In this, the sixth of a series of ‘In our shoes’ blogs, Triad Client Services Director Tim Eckes talks about everything from his typical day, to why he likes solving client’s problems.
What is a Client Services Director?
I think the traditional definition of a Client Director is someone responsible for overseeing a company’s relationship with its clients. And I do have that responsibility. However, my role also has an operational twist, which means that I get involved in both the client and delivery sides.
What is a typical day at Triad like for you?
We look at new project opportunities daily. And that’s the only structured part of my day. Today for example, I have some important client meetings in the afternoon, and I will spend the morning with colleagues preparing for this afternoon’s meetings. I’m also creating a pricing strategy for a new tender review, and that’s something which happens regularly. My day tomorrow is entirely different. I have catch-ups with some of our delivery teams, and that’s an essential element of my job; making sure that we are delivering what the client is expecting and exploring what else we can do to help the client. One of our mantras is to “leave something extra behind” on every delivery. There is also an increasing theme of clients in the public sector wanting consultancies to assist them in building their own capability, in addition to a short-term delivery.
What do you think is the biggest misconception of Client Services Directors?
The biggest misconception about my role is that I will only be interested in speaking with our clients. I’m not. It is important to me that we over-deliver to every client, and that’s why my role has such an operational bias to it; I can’t be sure that we will over-deliver unless I am also working with the delivery teams, as well as the client.
What’s the hardest thing about your role?
We have grown as a consultancy. We have approximately 100 consultants now. So, I need to be careful not to spread myself too thin or get too involved in the detail because where I can add the most value is strategically. So, I am careful not to create a dependency on myself.
What do you love most about your role?
Two things. The satisfaction from helping clients solve their problems, and the pleasure of seeing our staff enjoy what they do.
In your capacity as Client Services Director, what achievement are you most proud of?
I am most proud of being part of a team that has helped make Triad a genuinely great workplace. We have an incredibly low staff attrition rate. I think that people stay because they feel part of the Triad family.
Marketing spin aside, what do you think makes Triad different from other IT Consultancies?
What makes us different is that we genuinely care about making a difference for our clients. And we genuinely care about making Triad a great place to work. That combination is harder to achieve and much rarer than you’d think.
How would you describe the Triad culture, and how has it changed?
The Triad culture is very supportive, but it is also very driven. I think it’s always had these traits. The culture has evolved. Despite growing substantially, we are still at a size where everyone knows each other well, which is where the family feel comes in. We are fortunate that because of our heritage and size, it’s not a political culture, and we are keen to keep it that way as we grow.
What do you think the future holds for Triad?
I better be careful how I answer this (because we are a listed business), so without giving away any spoilers, we can expect more of the same but better. Even better delivery. An even better place to work. With a broader client base.
If you have a question for Tim Eckes or the Triad team, please get in touch.
