Selecting the correct engineering partner directly contributes to how effectively a project is implemented.
Here are a few things that you should consider before making your choice.
Talk to colleagues, family, and friends
Traditional word of mouth has always been the best way to find a partner in professional services (engineering, construction, architecture, etc.).
Get online
Look at their website, digital footprint and reviews. A website can speak volumes about a business. It should give you an idea of who they are, what they do and the scale at which they operate. Google’s built-in reviews will give you a good idea of what people think about their company. Look at their LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram accounts to get some inside information on their company culture and what they’ve been up to.
Shortlist
Shortlist the companies that you feel are able to meet your needs. You can categorize them by size, industry-relevance, experience and location.
Get in touch
Most engineering companies offer free, no obligation quotes. Request comparable quotes from all potential suppliers. It’s also a good idea to ask about similar projects they have done in the past.
Analyze & compare
Understand what each company is offering… and excluding and note the differences between their offers.
Discuss & align
Talk to each company to ensure that your understanding is correct. If necessary, ask for a revised quotation from your shortlisted suppliers to better align them with each other and your expectations.
Shortlist again
Based on the revised offers, you should only have a few offers that meet your needs based on experience, timeline and price.
Do your due diligence
Discuss important topics such as capacity, payment terms and potential project risks (this is a good topic to allow the supplier to lead with). By allowing them to point out potential project risks, you can get an idea of their experience and seriousness about the project.
