Deltek ProjectCon 2025 is right around the corner. As the big event we all look forward to each year, Deltek’s conference offers three days of fun, networking, and of course, learning. Thousands of Deltek users come together for the opportunity to participate in hundreds of educational sessions covering a large range of topics. Are you ready to maximize your use of Deltek Vantagepoint?

This year, Deltek ProjectCon will be held in Denver at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center from November 10-12, 2025. As a Silver Sponsor, Full Sail Partners will have a kiosk booth where attendees can stop by to meet up with our crew and talk about the exciting things happening in the world of Vantagepoint.

Elevate Your CRM Strategy with our Expert

Wesley Witsken, Senior CRM Consultant with Full Sail Partners will be showcasing the possibilities of Vantagepoint CRM at his session [VPSPON-01] Elevate Your CRM Strategy: Dashboards, Connectors & AI Innovations in Vantagepoint.

If you are curious about how far you can take Vantagepoint CRM, you will enjoy this learning experience. Wesley will be exploring advanced dashboards and demonstrating how to manage IDIQ and Master Agreements with a custom hub and automate marketing using the HubSpot Connector. Moreover, you will see how AI is changing the game with our InDesign-to-Vantagepoint assistant for faster implementations. Full Sail Partners strives to create innovative solutions for our clients and is thrilled to have Wesley present this year.

Get Pumped for Even More Learning from Your Peers

Interested in more educational opportunities at Deltek ProjectCon 2025? Two of Full Sail Partners’ clients will also be presenting. Cameron Hoffman, Deltek Vantagepoint Administrator, with LSA Associates and Kelly Duquette, Director of ERP Systems, with DCCM will share their expert insight with attendees. There is so much to learn about the capabilities of Deltek Vantagepoint and how your firm can benefit.

Cameron Hoffman, with LSA Associates, will be offering [VP-58] Extend Vantagepoint's Functionality: Unlock the Power of the Vantagepoint API. This hands-on session is designed for developers and technical stakeholders. Here you will learn to unlock the full potential of the Vantagepoint API. Cameron will be exploring the API’s core capabilities, best practices, and real-world use cases. He will show you how to extend Vantagepoint’s functionality, streamline data exchange, and build smarter, more connected solutions that support your organization’s workflows.

Kelly Duquette, with DCCM, will be addressing Multi-Company challenges in her session, [VP-43] Dashboards That Deliver: Transform Your Multi-Company Firm with Vantagepoint Dashboards. If you are tired of repeated report requests from project managers, supervisors, or corporate teams, here you can learn how one multi-company firm used Vantagepoint dashboards to give users instant access to project and employee data with no report running or pushing required. In this session, Kelly will cover the firm’s initial deployment challenges, why they pivoted their approach, and how their dashboard strategy evolved to meet diverse user needs.

And, if you are looking for even more interesting learning experiences at Deltek ProjectCon 2025, plan to attend these additional sessions. Gail Maldonado, CRM Database Manager, with HR Green, Inc. and Stacey Ho, Lead Operations Data Manager with Delve Underground are both experts in their fields. Full Sail Partners has had the pleasure of working with these fabulous Deltek firms and these sessions would be worth your time.

In her session, [VP-12] Drive Action: How to Create Meaningful Dashboards to Support Better Decision-Making, Gail Maldonado, with HR Green, will show attendees how to create dashboards that drive action. She will explain how Vantagepoint dashboards clarify business development (BD) by highlighting key metrics like pursuit workload, win/loss rates, and proposal deadlines. As a Vantagepoint customer, she will show you real examples of how dashboards support decisions and empower BD, marketing, and leadership teams. Moreover, Gail will also demonstrate practical tools, filtering, conditional formatting, calculated fields, and trending, to help you build dashboards that deliver measurable impact.

Stacey Ho, with Delve Underground, is presenting [VP-16] High Five! Five Days to Marketing Success with Vantagepoint. It is difficult to carve out time to manage data when you are juggling priorities, but if you are still using marked-up spreadsheets or manual forms, this session is a must. Stacey will give you five practical tips, one for each day of the workweek, to help Vantagepoint work harder for your marketing team. From campaigns to workflows to feedback, you will learn how to track progress, set reminders, update in real time, and measure results to share with your team.

