Coffey Architects was proud to be featured in a recent article for the RIBA Journal. The topic of the piece was the importance of feedback and how much it can help architectural businesses to stand out.
The article begins by discussing the important role that feedback plays. It points to research conducted by the Client Liaison Group of RIBA. This suggests that clients take it for granted that architects can design buildings and provide an array of services to see them completed. This is therefore not what differentiates them.
What does, according to the research, is softer management skills such as leadership, collaboration, management, listening, and understanding what the client wants. It is with these things that architects can stand out from other providers and deliver the experience that clients want, whether it is in terms of creating domestic, public, or commercial architecture.
In the article we discussed our views on feedback and how important it is. We talked about ethos, pathos, and logos, the foundation of the classical rhetoric model. Logos is what you do, so in terms of architecture this equates to designing buildings to suit the needs of clients. Ethos is the moral character, looking at the beliefs and ideals you hold. Pathos is the process of creating an emotional response and showcases what you are like to deal with.
Of the three, we pointed at pathos as the area where we need to explore more. When working with someone on something as important as the design of a property emotional response is very important. It helps to create a connection and puts both parties, the architect and the client, on the right track.
On top of this we understand the importance of feedback at various points rather than simply after the project is completed. Mid-stream feedback allows questions and emphasis, allowing us to showcase to clients more of what we are doing and the benefits it provides.
The whole article is interesting. You can find it here (link to https://www.ribaj.com/intelligence/when-is-the-customer-always-right) if you want to read it yourself.