Gavin Frost, owner of Frost Construction, discusses why presentation and professionalism are key to the company’s high rate of repeat business.
At Frost Construction, quality and customer care have always been our top priorities. For over 10 years we’ve built a reputation in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the surrounding areas for delivering quality extensions, conversions, and new builds. But what truly sets us apart from other builders is our unique approach, something our clients have come to appreciate and trust.
Unlike quite a few construction companies who subcontract out all work to other companies and focus solely on project management, we pride ourselves on having a close-knit network of highly skilled individual tradespeople. This core group covers all the trades, and they know the person who will be in after them, ensuring quality workmanship. Our clients appreciate that we’re not a faceless company sending in random untested workers. We’re on-site, we’re friendly, and we’re consistent.
Professionalising the business
My path into construction is quite unusual as I did a degree in marketing before getting into the trade. It’s probably also why I think about the importance of presentation in how we run our business. First impressions matter – and in our area of the UK, where we’re fortunate to work with some very affluent customers – how we present ourselves can be just as important as the quality of our work.
With this in mind, about 18 months ago, we started using Build Aviator’s estimating services to improve how we present our estimates. Before using Build Aviator, our quotes were basic and not very appealing. We just exported them from our invoicing system. While they worked, they didn’t look great, and our clients found them hard to understand.
We looked into other options and found Build Aviator’s Executive package. This package stood out to us because it offered a professional, branded report. It wasn’t just about the numbers; it was about making those numbers easy to understand and visually attractive. We also worked with a graphic designer through Build Aviator to make the reports match our brand, including our company logo, images, social media links, and accreditations.
Each report also includes the client’s plans, which adds a nice professional touch, plus it’s tailored to the client’s needs. We find they don’t need to know every little detail, like how many screws we’ll use. What’s most important to them is the timeline and the costs at each stage of the project. To help, the report includes a timeline and detailed stage payments, which answer most of our clients’ questions.
Understanding our clients
My marketing background also means I think about who our customer is and, specifically, who the decision maker is.
When we started working with Build Aviator, we wanted to make sure the estimating report resonated with our audience, so we conducted a focus group, including previous clients, my partner, and friends. Their feedback helped us refine the report style to ensure it was clear, comprehensive, professional and visually appealing too.
Building trust and comfort
We also find that our clients, especially those with young families, want to feel safe and comfortable with the people who will be working in their homes. This is another area where Build Aviator’s professional reports can help as by presenting ourselves professionally right from the quote stage, we can start to build that trust.
Before starting a project, our entire team also meets the client. We wear company uniforms, introduce ourselves, and explain that we’ll be there throughout the project. This personal touch is crucial—it shows that we’re making an effort, spending time to reassure them, and emphasising that they are in good hands.
By taking the time to really think about our customer base and how we present ourselves, we’ve grown our business to include many high value, high-end projects, but moreover, to a point where we’ve got repeat customers. Today, we’re proud that most of our new projects stem from repeat customers, which is a testament to the quality of our work and service.
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