Landscape Architect Articles

ASLA Reveals Finding from Annual Business Survey05-30-18 | Association News

ASLA Reveals Finding from Annual Business Survey
Mixed Findings Are Still On Par With Previous Years

The ASLA conducts the Business Quarterly survey every fiscal quarter. While it is not intended to be statistically significant, the ASLA wants to provide a snapshot of the industry.

Landscape architecture firms are getting a mixed picture for business in 2018, according to the Business Quarterly survey conducted by the ASLA.

In the survey, leading indicators were positive, with reports of work inquires and plans to hire increasing, but billable hours dropped. The drop in billable hours may be a temporary setback, and the results still remain consistent with the previous years findings.

In the inquires for work category, 85.1 percent of respondents reported they had a substantially higher number. This was an increase from 84.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2017.

Approximately 66 percent of firms with two or more employees said they plan to hire during the second quarter of 2018.

At firms with 100 or more employees, respondents to the survey said they would hire an experienced landscape architect or an entry-level landscape architect.

Another trend indicated by the survey was the use of marketing. A majority of the responding firms confirmed they employed a marketing person.

Firms also confirmed the use of 3D technologies in providing an accurate presentation to clients and potential clients.

The survey will be conducted again in the second quarter of 2018.