Keep the Energy Moving at Deltek ProjectCon 2025

With a packed agenda, Deltek ProjectCon 2025 is designed to help clients maximize their use of their Deltek solutions. Users of Vantagepoint will glean their share of knowledge from the multitude of learning sessions by experts and networking with peers. There will be plenty of opportunities to hear case stories of how leading firms have won and delivered successful projects while boosting revenue and productivity.

Alongside all the learning and networking, there is still room for fun too. Don’t forget to stop by the Full Sail Partners’ kiosk booth. We will be past the Pro Services area back by the Modern Lounge in kiosk 23A. Our crew looks forward to speaking with you about Deltek Vantagepoint and you never know what we have up our sleeves. Also, Deltek will be closing out ProjectCon 2025 in true Colorado style, with a night at the National Western Complex. There will be a western-themed welcome and a taste of local cuisine, followed by an exclusive rodeo.

So, ready to pack your bags? We are! See you at ProjectCon 2025 in Denver!

This year’s Deltek Clarity Architecture & Engineering (A&E) Study came on the heels of an unprecedented event with the global pandemic. However, the 42^nd Annual Deltek Clarity A&E Study showed that despite the challenges presented in 2020, many firms were able to persevere by focusing on fundamentals, maintaining contact with clients and managing costs. The move to remote operations, changes in workplace policy, and greater use of technology identified new areas for improving processes. Additionally, the Clarity Study indicated that firms are optimistic about future opportunities and growth potential moving forward.

The 42^nd Annual Deltek Clarity Study collected responses from A&E firms of all sizes in North America based on 2020 fiscal data. Here is an overall look at what was reported this year, but for more detail, the 42^nd Clarity Study can be reviewed in its entirety.

Clarity on Technology Trends

Throughout 2020, firms continued technology adoption and deployment as well as migration to the cloud according to the 42^nd Annual Deltek Clarity A&E Study. The top technology challenges included cost of technology, prioritizing which technologies would be most beneficial and dedicating a champion to evaluate which technologies would achieve firm goals. Furthermore, the Clarity Study noted that firms expect to increase investments in emerging technologies in project management and execution to reimagine ways of working to increase profitability. Not only will finding ways to leverage technologies in project management be important but also teams will need to be well versed in it to utilize it effectively and efficiently to bring significant returns.

Clarity on Financial Statements

Despite the use of tighter controls and leaner spending in 2020, the financial stability of firms was maintained according to this year’s Annual Deltek Clarity A&E Study. The results of the Study indicated that operating profits and utilization rates increased as net labor multiplier went down, and firms demonstrated no material drop-off in the ability to secure projects or maintain a strong pipeline. The key financial challenges for firms addressed in the report were finding and retaining top talent, in addition to driving and managing growth into the future. Learning during the last year, firms went back to basics and focused more on financials leading to improved operational efficiency and increased profitability.

Clarity on Business Development

The results of the 42^nd Annual Deltek Clarity A&E Study noted that business development (BD) resources were being stretched with responsibilities shared among staff, and cross-training employees grew in importance. Another challenge to BD was finding ways to nurture client relationships as in-person meetings and events were cancelled. Furthermore, competition increased for pursuits which caused a slight decline in overall win rates yet electronic proposal submissions freed team members up to focus on other projects. Firms also indicated in this year’s Deltek Clarity Study that they needed to carefully target their marketing efforts to meet client interests and needs. Additionally, using business intelligence (BI) tools and investing in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems would help prevent missed opportunities better positioning firms to win.

Clarity on Project Management

As workers went remote during the pandemic, keeping projects on track became a great concern. Coordinating with clients and keeping teams connected virtually was a new concept and firms needed to come up with a project delivery system that focused on meeting client needs. 2020 did not allow for focusing on enhancing project management best practices or finding experienced talent. Based on the survey results of the 42^nd Annual Deltek Clarity A&E Study, going forward, firms appear to be getting more serious about project management. Firms cannot afford to have project managers (PMs) without the necessary training, and a clearly defined process for PMs will help improve project success. Moreover, visibility into and better understanding of project financials can help PMs analyze performance and manage projects proactively while integrating with accounting staff.

