This week in 1985

Educating the client

The first key speakers for the first Building Live conference, which is due to be held in November, were revealed last week, writes Hollie Tye. The aim of the one-day event is to provide fresh business insights through a series of guest speakers and networking events, which, ultimately, will help attendees learn directly what clients’ needs are. In 1985, the need for better dialogue between clients and industry was also becoming a pressing topic.

On 5 July 1985, Grace Pieniazek reported on a new campaign designed to familiarise clients with construction and help stimulate the sector. She wrote:

“The main feature of the campaign is a guide, Thinking about building, prepared in conjunction with Building Design Partnership, which has been designed to help potential customers for new building work make the most effective use of contractors and professional advisers. It uses the lessons learned in the Building EDC’s 1983 report Faster building for the industry. This revealed that the main cause of slow, inefficient building is a client who is unable to communicate his ideas because he is not familiar with the construction industry.”

For tickets to the Building Live conference, see www.building-live.co.uk