The CRE and AEC industries have undergone significant changes in the wake of the pandemic. The rise of remote work, a heightened focus on sustainability, and shifting client expectations are just a few factors reshaping the landscape. Now more than ever, having a solid B2B customer relationship management strategy is essential.
Below, we explore key practices for thriving in the ‘new normal,’ helping you forge deeper client relationships and achieve lasting success. Whether you’re a seller-doer in an AEC firm or a client management leader in a CRE firm, these strategies will help you adapt and thrive in the changing business environment.
Table of contents
B2B customer relationship management strategies for a changing CRE landscape
Leveraging relationship intelligence to strengthen client engagement
In today’s competitive market, staying focused on your clients’ needs is essential for building loyalty and driving growth. Effective B2B customer relationship management is more than just personal interactions, it’s about using relationship intelligence to really understand the full picture of how you work with your clients. This means keeping track of how often you communicate, the quality of those interactions, how responsive your clients are, and how strong your relationship is with them overall. Tools like RIA can help you dig into these areas, so you can spot clients who might be slipping off the radar, catch potential problems early, and make sure you’re consistently engaging with clients in a meaningful way.
Another critical piece is continuity. You don’t want client relationships to rely solely on one person, because people move on and teams change. Having a solid plan in place to keep the relationship steady, regardless of who’s on your team, helps build trust and security. Plus, when you align your client coverage with their needs and use data-driven insights to guide your interactions, you show clients you’re committed to their long-term success. This not only strengthens trust, but also creates opportunities for deeper collaboration and more growth for your business.
Building relationship capital and securing warm introductions
While expanding your network is always valuable, the real power of B2B customer relationship management lies in leveraging the relationships you already have. Your current clients are a rich source of potential business opportunities. By focusing on existing client relationships, you can unlock warm introductions to new prospects, driving project and portfolio growth through existing relationships. Strengthening relationships through regular check-ins and understanding client needs can reveal opportunities for cross-selling and upselling. For example, if a long-term client is exploring sustainability initiatives, proactively offering your firm’s sustainability consulting services demonstrates your commitment to their goals, further solidifying the relationship and creating new revenue streams.
Enhancing client relationships with proactive solutions
In the post-pandemic world, successful B2B customer relationship management involves staying attuned to market shifts and being proactive in addressing client needs. Leveraging relationship intelligence is key to this process, as it provides a comprehensive view of your client relationships, including the strength of ongoing interactions, responsiveness, and the number of touchpoints your firm has with each client. By understanding these dynamics—such as how often key contacts communicate, the depth of those interactions, and discovering new connections across your firm—you can identify opportunities to engage more effectively with clients.
With deeper client insights, you can develop and introduce new service lines that directly address identified client requirements. For example, if your client data reveals a growing interest in smart building technologies or remote work solutions, offering these services proactively positions your firm as a forward-thinking, solutions-oriented partner. By aligning your offerings with what clients are looking for, you strengthen your relationships and build trust, making clients more likely to stay loyal and satisfied with your services.
Strategies for maximising relationships to secure business in architecture, engineering, and construction
Winning bids with strong relationships
In the AEC industry, winning bids often hinges on the strength of relationships built well before any proposal is submitted. Establishing trust and credibility early gives you a competitive edge. Start by scheduling regular meetings with potential clients and stakeholders to understand their needs and concerns. These interactions should go beyond mere business transactions, focusing on building genuine connections.
Relationship intelligence plays a crucial role in this process by identifying the key connections within your firm and at the client organisation. This allows you to bring the most relevant people into conversations, aligning your team with the client’s key decision-makers. By leveraging these insights, you can tailor your approach to address the client’s specific needs and concerns, demonstrating a deep understanding of their business. This targeted engagement not only builds trust, but also increases your chances of winning the bid.
Maximising industry events and conferences
Attending industry events and conferences is more than just networking; it’s a chance to strengthen your existing client relationships and establish new ones. By incorporating relationship intelligence into your event strategy, you can demonstrate that your attendance is aimed at deepening your understanding of client needs and building stronger connections.
Pre-event relationship mapping
Before attending an event, use RI to identify existing clients and key contacts who will be there. Reach out to them in advance to schedule one-on-one meetings or informal catch-ups. By demonstrating a proactive interest in their needs and concerns, you reinforce your commitment to their success and strengthen the client relationship. Mapping out potential connections also helps you identify new prospects who can benefit from your expertise, ensuring your time is used effectively.
Post-event nurturing
After the event, focus on personalised follow-ups that reinforce the conversations you had and the insights you shared. Use B2B customer relationship management tools to track your interactions and plan personalised follow-ups. This could be sending a thank-you note, sharing relevant industry insights, or arranging further discussions. Consistent follow-ups keep the dialogue active, helping to nurture new connections and deepen existing relationships.