Clarity on Human Capital Management

According to this year’s Deltek Clarity A&E Study, Human Capital Management (HCM) KPI tracking decreased overall in 2020 most likely because managers were having to support a remote workforce. Talent acquisition continues to be a top HCM challenge and firms need to find the right balance between in-office and remote workforce practices. Any steps that firms can take to help make the work/life balance more attractive will benefit future recruiting efforts particularly after a year of remote working. Additionally, investments in talent acquisition and performance management tools will help to tackle the ongoing challenges of recruiting, onboarding and retaining quality staff.

The 42nd Annual Deltek Clarity A&E Study Reports Positive Conditions

Even after a very challenging year, the industry outlook and market conditions are positive based on this year’s Deltek Clarity Study. In order to maintain financial stability and keep projects on track, the study shows that A&E firms focused on the fundamentals and stayed close to their clients. From the experience of this past year, new opportunities for improvement have presented themselves across the board. Firms have shown an interest in investing in the training and development of their PMs which will greatly impact project profitability. Realigning strategic marketing initiatives to incorporate virtual interactions when face-to-face are not always feasible will help firms continue to connect with their clients. Furthermore, firms began to provide remote and flexible work options for their staff which going forward will only encourage retention and attract new talent.

HubSpot offers a marketing automation platform to help firms attract the right audience, convert more visitors into customers and run inbound marketing campaigns. There are over 86,000 users in over 120 countries increasing business with HubSpot. The mission of HubSpot Academy is to transform the way people and companies grow by offering free online trainings for the digital age. From quick, practical courses to comprehensive certifications, those interested can learn about cutting edge business topics and how HubSpot’s built in tools support these business growth strategies.

HubSpot offers a marketing automation platform to help firms attract the right audience, convert more visitors into customers and run inbound marketing campaigns. There are over 86,000 users in over 120 countries increasing business with HubSpot. The mission of HubSpot Academy is to transform the way people and companies grow by offering free online trainings for the digital age. From quick, practical courses to comprehensive certifications, those interested can learn about cutting edge business topics and how HubSpot’s built in tools support these business growth strategies.

“As a marketing professional and an avid HubSpot user, I use this powerful marketing platform to drive Full Sail Partners’ inbound marketing efforts,” stated Ryan Felkel. “Earning the HubSpot Marketing Software Certification demonstrates both mine and Full Sail Partners’ commitment to ensure clients find value from our content.”

On the verge of offering the HubSpot Blackbox Connector for Deltek Vantagepoint and Vision, Full Sail Partners is looking to help clients best utilize HubSpot together with Vantagepoint and Vision. With this certification, Ryan serves as an internal resource to lend his insights on how clients can benefit from using the product. The Blackbox Connector for HubSpot is scheduled to be released the first half of 2021.

“I am very pleased that Ryan chose to pursue the HubSpot Marketing Software Certification to elevate his ability to provide content that is beneficial to our clients and perspective clients. The knowledge he has acquired from the HubSpot Marketing Certification demonstrates his dedication to become an expert on the HubSpot marketing software platform and to provide guidance to our internal team as we finalize the development of our Blackbox Connector for HubSpot,” explained Sarah Gonnella, VP of Marketing and Sales.

For more information, please contact Full Sail Partners’ Marketing and Communications Department. 

Full Sail Partners is excited to announce that it has been chosen again as a recipient of the 2020 Premier Award for Client Satisfaction by PSMJ Resources and Client Savvy, creator of the Client Feedback Tool. This impressive recognition is given to firms in the AEC industry who have gone above and beyond to deliver a truly exceptional client experience. Full Sail Partners is proud of its commitment to provide client-focused technology solutions and services always considering what would work best for each individual firm.

The Premier Award for Client Satisfaction winners are chosen using data from surveys from over 300 firms. Based upon the surveys, firms which really stand out regarding client feedback are given this prestigious distinction. Award recipients are honored at the 2020 PSMJ A/E/C THRIVE – The Growth, Profit, and Performance Summit on October 14-16^th which is held live and online this year.

“Full Sail Partners constantly monitors client feedback through the Client Feedback Tool and knows that a positive client experience can create repeat business and loyalty. However, it’s important to ensure the purpose of the feedback is always about the client. The real power of obtaining client feedback is when clients know you will take the suggestions, learn and apply them,” stated Sarah Gonnella, VP of Marketing and Sales. “We are greatly honored to be one of only 25 firms to be recognized with this Premier Award for Client Satisfaction and continue to look at ways we can improve.”

