Consistently delighted customers are more likely to:

• Approve your scope and contract terms
• Approve your Schedule-of-Values (SOV)
• Approve your progress billings
• Proactively communicate with you and help you solve any problems with your billings
• Bend the “Rules” to help get you paid

Unhappy customers will tend to do the opposite.  They will tend to focus on doing the bare minimum to meet their contractual obligations and internal policies.    

While it is easy to narrowly define the “Customer” it will accelerate your cash flow significantly if you broaden your definition.  There are dozens of people on every project that have some hand large and small in getting you paid. Don’t overlook everyone from inspectors who might be reviewing your construction progress to accounts payable who is ensuring your compliance documentation is all in order.