Relationship intelligence platforms like Introhive can help you track engagement metrics, such as who you met, the frequency of interactions, and responsiveness. Analysing these metrics helps refine your approach, turning industry events into opportunities to build trust and long-term partnerships that drive business growth.
Building trust over time through smaller engagements
Collaborating on smaller projects before pursuing larger bids can be an effective way to build trust. These initial engagements allow you to demonstrate your capabilities and reliability, laying the groundwork for more substantial future opportunities. Building relationship capital in this way is about showing consistent value and dedication. For example, taking on smaller design consultations or feasibility studies allows you to showcase your expertise before securing larger construction contracts.
Different approaches to building trust are necessary depending on your familiarity with the client or market. For new clients, especially those with deep industry expertise, it’s crucial to establish frequent, meaningful interactions and demonstrate early successes to quickly build trust. For long-term clients, maintaining trust through consistent, high-quality delivery and regular engagement is key. If entering a new market, increase your market-specific knowledge and establish credibility by actively networking, participating in industry events, and showcasing thought leadership through white papers, webinars, or speaking engagements.
Enhancing global visibility and account management through B2B customer relationship intelligence
Enhancing the visibility of your company-wide relationships is crucial for understanding and managing client interactions effectively. By centralising information about client contacts, communications, and engagement history, you can gain a comprehensive view of how relationships are managed across different departments and regions. This visibility helps ensure all team members are aligned and can coordinate their efforts more efficiently, leading to more consistent and strategic client interactions.
Using RIA tools can facilitate this process by tracking and analysing relationship data across the organisation. These tools can identify key contacts, monitor engagement levels, and highlight opportunities for cross-selling or deepening relationships. By integrating B2B customer relationship management practices with these tools, you can gain a clear picture of your existing connections and how they are being nurtured. This allows you to make more informed decisions, allocate resources more effectively, and proactively address any gaps in relationship management – not only strengthening client relationships, but also enhancing your overall business development efforts.
How relationship capital secured a 1 million Euro contract
CBRE, a global leader in commercial real estate services and investments, recognised the potential of their existing connections, and used Introhive’s mapping capabilities to visualise their network within European markets.
Through this process, they identified a key contact in Germany who had a relationship with a potential new customer in the Netherlands. This led to a warm introduction, leading to subsequent meetings with the client’s decision-makers and the opportunity to pitch for the work, resulting in contact in the region of 1 million Euros.
This example underscores the powerful role of relationship capital in driving business growth. By connecting the dots across different regions and leveraging established relationships, firms can uncover new opportunities that might otherwise be missed. Understanding and strategically using the interconnected nature of their network allowed this firm to expand its reach and secure a major contract, demonstrating the tangible value of a well-managed relationship network.
Your next steps
Navigating the complexities of the AEC and CRE industries requires a deep understanding of B2B customer relationship management tailored to the unique demands of each sector. For AEC firms, this means focusing on long-term lead nurturing and building trust over time. For CRE firms, it involves harnessing detailed client insights to deliver exceptional service.
By focusing on client experience and leveraging relationship intelligence, you can strengthen client engagement, loyalty, and drive growth in a rapidly evolving environment. To see how Introhive can enhance your B2B customer relationship management, book a demo today.
B2B Customer Relationship Management FAQs
How has B2B customer relationship management evolved in the post-pandemic built environment?
In the post-pandemic built environment, B2B customer relationship management has evolved to meet the new demands of remote work, sustainability, and shifting client expectations. It has become essential for firms in the commercial real estate (CRE) and architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industries to adopt strategies that prioritise client needs and use relationship intelligence to deepen engagement. By understanding client interactions and needs better, firms can create meaningful connections, foster loyalty, and drive growth, ensuring long-term success.
What are the key benefits of using B2B customer relationship management strategies in the CRE and AEC industries?
Using B2B customer relationship management strategies in the CRE and AEC industries offers several key benefits. It helps firms maintain and strengthen client relationships, which are crucial for winning bids and securing long-term partnerships.
These strategies also enable firms to leverage existing relationships for warm introductions, enhancing opportunities for cross-selling and upselling. By focusing on consistent engagement and aligning services with client needs, firms can build trust, demonstrate their commitment to client success, and ultimately drive revenue growth.
How can relationship intelligence tools enhance B2B customer relationship management for firms in the built environment?
Relationship intelligence tools enhance B2B customer relationship management for firms in the built environment by providing valuable insights into client interactions and engagement levels. These tools track the frequency of communications and interactions, helping firms identify at-risk clients early and put strategies into place.
By offering a comprehensive view of client relationships, firms can proactively tailor their approach, develop relevant services, and ensure that all team members are aligned in their client engagement efforts. This strategic use of relationship intelligence strengthens client bonds and optimises business development efforts.