Strong client relationships are built on partnership, trust, and consistency, from the first project to the fiftieth—and beyond.
By Greg Dunkle, Chief Operating Officer, STO Building Group
Construction is a people business. Yes, we build physical structures, but strong relationships undergird every project we deliver.
Our approach to client relationships is rooted in partnership, trust, and consistency. When we meet with a potential first time client, we’re not just thinking about winning a job. We’re thinking about building a relationship that can take us from the first project to the fiftieth—and beyond.
I speak regularly with STOBG leaders who have built long-standing relationships with our enterprise clients. We continually review success stories and discuss strategies for strengthening our client-first approach. Here are three key takeaways from our conversations.
1. Strong partnerships lead to stronger results.
Partnerships don’t happen by accident. They are built through commitment and follow through. That’s where we excel. According to Matt Sarver, executive vice president of STOBG East, partnership means thinking beyond the job.
I’ve always approached our clients as if they’re a client for life,” MATT SARVER SAYS. “It’s more than the project. It’s getting to know their culture and what drives their business. On our most successful projects, we are able to connect with our client in many ways.”
Eric Nay, executive vice president of Layton’s National Building Group, echoes that idea, emphasizing the importance of problem solving and foresight.
“It boils down to a few key questions,” Nay says. “How do you take a front seat as a partner with your clients? How do you solve problems for them? And
are you looking around the corner for challenges that may come up? The most important thing for our clients is finding a trustworthy, reliable partner that can be predictable.”
A genuine partnership is a two-way street. Jay Smith, president of Ajax Building Company, says building lasting relationships comes from communicating
our culture and values to our clients. “We have a third-generation family culture at Ajax,” Jay says. “We tell our clients that once we work with them, we want them to be part of our family. When we start a relationship, it’s built for a lifetime. We provide solutions that go outside the box. We think as if we’re building
it for ourselves.”
2. Trust is earned—and lost—at every stage.
Trust is the foundation of every strong relationship. Transparency is how we earn it.
Ed Hanzel, senior vice president of LF Driscoll, has seen firsthand how transparency builds confidence during more than 25 years working in the healthcare sector.
“We’ve earned projects because of the confidence our clients have in us as a team and our ability to support them, but also to do that in a transparent way,” Ed says. “That’s always been our culture. We’re an open book. We don’t hide anything from the owner, and that’s helped us gain their confidence.”
Hanzel adds that trust has carried relationships through leadership transitions and other organizational changes.
“We’ve maintained relationships due to familiarity with us, trust in us, and the consistency of the people we provide, from preconstruction to project management.”
Nay sees a similar dynamic play out with his clients, even in the difficult moments.
“I want clients to trust us to be a solution provider,” he says. “I love that some of our clients say when they have a really difficult project, they come to Layton. That is such a compliment. It means they really trust our opinion and know we care about them.”
3. You’re only as good as your last project.
This is one of the most common refrains I hear in our industry. It doesn’t matter how many successes came before if your most recent project misses the mark.
Our teams push not only for consistency, but consistent improvement in how we do business.
“Every time you do something, you’ve got to set the bar even higher the next time,” Jay says. “It’s a challenge for your project teams to think through what we can do this time. When we celebrate success with our clients after completion, we also look at the lessons learned. We ask what we could have done better and take note of what the client wishes we would have done.”
Matt Sarver underscores the importance of adaptability. Consistency doesn’t mean keeping things the same—it means demonstrating reliability in the face of challenges.
“How do you adapt? Can you be flexible when challenges come? Every project that we do has challenges. We make sure we’re consistently adapting and providing solutions to those challenges.”
In the end, consistency is how we show who we are: steadfast partners who stay focused on delivering for our clients, each and every time.