For more than 40 years, PSMJ Resources, Inc. has been recognized as the leading publishing, executive education, and advisory group devoted completely to improving the business performance of A/E/C organizations worldwide.

Client Savvy works with professional services organizations whose success depends on strong client relationships. Their commitment to clients is to help them align their client experience (CX) strategy, implementation, and measurement initiatives with their top strategic priorities.

“Since 2009, Client Savvy has partnered with PSMJ to recognize the professional services firms around the globe that achieve the highest standards of excellence by the metric hardest to achieve: excellence recognized by a firm’s clients. Of the hundreds of firms that participate in this benchmarking each year, only the top 30 are recognized. Full Sail Partners began their journey several years ago and has now been recognized three years in a row. Full Sail Partners sets the bar by asking for more feedback per staff consultant than any firm we’ve encountered,” stated Ryan Suydam, Chief Experience Officer at Client Savvy.

For more information, please contact Full Sail Partners’ Marketing and Communications Department. 

If you’re an HR or recruiting professional, you’re probably tired and maybe completely annoyed with the overly used and abused term… “war for talent.” Today, we will bury that term deep into a grave with no headstone. Why do you say? Simply, because there isn’t a “war” to win. Instead, let’s think about recruiting like dating and the desire to attract the perfect fit. These days, many people meet their potential mates via relationship sites. Therefore, when a person is looking to find the right match for life, he or she goes to a source of available quality candidates. Shouldn’t a firm look for the best employee to meet its needs using a similar system? So, how does a firm go about finding the right mates for its business purposes?

Utilize Internal Resources to Attract Talent

We’ve all been there - single with a group of friends who want to help us find our soulmate. They always have someone in mind who is the “right” person to match with you, and they know you really well. All that has to happen is the introduction and finding commonality, and bam, you’ve got your fit.

Well, if your role at the firm is to find the right match for business purposes, sometimes the best place to look is internally. You’ll first want to let everyone know what you are looking for so fellow coworkers can be matched with these internal job requisitions. Employees might also know others from outside the firm that are good fits as well. Did you know that studies suggest that new hires sourced from internal referrals lead to reduced time to hire, reduced cost per hire, improved quality of hire and reduced turnover rates?

When internally advertising a new job requisition, here are some items to consider:

• Can your staff easily access this information?
• Are there incentives for employees to recommend your firm to their friends/acquaintances?
• Are these new job requisitions advertised in a way to attract existing employees looking for internal change?

Use Your Website to Evaluate New Talent

Using your company website for matchmaking? That’s a bit creepy if you think about it. But there are people using TV shows to find their potential mates so not too much of a stretch, huh? In a world of fast-moving internet connections, why should firms miss out on “speed dating” for their new job requisitions? Firms want to quickly separate those who may potentially be good fits from those who are absolutely not worth pursuing any further.

Let’s focus on the careers section of your website. Here’s the shocker, and I genuinely ask you to visit with your webmaster to ask what percentage of your website traffic is driven by the careers section. You’d be surprised that up to 50% of your traffic goes to your career page if you’re a professional services firm.  

With that said, your careers section should not be controlled by your on-staff or contract website guru. As the HR or recruiting person at your firm, you want the control to create and update your job requisitions as needed and when needed. You must have a simple format that is easy for potential matches to input the required information. Additionally, you need to be able to track the analytics of this page to know how many are reviewing the job requisition postings and how many of those convert to applying for the advertised open positions. Above all, with these job applications accessible on your website, you should easily be able to evaluate who may jive with firm culture and who is definitely a no-go.

Using Social Media to Connect with New Individuals

“Hey, I’m single and #ready to mingle!” Or better yet, “I’ve never met you before, so let me slide into your DMs.” Believe it or not, this works great for finding a potential romantic mate and for generating interest in your new job requisition. The power of social media is amazing for so many reasons.

First connections see your post, then they share or like your post, and then their friends see and like the post, and from there…it continues to grow. Better yet, your firm probably uses several social media platforms on a daily basis. What better way to attract new talent than harnessing the power of social media? Additionally, social media allows your firm to add personality just like it does for an individual looking for a date or a mate. When using social media, you can make your messaging fun and personify your firm. Just think about the hashtags and who you might want to @ to bring more attention to your job requisition. Once you grab the attention of a perspective candidate, you’ll likely get them to apply.

