Finding Success by Building Honest Relationships

In my 30+ years with Unistrut, I've been fortunate to develop our successful specialty products division to complement our Unistrut and Sikla lines. Access floors, wire mesh partitions, lockers, and the like are crucial to the functionality of the finished product and seeing these projects through to the finish line is a responsibility we take seriously.  

In my opinion, establishing Unistrut Midwest as a successful partner for specialty products has come down to creating open, honest relationships with our installation partners, general contractors, and clients.  

Building Relationships Beyond Email 

When I started with Unistrut Midwest, there was a lot more face time between partners and clients than there is today. In order to see a proposed plan, I had to go to the general contractor's office, meet the team, and view the plan in person. Now, with the convenience of email and the internet, sharing information is much faster but it eliminates those opportunities for personal interaction.  

You could theoretically get through an entire project without ever meeting the Project Manager or even speaking with them on the phone, communicating solely via email. While that may work for some, I place a lot of importance on establishing an honest relationship with those that I work with and that only happens through more direct communication.  

Whenever I can, I call the project manager and estimator of a project in order to build some rapport. Having a conversation on the phone while still getting the job done lays the foundation for a relationship that is more than just transactional. We also make sure to meet with the estimator and project manager when we head out to sites for field measurements. Meeting people in person goes a long way in getting to know someone.  

Emphasizing Honesty 

After creating a solid foundation through phone calls and in-person visits, I work to maintain those relationships by being upfront and honest. This can be as simple as doing what you say you're going to do. It sounds like common sense, but we've seen too many competitors fall short of their own promises.  

When our team bids a job, we work to make sure there is as little confusion as possible. We bold the things that we're including and are upfront about what isn't included so no one is left wondering. We are always available for questions and advice, and being that helping hand helps establish trust as well.  

These simple but impactful acts have helped us to build a solid reputation in our industry. There are always hiccups in a project but everyone knows that if they partner with us, we will see the project through to completion.  

Growing Our Impact 

Creating and maintaining relationships with our clients and others in the industry has allowed us to recently grow both our team and our territory. Matt Boissy joined us as a project manager to help organize existing projects and acquire new ones. We've picked up installers in new areas, and each new member of the team is committed to our goal of excellent customer service through open communication.  

Our reputation has allowed us to continue to win projects throughout Ohio and we are reaching into surrounding states as well. This gives us an opportunity to establish ourselves all over again. By following our tried and true method of getting to know the contractors and being open and honest with them, I know we will continue to see success.  

Do you have an access floor, locker, or wire mesh partition project that needs some guidance? See what our experienced team can do. Contact us to get started.