Engineering Management Institute

sustainability

Three Situations Where Customers Are Not Always Right

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This is a guest post by Nader Mowlaee

CustomersYou must have heard this phrase before: “The customer is always right.” And chances are you have assumed that it applies to everyone and every business. However, based on my experience, there are three situations where this is not the case. In this article, I would like to share those situations with you so you won’t be negatively affected by misplaced beliefs or false expectations.

The idea or purpose behind this saying is to improve the quality of service we offer to everyone, whether they are purchasing products or services from us (external customers) or working on the same team as us (internal customers). However, over the last few years, I’ve seen many cases where internal and external customers have quoted this phrase to bend the truth a bit or break a rule. Here are three situations where the idea of,  “the customer is always right,” is wrong.

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TECC 253: Four Ways to Increase Efficiency in Your Engineering Business

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Four Ways to Increase Efficiency in Your Engineering Business

In this episode, we talk to Andrea Dallan, an engineer, an entrepreneur, and CEO of Dallan Spa, an Italian family business about efficiency and sustainability in manufacturing. Andrea will list four specific aspects that you can implement in your firm to improve efficiency in your engineering business.  The strategies can be applied in one’s career as well.

Engineering Quotes:

efficiency - Andrea Dallan Tweet This

efficiency - Jeff Perry Tweet this

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed on How to Increase Efficiency in Your Engineering Business:

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Sustainability and the Fourth ‘R’

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I learned at a young age the three Rs that are commonly related to sustainability: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. But I believe there is one more very important “R” that is missing, and that is Responsibility. Engineering is a caring profession, and specifically civil engineering stresses that we protect and advance the welfare of the public. As such, we have the responsibility to manage our personal consumption as well as the consumption of resources in the projects we work on. 

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TWiCE 09: This Week in Civil Engineering – Robot Detects & Assess Potholes

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Robot

Welcome to This Week in Civil Engineering (TWiCE), the first weekly audio and video podcast covering weekly news stories and events related to civil engineering and its sub-disciplines. In this week’s episode we provide you with the latest news in the Civil Engineering industry including covering how the University of Liverpool announced that it has formed a new spin out company – Robotiz3d Ltd – focused around a robot that has the potential to radically transform road maintenance.

Breaking News in Civil Engineering:

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TCEP 153: Concrete Trends and Career Development Strategies for Civil Engineering Professionals

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Concrete Trends

In this episode of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk to Ron Burg, P.E., the Executive Vice President of the American Concrete Institute, also known as ACI. Ron discusses some interesting trends in the world of concrete, but also provides some important strategies for career development for civil engineering professionals based on his long and successful career journey.

Engineering Quotes:

concrete trends

concrete trends

Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Ron:

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TSEC 06: The Emotional Side of Structural Engineering

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In episode 06 of The Structural Engineering Channel podcast, we talk to Zohaib Alvi, P.E. who is a civil, structural, and forensic engineer and principal of za/engineering. We talk about sustainability in structural engineering and more specifically about the emotional side of structural engineering and how important it is to embrace and understand it as an engineer.

Engineering Quotes:

Emotional Side of Structural Engineering

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Zohaib in This Episode:

  • Where did your interest in sustainability come from?
  • In terms of policies, guidelines and regulations – has it been reflected in codes and guidelines in the recent history?
  • Can you give us an example of how resiliency needs to start with us?
  • How does smart technology play into all these trending issues?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About the Emotional Side of Structural Engineering

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TSEC 03: Here’s Why Base Isolation is Rarely Used in the United States — It Doesn’t Sell Units

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base isolation

In this episode of The Structural Engineering Channel podcast, we will be taking to Ronald O. Hamburger, SE who is a Senior Principal at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger and Evan Reis, SE, co-founder of the U.S. Resiliency Council. We will be talking about recent articles in the New York Times on the concept of base isolation, including the article: Buildings Can Be Designed to Withstand Earthquakes – Why Doesn’t the U.S. Build More of them?

Engineering Quotes:

base isolation

base isolation

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Our Guests in This Episode:

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Why Engineers Might Consider Opportunities in Construction Fields

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This is a guest blog by Holly Welles

Construction Fields

The automotive, aeronautical and electronics industries are all popular among engineering graduates, however, as a recent graduate, it’s essential to explore the full spectrum of possibilities. While you likely have preferences and priorities, you shouldn’t limit yourself by your expectations. There’s no set path you need to follow.

With this in mind, you should consider seeking opportunities within the construction field. It’s an excellent field for engineers, and there’s always demand for professionals with a specific set of skills and abilities. More than that, the necessity of construction ensures its value far into the future.

Presently, you might be curious about what engineering in construction fields entails. I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the subject, touching on three reasons why you should research the industry and review your options. Consider the following…

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TCEP 107: How to Achieve Sustainable Innovation in Development Projects

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TCEP 107: How to Achieve Sustainable Innovation in Development Projects

In this episode, I talk with Chris Chi Lon Wan, the head of design of Masdar City, UAE. We had a great conversation around design management and how to achieve sustainable innovation in development projects

Engineering Quotes:

Sustainable

Here are some of the questions I asked Chris about sustainability:

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TECC 188: Taking Action – A Bike Ride for Sustainability

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Taking Action - A Bike Ride for Sustainability

In this episode, I speak with Professor Jim Tinjum, who is the Associate Chair of the Department of Engineering Professional Development at University of Wisconsin-Madison. We talk about his roughly 1300-mile, 14-day bike trip across the Upper Midwest and what made him decide to take this bike ride for sustainability.

Engineering Quotes:

Sustainability

Sustainability

Here are the top 10 reasons why Jim decided embark on a bike ride for sustainability:

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