I recently joined a discussion of this issue through a listserve to which I belong. Someone had posted looking for suggestions as to where on a proposal's organization chart would be the best place to add this person. I wrote two suggestions for placement and clicked "send." I thought that would be the end of it.
But no!
My mind kept returning to the question, and the more I thought about it, the more I was convinced that a client liaison has no place on a proposal's organization chart. As far as I am concerned, it doesn't matter who the client is or what the project might be.
I believe very strongly that it is one of the proper functions of the project manager to take care of the client during the project. And I believe that the person selected as principal in charge is generally the manager of that particular client relationship.
Therefore, if one takes the view that client liaison is a marketing- or business development-type position, there is no need to put that person on the organization chart because his/her function has no bearing on how the project will actually be executed.
Further, if you DO put that position on the organization chart, regardless of placement, the client might infer that he or she must go through the client liaison to get to the project manager or principal in charge. However, every client I have ever met wants to have DIRECT ACCESS to the project manager, and if/when they have a problem with the project manager, they want DIRECT ACCESS to the Principal in Charge to resolve the problem.
If I were a client looking at the anticipated project staffing and organization in a proposal, the inclusion of a client liaison on the organization chart might make me wonder if my project was going to be used to support a senior administrative or management person who would not be making any real technical or other contribution to my project.
In that case, I would probably set that proposal aside and give it no further consideration. IF I DID READ THE PROPOSAL, and actually found something superior about it, something that caused me to short-list that firm, one of my major goals for the interview would be to obtain a detailed definition of the services the client liaison would provide.
IF THE SHORT-LIST PRESENTATION AND Q&A SESSION WERE SO SUPERIOR that I selected that firm to undertake my project, removal of the client liaison from the organization chart would be part of my negotiation strategy. I would not want to leave a position on the organization chart that might come between me and my project manager or project principal.
If a firm wants to have a client liaison person to help project managers and principals take good care of their clients, or to provide training for new project managers on how to provide good client care, that is admirable. Anything that helps appropriate staff learn to better care for their clients is a good thing for business. Especially when it is invisible to the client.
But I believe that having a client liaison person who might take over these responsibilities, separate a project manager or principal from the need to manage client relationships, and have a direct relationship with clients as such a liaison, is not a good thing for any A/E/C firm.
"Cowjunto Music"
(Austin downtown cow-art collection)