A Business Exists to Serve a Customer

Without satisfied and growing customers, nothing else a contractor does will matter.

D. Brown Management

February 11, 2019 2 minute read

Few things are more profitable for contractors than recurring work negotiated with a select group of project owners. That’s why customers are the first key metric on the scoreboard.

Quote: A business exists to serve a customer. Peter F. Drucker

Likewise, few things unite a culture faster than creating an intense focus on the customer in every job role description and evaluation.

Review your stated mission, vision, values, strategy, job descriptions, meeting discussions, evaluations, calendars, and other communications. How often does the customer come into them? Are they framed in a positive or negative manner?

How clear is your market strategy, including your existing top customers and ideal customer profile?

The IKEA Effect for Contractors

The IKEA Effect goes far beyond kitting, prefab, and modularization in construction. The IKEA Effect is a cognitive bias that impacts how teams align and execute, from market strategy and business plans to processes, projects, and even succession.

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Changes - Problem or Fact?

If you perceive that changes are a problem in construction, then you are likely framing them as a point of blaming others. This framing will impact your ability to effectively manage changes.

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Our Principles for Creating Value in Careers, Projects, and Contracting

“As to methods, there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The person who grasps principles can successfully select their own methods. The person who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.” - Harrington Emmerson

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