Clients' Advisory Service

2nd December 1998

On 2nd December 1998  CLAWSA held a joint event with the Camden Society of Architects (CSA) at which Caroline Cole of the RIBA's Clients' Advisory Service (CAS) gave a presentation on the CAS and its plans for the future.

The following text was prepared by Caroline for an issue of the RIBA Journal to be published early in 1999 and formed the basis of her presentation to CLAWSA and CSA.

UPDATE ON THE CLIENTS' ADVISORY SERVICE

The past 3 years have been spent researching and then developing the CAS service to make it more pertinent for clients of the architectural profession.

As a result of our research, we have focused our activity on 3 main areas:

· Architects Database and nomination service

· Competitions

· Client Forums

The emphasis in the past years has been on improving and developing the quality of the CAS service in each of these areas.

ARCHITECTS DATABASE

We now have a database of architectural practices and their projects that is probably unique in the world, with information about 4,000 registered practices across the UK and, to date, some 21,000 projects. We are able to collect that information with increasing ease on disk, and while the data is formally updated on an annual basis, practices are now able to add data throughout the year.

Nomination Service

Through the new database, CAS is able to give very much better, up to date information about practices to clients, as well as nominating practices more accurately for projects. Equally, with this database, the human element in the nomination service is reduced, alleviating the client criticism of 'old boy networks'. The retrieval system associated with the new database has greatly streamlined the nomination service that we are able to provide in the CAS office in London. For example, we are now able to tell all architects when they have been nominated for projects, and give them the name and contact number of the potential client. Similarly, we have extended our client follow up procedures, enabling us to monitor progress on the project, as well as the usefulness of our service to all clients.

Number of Enquiries

When compared to 1997, the number of enquiries to the Architects Database in the first 9 months of 1998 has increased by an average of 23%.

When broken down by project size, we see that the number of enquiries for small works (i.e. projects <£150k) has increased by over 30%. However, it is interesting to note that the sharp fall in Lottery Projects in 1998 has resulted in a 15% fall in the number of enquiries for projects between £150k and £5m. Conversely, the number of enquiries for projects over £5m has increased by a substantial 71%.

Internet

The Directory of Practices which is now generated almost entirely from data held in the Architects Database, is now on the Internet, where it can be searched against 4 main criteria:

· name of practice

· sectors of expertise

· services offered

· location

To ensure that all practices can be searched against each criterion, the Standard Entry in the 1999 Directory of Practices has been enlarged to include a practice statement, up to 5 services undertaken by the practice and up to 5 sectors of expertise. This improved depth of information on the Internet will enable members of the public to undertake their own simple nominations without contacting the RIBA direct. To date, the Website is attracting around 12,000 hits per month.

Advertising and Promotion

Despite the fact that there has been no formal promotion of the Clients' Advisory Service over the past 3 years, client enquiries have steadily increased, as has client awareness of the service, mainly through the activities of the Client Forums. In addition, we have been in discussions with a number of client agencies and database operators, with a view to offering broad access to the information held in Architects Database.

Now that the Architects Database is operating as a professional, accurate and pertinent service for clients and with the improved Internet site in 1999, a formal marketing programme has been instigated.

COMPETITIONS

Earlier this year the Competitions Office moved to new independent offices in Leeds. This has enabled us to present a very much more professional and efficient image to our ever growing client base.

The Competitions Office has more than doubled its turnover in recent years and has been involved in a number of high profile, high value competitions across the country: Wembley Stadium; the Welsh Assembly Building; HQ for Toyota (GB) Ltd; a new campus for Nottingham University and the Gateshead Music Centre in Newcastle.

In addition, annual competitions such as Europan and the Concept House for the Ideal Home Show remain with the office, as well as a variety of smaller public and private competitions.

CLIENT FORUMS

We now have 7 Client Forums seriously up and running: Higher Education; Health; Housing; Further Education; Schools; Participating Sports and Spectator Sports.

Forum Activities

The forums focus on activities for clients, ranging from seminars and workshops to research papers, exhibitions and policy papers. Current and future activities include:

· Implementing plans for providing a post-occupancy study framework for the HE sector.

· A symposium in January 1998 on Therapeutic Environments for Mental Health, in conjunction with NHS Estates.

· Having launched the Quality Homes initiative pack in liaison with Zurich Building Guarantees, preparations are underway for the first Quality Homes regional seminar in the new year.

· Briefing guidelines for the FE sector and a conference in May 1999 on the impact and implementation of IT in the sector.

· Briefing and procurement guide for all schools to tie in with the New Deal for Schools. Currently briefing a major study to look at the impact of the built environment on learning standards.

· Possible future study examining the potential for compiling and disseminating best practice and good example design guidance for Sports buildings.

· Review of the inadequate provisions of facilities for disabled people attending events in stadia and arenas.

Designing the Customer Experience

Following on from the first Designing the Customer Experience event in late 1997, a high level forum of some 150 clients, architects, designers (interior, graphic and product), engineers and intermediary bodies has been established to encourage and sustain debate and communication across the industry. 5 events have been organised for the forum and sponsored by the Design Council and BAA:

· The Briefing Process

· Finding a Common Language

· The Impact of the Egan Report on Designing for Customers

· Investing in Creativity

· 'If I were in their shoes' a role reversal workshop

CONCLUSION

The Clients' Advisory Services is now able to offer clients a range of excellent products as well as opportunities for communication and debate with other clients and design professionals. We already know that there is a market for these products and activities. The task in hand is to promote and sell them to a broad range of clients. This selling will take place on a number of levels, ranging from mass publicity - particularly for the simple, self-help nomination services - through to tailored presentations to corporations, for personalised and specialist services and activities.