Architects Expect More Digital, Advisory Support from Building Products Companies

by Jonathan McGaha | January 2, 2017 12:00 am

Architects are calling on manufacturers of building products and materials to advance their digital capabilities, as well as their ability to consult and advise customers in the many phases of construction projects, according to a study published by The American Institute of Architects[1] (AIA).

The Architect’s Journey to Specification assesses the cultural, technical, and informational influences in the choices made by America’s building design professionals. The ground-breaking research into the preferences, habits and attitudes of architects in their roles as specifiers of building products also shows that transparency and knowledge sharing are critical to influencing choices about products to be used.

“The architect’s role in specification is well-known in the construction industry, but the manner of their choices and decisions is often confusing to many,” said Michele Russo, Senior Director of Research for the AIA. “The Architect’s Journey to Specification provides a broad view into the process for architects across the United States, in small and large firms, focusing on multiple project types, across the design, specification, and approval stages of a project.”

Key findings from the report include:

1. Improved websites. Architects want product websites that are clear, concise, up-to-date, and easy to navigate. They also want easy access (no sign-up to view product information) and access to detailed information, including building information models and objects.
2. Focus on education. Architects are required to take continuing education courses in order to maintain their license. Manufacturers can capitalize on this by creating and offering online and face-to-face educational programming that qualifies for continuing education credits. Beware the product pitch disguised as education. Relationships have been damaged over such miscues.
3. Be an expert. Architects want to talk to manufacturer representatives who know technical information about the product. Manufacturers should prepare your sales force to be highly knowledgeable about their products-and arm them with specifications for those products.
4. Be proactive. Architects see manufacturers as important influence agents in specification phase of a project. Their time is typically very limited, so manufacturers should prepare their sales teams to understand the customer’s pain points first. That can help lead to a larger discussion about new product lines.
5. Be transparent. The more open a manufacturer can be about the specification for a product, the more loyalty and trust will be fostered with the architect. This will translate to greater market share, as architects start to look at the manufacturer as an extension of their project teams.

“This report has major implications for manufacturers of building and construction materials,” said John Crosby, Managing Director of Corporate Partnerships at the AIA. “The level of detail in the results provides a roadmap for future engagement with architects in order to gain preference in specification choices. The ability to filter the data online makes this report a must-have planning resource.”

The 49-page report is available as a stand-alone purchase or as a companion to an online data dashboard for business planning and market insight.

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