed the Owner's expectations.

Benefit to Attendees

The benefit for the attendee is to learn in a structured way the differences between the minimum attributes to acquire work, and those winners that yield a competitive edge. The Attendee should better understand what an Owner needs and expects, so by providing the same, better ensuring continued work.

Course Introduction

Consultants desire to know what will them a competitive edge. Owners desire certain things from consultants. Why don't the two perspectives merge to a mutually beneficial arrangement? A/E's simply don't always deliver what the Owner wants. This course presents the things Owners need in an Architectural/Engineering (A/E) consultant based on extensive experience from the Instructor in both worlds. There are Order Minimums, and Order Winners. Order Minimums are those minimum attributes the Consultant must possess/provide if they are to gain repeat work or competitive contracts. Order Winners are those attributes that further ensure repeat work and a competitive advantage. The attributes are different between Order Minimums and Order Winners, but the categories under which the attributes fall are the same. We will cover six categories that must be considered when planning a business development strategy. In your particular case, you might choose to assign attributes differently, but the goal is to teach the student to think strategically when attempting to acquire new or maintain old business.

Course Content

The course content is in a PDF file (59 KB) Order Minimums, Winners, and Losers - What Owner's Desire from Consultants (A/E's). You need to open or download this document to study this course.

Course Content

1) Introduction
2) Overview of Order Minimums and Winners Categories
a) Values
b) Financial
c) Schedule
d) Technical
e) Quality
f) Other
3) Assignment/Exercise
4) Instructor's Categories and Attributes Summary Table
5) Order Minimums by Category
6) Order Winners by Category
7) Order Losers
8) Course Summary

Course Summary

In this course, we study six categories of Order Makers and Winners - Values, Financial, Schedule, Technical, Quality, and Other. Within each category are attributes. Order Minimums are those attributes that represent the minimum deliverables and criteria necessary to secure an order. Order Winners are those attributes that ensure repeat work, and offer a competitive advantage. As well, there are Order Losers, which are simply the opposite of one or more of the Order Minimums, and a discussion of Order Winners.

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

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DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.

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