Based on his first hand knowledge and in-depth understanding of all facets of business and practice management, Michael and his team of Specialty Consultants helps design professionals gain clarity, challenge conventional thinking, and identify solutions that help them achieve their most pressing business and personal goals.

Strogoff Consulting's practice management consulting includes:

Strategic planning and advice
Michael works with principals and senior staff on firmwide strategic issues such as organizational structure, practice goals, leadership development, business and marketing plans, productivity enhancement and staffing models. Michael's ability to rapidly identify the heart of the issue enables firms to take quick, appropriate and strategic action.

Marketing & Business Development
In challenging times, it is critical to keep your messaging clear, your resources strategically focused and to differentiate your firm. Strogoff Consulting provides targeted services to help firms obtain specific projects and develop lasting relationships with new clients:

  • Development of proactive business development strategies

  • Proposal and SOQ critiques

  • Review of marketing collateral

  • Go/No-Go analyses

  • Project pursuit strategies

  • Interview and presentation coaching

  • Market research

  • Diversification strategies

  • Strategies for entering new markets

  • Client surveys

  • Positioning and messaging

  • Evaluating strategic alliances

  • Corporate branding

  • Branding and identity packages

  • Design and production of marketing collateral

Recruiting and Human Resources
Strogoff Consulting helps firms leverage their most important resource—people. Working closely with your in-house resources, we provide and/or help develop:

  • Management recruiting for Operations Directors, Chief Financial Officers, Accounting Managers, Marketing Directors and other key management positions

  • Bonus and profit distribution plans

  • Performance-based job descriptions

  • Exit interviews

  • Coaching on conducting performance reviews

 

Web Design and Interactive Solutions
With one of the industry's most innovative designers of interactive solutions, web sites and technology-driven presentations, Strogoff Consulting combines strategic marketing with cutting-edge technology to create solutions that resonate with targeted clients:

  • Interactive presentations

  • Cutting-edge web site design and implementation

  • Web-based technology consulting

  • eCommerce solutions

Firm evaluations and assessments
Based on the hallmarks of the most successful architectural, engineering and design firms, Strogoff Consulting conducts firmwide evaluations and leads strategic retreats covering:

  • Organizational and decision making structure
  • Leadership and professional development
  • Financial management, performance and strength
  • Strategic market and positioning
  • Business development and marketing
  • Risk management
  • Ownership transition and succession planning
  • Project management and delivery
  • Knowledge capturing and management

Financial management
Strogoff Consulting provides financial tools and trains design professionals in how to monitor firmwide metrics, analyze cash flow trends, budget and track project profitability, optimize billing rates, audit overhead, produce effective and action-oriented financial reports, and implement financial controls. Michael has also developed bonus and profit-sharing programs based on aligning firmwide goals with individuals' job responsibilities and performance.


Contracting, Fees and Risk management
Strogoff Consulting has helped some of the nation's largest firms evaluate and effectively manage their risks and, in conjunction with firms’ attorneys and insurance advisors, and has developed comprehensive risk management procedures, tools, and educational programs including:

  • Preparation and review of fee proposals
  • Preparation of draft AIA Owner-Architect agreements
  • Preparation of draft consultant contracts
  • Procedures for reviewing and negotiating owner-drafted agreements
  • Client status and quality control reports
  • Templates for responding to agreement terms
  • Checklists for reviewing owner-design professional agreements
  • Tools for screening prospective clients and projects
  • Tools for evaluating new services and project types
  • Seminars on communication skills, negotiating, dispute resolution techniques,
    quality management, and construction administration practices
  • "Lessons learned" feedback and resources systems

Project and client management
Drawing on his experience actively managing or overseeing hundreds of projects from inception through construction follow-through, Michael consults on:

  • Improving project performance and productivity
  • Developing effective project guidelines for improving performance and productivity
  • Establishing realistic expectations
  • Managing difficult clients
  • Developing workplans, budgets and schedules

Project delivery:
Michael advises firms about trends in project deliveries, opportunities and risks inherent in different delivery methods, how to advise clients about which delivery method to use on a specific project, and essential project delivery lessons to incorporate into the projects. Michael has conducted extensive research on alternative project delivery methods, spearheaded the AIA California Council's Project Delivery Task Force and was the principal author of an 87-page update to its Handbook on Project Delivery. He has also facilitated panel discussions throughout the country about project delivery methods.