Compete Smarter, Not Harder: Why the Best Don’t Trash Competitors, They Outserve Them
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s this: competition in construction isn’t going anywhere. This isn’t knitting scarves in your spare time. There’s no do-over when a stitch is missed. In construction, everything’s moving fast, complex and exposed to risk. You’re not just managing a project, you’re managing a minefield.
But here’s where most folks get it wrong: they aim their competitive energy at taking down the other company. “We’re cheaper than them.” “We’re faster than them.” “We’re not them.” That’s not strategy, that’s insecurity with a marketing budget.
If you want to win in this business (not just survive but actually thrive) you need to shift the battlefield. Stop obsessing over the competition and start obsessing over your client’s success.
That’s the playbook of a true Contractor of Choice.
That’s the mindset of a Trusted Advisor. And yes, I’m referencing the legendary framework from The Trusted Advisor by Maister, Green and Galford. One of their most powerful ideas? “Show a strong competitive drive, not aimed at competitors, but at finding new ways to be of greater service to the client.”
But it’s not just lip service. Let’s look at how that mentality wins business and makes you more profitable.
P.S. – This isn’t just about company priorities. You as an individual can be the employee of choice with the exact same mentality.
Be the One They Want, Not Just the One Who Was Low Bid
Let me throw some stats at you:
In a recent FMI study, 57% of high-trust contractors said 80% of their work came from repeat clients. Meanwhile, average-trust contractors? Only 42% reached that level.
Contractors with high client trust achieved gross profit margins 2–7% higher than their peers. In many areas of construction, that’s double the profit.
Repeat clients don’t just call you back, they call you first. And that means less time chasing work and more time executing it profitably.
You can’t brute force your way into that kind of position by underbidding everyone or flexing your equipment fleet. You earn it by being relentlessly valuable: by becoming someone the client actually wants in the room when decisions are being made.
In other words, stop trying to be the lowest bid and start being the highest impact.
What Being a Trusted Advisor Looks Like on the Jobsite
Ok, let’s be real, “trusted advisor” sounds like something you’d hear in a bank lobby, not a job trailer. But it’s not about how you dress or what your business card says. It’s how you show up.
Here’s what it means on site:
You solve problems before they become problems. You don’t wait to be told what’s wrong: you bring solutions to the table before anyone else knows they’re needed.
You focus on the client’s business, not just the building. You understand how delays affect their operations. You ask how the facility will be used five years from now. You care about their goals beyond this one project.
You tell the truth, even when it hurts. You don’t sugarcoat schedule slips or gloss over risk. You’re the one saying, “We need to talk about the impact of that design change.” Not the one hoping no one notices.
You leave behind a reputation, not just a project. Long after the ribbon is cut, your name still carries weight in their boardroom because you made their life easier, not harder.
Sound familiar? That’s not just client service. That’s strategy.
How to Compete by Being Better, Not Just Cheaper
Alright, so practically speaking, what are we talking about doing here? If you’re ready to compete smarter, by delivering value instead of just punching down, here are five things to start doing today (if you aren’t already):
1. Invest in Relationships, Not Just Bids
Stop treating every job like a one-night stand. Build long-term client partnerships. Know their business, their pain points and their people. Trust is the only real differentiator in a commoditized industry.
2. Proactively Add Value
Don’t wait for an owner to ask, “Is there a better way to do this?” Come to the table with ideas such as cost-saving alternatives, schedule improvements or lifecycle efficiencies. Be the one who sees around corners.
3. Train Your Team to Think Like Owners
From superintendents to PMs, everyone should know the client’s “why.” If your team doesn’t understand the project’s business case, they can’t act in the client’s best interest. Educate them. Empower them.
4. Become Easy to Work With
Winning the job is one thing. Being a pleasure to work with during the job is what gets you the next one. Communicate well, respond quickly and be flexible without being a pushover. Make the client look good in their own organization.
5. Measure What Matters
Don’t just track budget and schedule, track client satisfaction. Conduct post-mortems with the client, not just internally. Ask what could have gone better and listen without defensiveness. Then fix it.
A Competitive Mindset Isn’t About Ego, It’s About Excellence
Here’s the hard truth: If your only goal is to beat the person next to you, you’ll never rise above the herd. You know it. I know it. Yet the attraction is still strong to find a way to cut one more dollar from the bid, one more week from the schedule.
But, if instead you make your goal to outserve every other contractor in your client’s contact list? That’s when you become the go-to partner. That’s when you get called in early, win negotiated work and stop having to prove your worth on every bid.
And guess what? That’s where the money is. That’s where the margins improve. That’s where your company grows. That’s where you as an employee succeed. Not because you shouted the loudest, but because you delivered the best.
The construction industry doesn’t need more competition. It needs more trusted advisors who compete with intention. More people who wake up every day asking, “How can I be of even greater value today than I was yesterday?”
That’s a competitive edge no one else can copy.
Want to be a contractor (or employee) of choice? Be the kind of professional clients trust to tell it straight, think ahead and make them better. Compete with integrity. Serve with obsession. And build the kind of reputation that low bids can’t touch.
Now go get it.
Construction is cool, tell your friends!