Stand out Above the Competition on the Web

If you’re tired of being single, you’re likely trying everything you can to attract and find the right mate. This means you’re likely using multiple dating apps and websites. Even more, you are probably using the best photo you can find of yourself for your profile. You want to stand out, right?

Yep, there’s a connection here too with finding the right person for your new job requisition. First off, you probably want to post it to as many job boards as possible. Sure, this takes time, but the more the better, and having the right tools can make cross-posting a new job requisition across multiple job boards simple. It even helps ensure the posting is consistent across all listings. Most importantly, you want your job requisition to stand out among the crowd. Make sure to use exciting job descriptions that emphasize the benefits of working for your firm over the competition. Lastly, you want potential candidates to be able to easily apply for your open position.

Quit Playing Games and Get Serious

Just like dating unimpressive potential suitors, interviewing underqualified or less than desirable talent can be frustrating. Technology has changed how people find dates and potential mates. Similarly, firms have access to better hiring management platforms. For many, the concept of an applicant tracking system (ATS) is nothing new, but people are still unaware of the benefits and the time-saving capabilities that these platforms offer. It is time to get serious about attracting and hiring the best talent for your firm.

While many consider satisfied clients to be the most important factor for a business to be successful, they often overlook the significant contribution that satisfied employees make to the bottom line. Employees need to feel that they are not only a part of the process but see their efforts result in positive results. If employees are left in the dark regarding firm strategies and outcomes, they are more likely to just go through the motions in their jobs rather than be engaged. The best way to make sure your staff is engaged and therefore motivated towards firm success is to set goals. Let’s see what this entails.

Set Clear Expectations

If employees know what they are expected to achieve in their roles, they will be more inclined to work hard. When you clearly state goals and explain the strategic direction your team will be taking, you provide needed guidance which forms a connection. The individual employee goals established should be aligned with the overall firm goals whether short-term or long-term. Short-term goals work particularly well as the results can be more quickly seen by both employees and managers and provide a way to offer more continuous feedback ensuring employee engagement.

Stay SMART

In identifying particular objectives, it is best to be SMART about them. The guidelines for setting goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound. A specific goal should address what is to be accomplished and what resources are involved. A measurable goal looks at when it will be accomplished while achievable focuses on how realistic the goal is. A relevant goal decides if it is timed correctly and if it meets a firm’s current needs. Finally, time bound establishes when the goal should be met. Goal milestones should be set to hold employees and teams accountable, and there should be a way to track the goals using a talent management system like Deltek Talent.

Recognize Employee Impact

Employees want to see how their contributions impact their team and their firm overall, and it is easy to become disillusioned when they cannot see the end result of their actions. With a tracking system in place, managers can show employees what they have accomplished, and employees can understand how their meeting of goals benefits the company at present and down the line. When you recognize the efforts of employees, they feel like they are part of firm success and will be motivated to continue these efforts.

Put a Goal System in Place

Employee engagement is necessary for the success of your firm and setting of goals is the best pathway to ensure such engagement. This way, employees will be informed of their expectations and given an opportunity to show what they can accomplish. Tracking these goals with a talent management system like Deltek Talent will keep employee goals aligned with firm goals and provide a way for employees to see their contributions to firm growth. Put a goal system in place today.

For professional services firms to be successful, they need a client relationship management (CRM) system to help them focus their business development strategies to identify prospective projects and to nurture client relationships to ensure they win new projects. Furthermore, an effective CRM system requires firm employees to use the system and this is not just directed to the business development team. This requires the entire firm to be updating client records to ensure the most up-to-date information is available for business development. However, firms that have invested in a CRM system seem to have a common hurdle which is employee adoption. Here are a few things that can negatively impact user adoption at your firm.

The Lack of Defined Processes

Time and time again, firms roll out a new CRM system with the assumption that it’s just requires switching it on, and it’ll take care of itself. However, this is not the case. Firms need to first start off by identifying what goals they want to achieve so they can actually see results. Once they have their goals identified, a formal process needs to be outlined to ensure the CRM system is utilized in a way the benefits firm and aligns with current marketing and business development procedures. Here are some things to consider when defining a process:

• What is a lead and when does a lead become an opportunity?
• Who has the information at your firm that needs to be entered about a contact?
• Who can update contacts and what can they update?
• What role is responsible for cleaning up the CRM database?
• What reports are required for different roles?

