Client feedback is one of the most important, but underutilized tools that an AEC firm can employ as an improvement strategy. As I relayed in a March 2025 presentation to AIA’s Large Firm Round Table Marketing Forum, a good client feedback process benefits most practice management areas. When done sincerely and strategically, client feedback can reshape a firm’s internal practices, reinforce long-term relationships and drive smart growth. It can be a foundational element of an AEC firm’s business development and strategic planning efforts, and it is the subject of this edition of The Friedman File.
The Value of the Ask
A critical takeaway here is that simply asking for feedback is itself an act of value. It tells your client: “You matter. Your opinion counts. We want to get better.” This message alone can shift brand perception and deepen trust—even before a single question is asked.
Two firms that have embraced this idea are Jaros, Baum & Bolles (JB&B), an MEP and consulting engineering firm based in New York City, and Ayers Saint Gross, an interdisciplinary design firm headquartered in Baltimore. While their approaches differ in scale and structure, both firms demonstrate the ways in which effective client feedback can serve as both a mirror and a roadmap.
Scott Frank, Managing Partner of JB&B, has seen firsthand how meaningful even a single client interview can be. “There’s direct value just in conducting the survey,” he says. “It sends a message to the client that you care enough about the relationship to ask them how you’re doing.”
That message has been particularly powerful for JB&B in retaining and rebuilding client trust. In one case, the feedback process helped turn around what had become a difficult relationship. The client initially had serious concerns—but was willing to “let it rip” in the interview. This honesty led to a renewed connection and important internal conversations about expectations and delivery.
Senior Vice President of Marketing/Business Development Maxinne Leighton adds that part of the power lies in the humility it conveys. “There’s something authentic about saying, ‘We know we’re not perfect. Share your insights. Help us improve.’ Even when the feedback is hard to hear, the willingness to listen is meaningful in itself. It has been equally important as part of these interviews to hear what’s working well, so that we can continue to strengthen those behaviors and shared values.”
Ayers Saint Gross President Joel Fidler concurs. “These conversations reinforce to our clients that we care about our business relationship, but also about them as an individual.”
The Value of Objectivity & Industry Knowledge
While JB&B’s feedback initiatives target one or two clients at a time, Ayers Saint Gross administers a broader survey of approximately 30 current, past and potential clients as part of its regular strategic planning process. For both firms, the surveys are conducted by phone or video conference, with a set list of questions that allow for both quantitative and qualitative responses. In many cases, the greatest value comes from follow-up questions in response to an answer – underscoring the great value of a one-on-one survey conducted by a third party knowledgeable in the AEC industry.
“Making that personal connection is important,” says Katy Hunchar, a Principal and Director of Marketing & Business Development at Ayers Saint Gross. “What makes it successful is that it’s a one-on-one conversation, which allows us to get feedback that we couldn’t get if we just used [a service like] SurveyMonkey.”
Both firms go to great lengths to ensure that they aren’t only hearing from their raving fans, but that dissenting voices are also welcome. “We prepare our team carefully,” says Hunchar. “We tell them: This isn’t about hearing how great we are. We need honest, constructive input—especially from clients we don’t talk with often.”
That willingness to hear from less comfortable sources pays off. The feedback helps inform everything from internal culture to thought leadership strategy, adds Fidler. “Client feedback has become part of how we shape the future of the firm.”
Making Feedback Actionable
However, client feedback only has value if it leads to something. The biggest complaint we hear about client feedback surveys—from both clients who contribute their time and energy and AEC firm staff encouraged by the promise of positive change—is that a firm will spend time and money to conduct the survey, then do nothing constructive with the results.
At JB&B, Frank and Leighton make it a point to gather teams and share what was heard. “Some people embrace the feedback; some may get defensive,” Leighton says. “Either way, we have the conversation. We work through the discomfort, focusing on the value added from transparency provided by the client’s insights, and that usually makes a difference.”
