I’ve been thinking a lot about value lately. In a world where technology is constantly changing capabilities and expectations, how can professionals move beyond the pricing game to prove their worth?

We’ve had some great articles on the topic. For example, in the new Value Pricing series, Larry Phipps, PLS, has been outlining why the traditional model of “time equals money” doesn’t hold true, and why surveying and mapping professionals should instead focus on value. Phipps defines value as “how your work impacts the client” and says that understanding what the client really needs and wants is a crucial step in determining the value you can provide. (See page 36 in this issue for the third column in the series.)

David O’Brien, PSM, CFedS, LEED AP, co-founder and president of SurvTech Solutions Inc., says providing value involves “learning to provide the services that other professions deem too costly or too difficult.” It requires embracing technology and adapting to changes. “Great companies need to constantly reinvent themselves,” he says. (See “How to Secure Your Position in the Changing Geospatial Markets” at www.geodatapoint.com).

Value was also a topic of discussion at Hexagon 2012 in Las Vegas, where more than 700 professionals participated in the Geosystems track--a 75 percent increase compared to the 2011 conference. (Read the recap on page 13 for more details about the conference.) Some of the professionals who attended the conference for the first time this year noted that their primary reasons for attending were to make sure they were on the leading edge with technology and to determine whether their fees were in line with those of other service providers. “What I’ve learned,” commented one surveying firm manager, “is that the best way to stay on the leading edge is to keep driving our own processes forward. We constantly seek ways to increase efficiency in our workflows and operations; we provide quality service on every job; and we proactively look for needs that we can fill. Our clients value this approach, and it keeps our services in high demand.”

Can you imagine your services being perceived at such a high value that clients are willing to operate on your time schedule, even putting their projects on hold until you’re available to do the job? Imagine it--and then pursue it. The value proposition is yours to make.


The annual POB GeoLocator has a new format this year!

Use the handy pull-out section as a quick reference resource to find dealers, manufacturers and service providers. To view complete contact information, data sheets and other supplemental materials in a fully searchable format, visit our new online GeoLocator at www.pobgeolocator.com.