PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
ON TIME
& BUDGET
Taylor Bennett Case Study
Taylor Bennett is a leader in Executive Search for the communications industry. Over the last three decades the company has filled more than 1,400 roles in PR and communications. Their enduring success relies on an ethos of uncompromising excellence reflected in their extremely high placement rate and exemplary levels of repeat and referral business.
Taylor Bennett along with its sister companies, Heyman Associates and Taylor Bennett Heyman, bring together almost 60 years of experience of successful placements in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Australasia.
Challenges
After 10 years in its current building, and with the plan to renew its lease for a further 10 years, Taylor Bennett knew that its building needed to be refurbished. As a client focused business, Taylor Bennett’s meeting spaces needed to be functional and presentable, but also the staff spaces needed to work better for the company – reflecting the way the organisation currently works, and adaptable to how it sees itself working in the future.
The number of staff hadn’t outgrown the building, but the use of space was not economical. Office spaces needed to be updated – removing large old desks for big computers and file storage that was no longer needed. Taylor Bennett’s meeting spaces also required a makeover to better reflect the high-quality work it delivered to its clients.
Taylor Bennett needed a partner who could help them with the refurbishment project, from start to finish. They wanted a team who understood every element of the brief; planning stages, logistical paperwork (license of alterations, dealing with the council etc.), space planning, the look of the new spaces, furniture, building works and crucially the budget. But also, understood them as a business and what they were trying to achieve. Taylor Bennett needed to continue to work in the building throughout the refurbishment and so high calibre and thoughtful builders and engineers were essential to maintaining business as usual.
“We knew that the job was going to get completed by professionals who we trusted with the project.”
Taylor Bennett, Office Manager.
Highlights
SynergyGroup were instructed by Taylor Bennett to undertake, via our project fulfilment partners – a turnkey solution for the re-design of its Marylebone offices. As a leading partner to the PR and communications industry, where reputation and public profile are central, the re-design of Taylor Bennett’s corporate space had significant profile. The project required extensive planning and seamless execution combined with ongoing client engagement. The scope of the project included:
– Office interior design, space planning, budgeting and building consent.
– Project management of contractors and building works.
– Installation of IT, new furniture and office equipment.
– Maintenance of business as usual (BAU) operation during the refurbishment.
Solution – Finding a partner
This was Taylor Bennett’s first office refurbishment project so it used word of mouth to identify a partner – finding personal recommendations matter a great deal with projects like this. SynergyGroup came via a contact at another Executive Search firm that had worked with them previously. It appears that other companies that were considered seemed to be more focused on the aesthetics such as paint colour, or fabrics for Taylor Bennett.
Taylor Bennett chose SynergyGroup because they could help them plan the entire project – helping figure out the requirements and how to get there within a requisite budget. Synergy Group helped Taylor Bennett to carefully balance the cost of client focused improvements compared to staff only improvements – working multiple budget options with elements taken in and out.
“We needed someone who looked at the project overall and helped us come up with realistic budget numbers which we could stick to. Obviously paint colours are important, but in the early planning stages, we needed help creating the bigger overall picture.”
Taylor Bennett,
Office Manager
“We needed someone who looked at the project overall and helped us come up with realistic budget numbers which we could stick to. Obviously paint colours are important, but in the early planning stages, we needed help creating the bigger overall picture.”
Taylor Bennett,
Office Manager
The Outcome
With SynergyGroup’s help Taylor Bennett completed the re-design of its Marylebone offices within the 12-week timeframe. Moving their staff kitchen from a hallway into an entire room, relocating rooms, upgrading client areas and adding hot desks. Whilst upgrading phone systems, IT equipment and communications. Taylor Bennett say that the new look office is a nicer place to be both for visitors to the building but also for its staff.
“It makes us look even more professional, capable and sophisticated. Staff benefit from being in a healthier environment, both with the updated work spaces, but also having a larger kitchen to have internal meetings and breaks away from their desks. Due to the nature of our refurb, each member of staff had to clear out their desks, folders etc. and learn to downsize. This has made us much more efficient with our work on a day to day basis.”
Taylor Bennett, Office Manager.
When asked what, they found most helpful about SynergyGroup, Taylor Bennett reflected that it was Synergy’s holistic approach and their ability to bring in experts in specific areas from building works, carpets, furniture and special design. This helped achieve the best solution within a defined budget.
“We would very much recommend Synergy to others and would be happy to be a reference going forward. They have knowledge over various fields – refurb, phones, IT, which makes sure all elements of any project would be considered and addressed if needed. Leon and Lee took personal responsibility for the project, we always felt we could talk to them about any issues and they would be helpful in resolving them. Once we started the 12-week refurbishment project, our initial on site project manager fell ill and immediately Lee stepped in. They appointed a new project manager who caught up on the project quickly and the whole process worked seamlessly.”
Taylor Bennett, Office Manager.
Since the refurb, Taylor Bennett has updated its printers to improve functionality but also to better integrate within the new spatially efficient layout. They are also looking forward to utilising the newly created hot desking space and are considering greater use of cloud computing.
“Synergy were great at facilitating all elements of the project and we would be confident in suggesting them to others.”
Taylor Bennett, Office Manager.
