In the previous part to this series, I made the claim that customers look towards the subcontractors to find the best "expert" in the field (or group of them) and then select from that group.  I also stated that the group of "experts" are not truly "experts".  Let me clarify that statement, amongst those of us that know something about the Specialty Subcontracting trade (be it mechanical, electrical, concrete, etc), we would not consider any of the so called "experts" to be true "experts" in their field, they are like us.  Each of us know what we are doing and have proven a level of proficiency that is typically better than larger population of similar trades.  Thus I am saying that any mechanical contractor is an expert.  Let's really put this into perspective, more than 2 billion people on this planet will never get plumbing, heating, electrical, or a concrete floor, let alone the ability to ask us what we do.  Subcontractors are the ones that brought about modernity as we know it and will continue to increase each person's quality of living as we do more and more work.  I am not sure that any other profession can claim their ability to change the human condition as much as we can.  That is saying something and should not be discounted.

So if we are all experts, then why does someone win the project over another?  Trust.  To the customer, what we do is confusing, specialized, and critical.  They are not going to give that to just anyone.  If you had to have brain surgery would you care what it cost?  Would you look for the most caring surgeon?  Or would you look for the person that you trusted was the best to get it done.  We are not brain surgeons, but we are damn close.

When you go out to sell your next job, look at it from the clients perspective of trust.  If you can walk out of there instilling in them that you can accomplish the project, in the scheduled time, within a competitive range, you have earned his trust.  And trust is what separates winning a job from the rest of the experts in our fields.