This process yields crucial information—not just about a specific project or contact, but also about internal and external dynamics. In one case, the feedback helped the JB&B team rethink their alignment with a client contact whose expectations clashed with the firm’s culture.
“I was forced to step back and adjust my expectations about a senior leader employed by one of our clients,” Frank recalls. “The insight we gained from their feedback told us that we shouldn’t overinvest in this person. In the spirit of being purposeful about who we select as a client, we decided that we wouldn’t overcommit to pursuing more work with that leader.”
Ayers Saint Gross distills its feedback into strategic themes and uses them to shape their firmwide business plan. Whether the topic is sustainability, design process or client communication, survey results help accentuate clear priorities. “There’s a lot of consistency in what we hear, but there are also outliers,” says Fidler. “Understanding the context around a specific question allows us to dig deeper with different clients. We’ve followed up with clients when something stood out as unusual feedback. They might say, “I wish you guys did x, y and z. That allows for improved engagement, and we also know that our clients are feeling heard.”
The theme of responding directly to criticisms and other comments underscores the value of having an open survey, rather than an anonymous one. Fidler says, “It’s important to know who is saying what. This way, we can say, ‘this is your feedback, and we want to talk with you about it.’”
Ayers Saint Gross also uses client responses to reinforce internal messaging and spark client-facing communications in their content marketing/thought leadership program. “It helps our PR firm develop content that resonates,” Hunchar explains. “Hearing directly from clients helps us craft stories that reflect their needs and values. It guides us on how best to emphasize and highlight the outstanding work we’re doing and the thought leaders we have in the firm.”
Embedding Feedback into Culture
Firms that thrive with client feedback treat it as a process rather than a one-off project. Even among longstanding clients, feedback creates opportunities to surprise, challenge assumptions and reinforce trust. “In an era when leadership is increasingly about authenticity and vulnerability, interviews are a powerful gesture. They put a magnifying glass on who we are,” says Frank.
At Ayers Saint Gross, feedback is part of the firm’s planning DNA. “We’ve always had a culture of debriefs and follow-ups,” says Hunchar. “Now we’re taking that a step further, tying it to our strategic vision and using it to inform how we evolve.”
One of the most underrated aspects of feedback gathering is what happens after the data is collected. Both firms emphasize sharing results—not hoarding them.
At JB&B, leadership discusses results with project teams, helping them understand both strengths and opportunities for improvement. Leighton emphasizes that feedback isn’t perceived as punitive, but rather as a tool for reflection and growth.
Fidler says that Ayers Saint Gross follows up with survey participants personally—whether the feedback was glowing or tough. That model of responsibility and visibility helps ensure that the process doesn’t feel like an external exercise, but rather part of the firm’s operational rhythm.
Client feedback also contributes to marketing and business development initiatives, as evidenced in the Ayers Saint Gross thought leadership program. For JB&B, eliciting client feedback is a pure business development investment. “The act of going through it pays for itself,” says Frank. “The impression it sends about the firm—who you are, what you value—pays for it. Any additional insights that we get—that’s gravy.”
Feedback can also support pursuit strategy. As Hunchar notes, client references are critical in competitive proposals. A firm that invests in listening and that builds collaborative trust is better positioned to win future projects.
Final Thoughts: ROI, Reflection and Repetition
Client feedback is not a checkbox. It’s a commitment. Done right, it delivers insight, builds loyalty, sharpens strategy and enhances brand perception. But it should be more than a paper survey or SurveyMonkey link—true return on investment requires listening, humility and follow-through.
The act of asking the question can be transformative. As I’ve heard in hundreds of interviews over the years, clients appreciate being asked. They remember it. It signals care. And it sets the stage for not just retaining clients—but for becoming their valued partner of choice.
Do you elicit regular client feedback? What methods do you use? How successful are these initiatives? What would you like to do differently? I’d love to hear from you and discuss ways that you can improve your client feedback processes. Write to me at rich@friedmanpartners.com or call 508-397-9213. Thank you for reading The Friedman File.
