Experience Required

Superb experience equals secure employment—but not necessarily the kind of experience that you think. Your professional experience matters far less to a prospect than their experience of your professionalism. That is, the only way for prospects and clients to really know how great you and your firm are at solving their problems is to let them experience it for themselves.

That is why Creative Growth Group’s Fifth Annual Client Advisor Awards program that took place in December, 2010, focused on the topic of creating a compelling experience, and it featured the world renowned guru of delivering excellent experiences: Jim Gilmore, co-author of “The Experience Economy: Work is Theater & Every Business a Stage,” which authorities have ranked as one of the top “100 Business Books of All Time.”

“Staging a compelling experience is in no way limited to coffee-drinking at Starbucks, computer repair encounters with the Geek Squad, or taking the family to Disneyland -- or any of a vast array of other places and events in which consumers today spend time and money. Business-to-business experiences abound at trade shows, in executive briefing centers, and with other marketing experiences. Professional services firms would be wise to similarly stage unique experiences for their clients lest they find themselves on the slick slope to commoditization -- purchased solely on the basis of price, price, price,” said Gilmore who spoke about staging superior Client Advisor Experiences to a capacity audience during the Client Advisor Awards at the Cherokee Town Club in Atlanta, GA.

Finalists were evaluated on their Client Advisor Experience excellence in five areas: collaboration, creativity, content and value orientation, capability and credibility. 2010 Client Advisor Awards sponsors include: The Atlanta Business School Alliance, BCHORD, Business Wise, Deltek, Creative Growth Group, and Strategies Group. Creative Growth Group founded the Client Advisor Awards in 2006 and continues to serve as the program’s lead organizer. More about the Awards can be found at http://www.clientadvisorawards.com/.

Congratulations to all of our Finalists and Winners listed below. We hope to see you on this list in future years.


2010 Client Advisor Award Winners

Large Professional Services Firm
Winner: Arnall Golden Gregory LLP
Finalists: Arc Worldwide - Leo Burnett   |  UHY Advisors

Large Client Organization
Winner: Chick-Fil-A, Inc.
Finalists: NASCO   |   U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Mid-Sized Professional Services Firm
Winner: Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP
Finalists: Jabian LLC  |  Project, Time & Cost, Inc.

Mid-Sized Client Organization
Winner: Butler, Fairman & Seufert, Inc.
Finalists: Iron Data, LLC  |  Mud Pie

Small Professional Services Firm
Winner: The Interlochen Group
Finalists: BrightWave Marketing, Inc.  |  Calysto Communications

Small Client Organization
Winner: CMI Research
Finalists: REACH Call, Inc.  |  W.F. Baird & Associates Ltd.

Community Involvement Award
Winner: BoardWalk Consulting – Atlanta Center for Self Sufficiency (ACSS)
Finalists: Jabian LLC – Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
Pathbuilders, Inc. – Georgia State University (GSU)