EDR Webinar
Presented by June Jewell, CPA, President AEC Business Solutions
November 18, 2015
Project Managers (PMs) are the key to a professional services firm’s success. Yet many firms promote technical people into roles they are not prepared or ready for. As a result, project profitability suffers and there is frustration at every level of the organization. By enabling project managers, through financial and systems training, automation, and accountability measures, the firm’s profit margins can increase substantially.
In this webinar, attendees will be able to:
-Evaluate the challenges that cause many Project Managers to struggle with project profitability
-Understand the reasons that projects go over budget
-Review the financial aspects of project management that Project Managers need to know to be successful
-Learn how technology can help Project Managers deliver more profitable projects
-Develop some best practices to help Project Managers succeed
Speaker
June R. Jewell, CPA, President AEC Business Solutions
Jewell, a thought leader and expert in AEC firm profitability, has more than 28 years of business management consulting experience, and unsurpassed knowledge of the AEC industry. In addition to this role, she is the original founder and current strategic advisor of Acuity Business Solutions, a Deltek Premier Partner and consulting firm that works with AEC firms to support business profitability through web-based enterprise management technology.
She is the Amazon best-selling author of the book “Find The Lost Dollars: 6 Steps to Increase Profits in Architecture, Engineering and Environmental Firms.” Jewell has built and run a successful consulting practice, and is a highly sought after speaker at industry events and conferences. Her past speaking engagements include AIA, ACEC, SMPS, Design and Construction Network (DCN), Society for Design Administration (SDA), Zweig Group (formerly ZweigWhite), PSMJ, ROG Growth and Ownership Conference, Project Management Institute (PMI), Deltek Insight and Business of Architecture (BOA).
2. June R. Jewell, CPA
Author of best-selling book, Find
the Lost Dollars: 6 Steps to
Increase Profits in Architecture,
Engineering and Environmental
Firms
President, AEC Business
Solutions
Over 28 years as a business
management and Deltek
consultant
My mission is to help our client’s
make more money on their
projects
3. Agenda
State of the industry – 2015
Some Anecdotal Indications
Risks to Growth
Some Project Manager Stats
How do we evaluate our Project Managers (PMs)?
What is a Superstar Project Manager?
What Do PMs Really Do?
Challenges to Being a Superstar PM
What do PMs need to know?
What data do they need to do their jobs?
Using software to help PMs deliver profitable projects
How do we help them to be more successful?
Copyright 2015, AEC Business Solutions, LLC
5. State of the Industry - 2015
Long recovery – slower than in the past
Construction starts up 6% over last year
Some firms still seeing peaks and valleys
Many firms hiring
Shortage of mid-level experienced architects and
engineers is huge
Firms “poaching” from each other
9 to 12 months backlog for many firms
Margins still very tight – fees feel “squeezed”
6. Some Anecdotal Indications
“Our staff are working
overtime to keep up with all
the work.”
“Fees are being “squeezed” by
our clients.”
“Salaries are going up but our
fees aren’t.”
“We can’t find enough
qualified people.”
“It is more important now than
ever to make sure our PMs
know how to make profits.”
7. Risks to Growth
Culture challenges
Adding people too fast
Different skill levels
PMs pulled in too many
directions
How do “we” do it?
Inconsistency and
chaos…
8. Some PM Statistics
52% of firms have a formal Project Manager title*
45% report their role as a PM is a full-time assignment*
42% report their PMs always participate in establishing project
budgets
56% finish projects on budget
49% face some direct consequences for not staying within the
project budget
48% say their PMs are always responsible for establishing
project schedules
43% report they always participate in writing or designing the
project scope
59% say project managers always review invoices before they go
out
11% report PMs are always responsible for collecting fees
46% feel their level of authority accurately reflects their level of
responsibility
*Zweig Group Project Management Survey 2014
9. How do we evaluate our PMs?
1. Technical skills
2. Winning new business
3. Good with clients / happy
clients
4. Outstanding design / product
5. Client wants to hire us again
6. Managing the team – clients,
subs, staff
7. Client paid
8. Projects made money / on
budget
10. What is a “Superstar” Project Manager?
Able to manage their time and roles
Good at all phases of project lifecycle
Technically competent
Good communication skills/
Managing people – all stakeholders
Delegate work
Schedule and manage resources
Deliver on time and on budget
Prepared to move into leadership
Makes a Profit!!
20. Poll #2
What else can your firm do to help
your PMs to be more successful?
21. What Do PMs Need to Know?
Basics of how profit is made on projects: Labor, Expenses,
Overhead
Relationship of utilization to profitability: How overhead is
affected by non-billable time
Terminology: Work-in-Process, AR, Net Revenues, Net Multiplier,
Overhead Rate, Realization, Utilization, Backlog, Variance, etc.
How to read reports
Budgeting and planning resources within the scope / fee of the
contract
Effectively communicating the scope to the team
Controlling the subcontractor budget, scope and billing
Managing staff, delegating work, handling difficult clients and
problems that arise during the project.
22. What Data Do PMs Need?
Budget to actual by project / phase
(real time is best)
Aged accounts receivable
Employee utilization for their direct
reports
Backlog / Burn Rate / Earned Value
Company overhead rate
Billing (cost) rates of their staff
Project profitability
Departmental analysis (Dept.
Heads)
Forecast of probable wins
Staff availability
23. Using Software to Help PMs
Deliver Profitable Projects
Project Management Tools
Financial Management Tools
CRM and Proposal Tools
24. Project Management Tools
Electronic Time & Expense system and approvals
Real time reporting & search capability
Dashboards & Email alerts
Budgeting, Resource Planning, Forecasting & Earned Value
Management
26. CRM & Proposal Tools
Go / No-go
Opportunity tracking /
Pipeline analysis
Tracking deadlines &
submittal date
Estimating at the Proposal
stage
Fast access to client data
Qualifications database
Proposals development
28. Establish Project Management as a Professional Discipline
Develop A Project Management Career Path
Create Individual Employee Professional Development Plans
Formalize Your Project
Management Role
30. Business Skills / Financial Management Training
Project Management Training
Training on software and reports that your firm is using
Mentoring
PM Financial Training