Misguided Goals

Goal setting for business development teams are far too often focused on dollar amounts and win rates. However, this thought process ignores setting goals that align with the firm’s strategy for achieving their targeted dollar amounts and win rates. For example, the sales cycle to win a project for many professional services firms can be months to years depending on the industry. Therefore, having a goal that helps the business development team keep up with touchpoints helps ensure client relationships are being properly managed. So when considering goals, it’s important to develop goals that align with your firm’s strategic client management process.

Picking the Wrong CRM Solution for Your Firm

There are several things to consider when selecting a CRM solution for your firm. Firstly, not all CRM systems are the same and have different capabilities to support different industries. For instance, having a CRM system that integrates with your firm’s accounting and project management platforms is essential for professional services firms. Especially if you want all your firm’s data in one central location and your desire is for people to utilize the CRM system. An example of this is a firm that uses Deltek Vantagepoint or Vision for their accounting and project management, the obvious CRM system selection is Deltek CRM.

Additionally, system integration is great, but having a CRM system that has a friendly user interface is important as well to increase user adoption. By selecting a system that is intuitive and well designed, implementing a CRM adoption directive will most likely succeed across your firm.

Increase CRM Adoption

Many firms struggle with getting employees to adopt a new system. However, this does not have to be the case. By setting goals and processes for different teams within your organization to encourage use, your employees will be able to see the value of the CRM system. Lastly, make sure to point out the fact that a CRM system will help your firm continue to grow and be successful in the future.   

When it comes to your clients, building strong long-term relationships is priority. The quality of these relationships can make or break your business. Most importantly, clients desire an overall exceptional client experience. Two main factors should be considered when creating the optimal intentional experience for your clients. First, culture is a huge part of how a client feels when interacting with your company. Employees that are motivated and in good spirits provide great client service. Second, having an established process in place for your employees can lead to improved organization and consistency. Let’s take a deeper look at the intentional client experience and see how it benefits your company.

Intentional Client Experience Begins With a Plan

Some of the best client experiences simply begin with a good plan. One that is authentic and meaningful in your communication with your client is important. You can simply magnify the client experience through touchpoints that each add up to an overall exceptional client experience. Many clients these days expect more than the basic customer support. They want to feel significant and satisfied when they deal with your company. The intentional client experience has a clear mission with defined steps leading clients to have a great experience.

Intentional Client Experience Takes Being Client Centric

You want your clients to have a positive experience pre- and post-sale in order to drive repeat business. So not just offering great customer service but nurturing lasting relationships is tantamount to success. By understanding your clients and their needs, you can predict how they are going to react to certain things. This knowledge will help you figure out key touchpoints to keep those clients on track. You can look at client data to understand buying behaviors and to see their areas of interest and engagements. Intimately knowing your clients, you can also track places of opportunities to enhance client service and experience.

Intentional Client Experience Leads to Efficiency

The intentional experience leads to efficiency while prioritizing client experience. It reduces face-to-face interactions without compromising how the client is feeling. Using digital touchpoints, your company can skillfully keep clients happy. You can anticipate client needs and establish protocols. For example, if specific clients want to stay up to date on your company’s activities, then you can make sure they are signed up for notifications. In knowing exactly what your clients want, you save a lot of time.

Intentional Client Experience Ensures Positive Client Feedback

By creating a client tailored service, clients are getting what they want more quickly. Intentionally staying on top of client needs will lower the amount of negative comments and complaints a company may get. If your company receives complaints, taking these and tweaking your intentional pathway can certainly help your firm improve client satisfaction and promote positive feedback.

Maximize Revenue With Intentional Client Experience

The intentional client experience is an efficient, needs oriented and positive scenario for your clients which reduces frustrations among your employees. By eliminating opportunities for failure and reason for complaints, employees are more driven to create that amazing relationship with their clients. Satisfied employees that continue to offer fantastic customer service with an overall exceptional experience helps ensure clients continue to conduct business with your firm thus maximizing revenue. With constant advancements in determining client satisfaction such as the Client Feedback Tool, every company should be able to create the intentional client experience.