How do architects prefer to keep up to date? And how can product suppliers earn loyalty from architects?

In this second video of the series, Matthew Duder, EBOSS, helps answer these questions with key data from our Specifier Insights 2020 research — a study of the behaviour and preferences of 843 architectural specifiers. This video was originally part of a bonus session of our Specified 2020 annual conference.

The popularity of in-practice presentations

Our research shows a strong reliance on in-practice presentations with 81% of practitioners saying they regularly engage or sometimes engage with these.

This is driven by specificity — architects are looking for specific sessions covering a particular issue, application or area of training.

For product suppliers, this preference for face to face delivery is great — it’s a chance to educate architects, relate services to a current project and gives reps a chance to build credibility and loyalty.

A shift to digital delivery of presentations

Of course, this research was undertaken prior to Covid-19. While we are now seeing presentations resuming, many practices are opting for more flexible working hours which means the importance of webinar presentations will remain.

Now is the time to work on your digital presentation delivery and think about how you can maintain the same level of interest and engagement throughout a longer form digital presentation. 

The research shows that architects have a preference for webinars on techniques and regulations over more general webinars on products and services, so planning around specific topics is a must.

What builds loyalty?

This year we asked architects an unprompted question to find out how product suppliers can earn their loyalty. We found that knowledgeable technical reps had the biggest influence on earning specifier loyalty — an answer which came up in over a third of the responses.

Architects want to have confidence that suppliers will support them not only during the design phase but also as the project goes to site.

Here are a couple of the responses we received:

“Product faults and defects are remedied promptly. The supplier is knowledgeable about their product and provides sufficient technical expertise and information.”

“Good technical information, high-quality technical advice and quick responsive technical solutions during construction if required. In general good product and good communication is key.”

Only 48% of suppliers meeting expectations

We also asked specifiers to think of all the product suppliers they work with and what proportion of those have earned their loyalty. Overall only 48% of suppliers used have earned that loyalty — or roughly 1 in 2 suppliers.

These results varied by profession and region, with architectural designers on average thinking suppliers are doing a better job than architects, while Wellington specifiers were the hardest to please.

As a product supplier, you’ll want to consider how many architects work with you time and time again. If you’re not satisfied with the number, the factors outlined above tell you exactly what architects want — and what you need to do to up your game.

In our next blog post of the series, we will look at promoting new and familiar products to architects — what information do architects need for new and familiar products? And where are they looking?

Copyright © EBOSS 2020

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