Creating Client Trust by Solving Problems

Unistrut is like an adult Erector Set – you can build just about anything you can think of. But with endless possibilities comes endless opportunities for mistakes and missteps. As a solutions provider, we often find ourselves working to educate potential clients that they should work with a partner instead of simply a parts provider. A partner has the expertise to work through any confusion and guide a project to the finish line, a crucial resource for any build.  

It may seem counterintuitive, but those challenges and their solutions are where our team proves its worth.  

Building Trust One Challenge at a Time 

As a Regional Construction Sales Manager, any project we land in my region is my responsibility from bid to execution. But despite our meticulous calculations and plans, challenges inevitably arise. Whether it's something as simple as ductwork that wasn't in the original drawings impeding installation or more complex, like a change in scope, a construction project rarely goes exactly according to plan. But just as there are always challenges, there are also always solutions.  

I have found that the most powerful tool at my disposal is my ability to maintain a positive attitude. Keeping a level head, no matter the change of plans, helps our team and client stay focused on the solution rather than the problem. It's not about false positivity; instead, I focus on the realistic solutions to the problem at hand.  

It starts with being honest and upfront with our client. If something has come up that will affect the timeline or budget, I communicate that right away. I make myself available to the client for questions or concerns, and make sure that they have all of the same information that our team does. This transparency, despite what can be a tense situation, helps establish trust between us.  

Timelines are often a client's main concern. When equipment needs to be installed tomorrow, but we can't finish our build today due to setbacks, it can throw things into a panic. But in my career, I have yet to encounter a challenge that didn't have a solution. Knowing that we will solve a problem and focusing on that certainty, instead of the unknowns, helps keep our team and the client from panicking.  

At the end of the day, solving these issues is why we are hired. A client could choose to go with a parts provider who simply supplies their materials and disappears. By working with a partner, they have access to our expertise when something goes wrong. Handling the unexpected is our job.  

Building a Reputation as Problem Solvers 

These troublesome situations often forge the strongest bonds with our clients. By proving that we can handle any hiccup thrown our way, we establish ourselves as the go-to partner for a tricky project. I have many relationships with clients that have developed this way, and if they know they have an upcoming build with unusual requirements or potential for confusion, they come straight to us. Our reputation as problem solvers allows us to provide custom solutions for our clients, no matter the restrictions.  

As with most things in life, a client may not remember the specifics of a problem, but they will remember how our team made them feel. Knowing that our team can not only solve the problem but also do so with a positive and calm attitude is what keeps clients coming back.  

Do you have an unusual or challenging project coming up? Contact our team and see what we can do.