Underbidding - the fingers point both ways

In a recent article in Building Magazine, Richard Steer raised the issue of underbidding from QS practices. In a somewhat biased article, this partner at Gleeds clearly stated ‘as a fact’ that most underbidding is from the smaller practices. His article suggests that there is safety for the client who engages with the large firms and implies that integrity and professionalism sits exclusively in their realm.

There has been a backlash from the smaller firms who know this to be untrue and who know that there are large practices ‘buying work’ just to survive. Surely it is a fallacy to suggest that professionalism and talent is the sole preserve of either large or small and that niche practices, with talent, expertise, customer focus, personal service are at least as able to provide world class expertise allied to exceptional customer experience. Between the ‘big six’ and the independent sole trader working from the director’s room at the IOD there is a vast spectrum unrecognised by Mr Steer’s article.

Surely the focus must be on giving the right service at a sustainable price that brings ‘certainty’ of cost and outcome to our client rather than deceitfully underbidding and applying variations once the client is locked in.

Forget the finger pointing and put the client’s best interest first!

What say others? Especially the clients

18/12/2009