Taking Back the Market: Equipping Glaziers to Compete in Division 10

The first article in this series explained the difference between Division 8 and Division 10 specifications. It clarified the reasons why the fast-growing Division 10 market has excluded most glaziers.

The second article identified different categories of manufacturers who provide demountable walls, and reviewed some of the essential features to consider when choosing a product line.

This third and final article illustrates the roles of key influencers in the sale of demountable walls. It will help glaziers identify existing relationships as possible avenues into Division 10 work, and to understand how to develop a value proposition for competing in Division 10.

Catch up on this series

Part 1: Understanding the Master Spec, and how Division 10 came to be.

Part 2: Who manufacturers demountable partitions, and which products glaziers should consider.

Who Is Involved in the Decision to Buy Demountable Walls?

Demountable walls are typically just one component of a comprehensive design and furniture purchase process. A lot of influencers surround these purchases.

As illustrated above, customers are traditionally the decision makers. Other players have varying degrees of influence. Furniture dealers, manufacturers, and independent sales rep firms exert considerable influence due to regional/national sales agreements and proactive sales methods. The customer/end-user typically relies on an A&D firm and/or a real estate broker to choose a building location. Then, the A&D firm and dealer are usually the biggest influencers of product selection and design.

Notice that the glazier occupies the position furthest away from the customer. In this traditional structure, glaziers are a commodity service provider to the general contractor. They typically do not have any influence on the customer or the product selection. They respond to bid opportunities from general contractors. Price, and resources to execute the job within the time constraints of the project, are usually the factors that decide if a glazier wins the job.

When Is the Product Decision Made?

By the time a bid is issued, it’s too late to significantly influence the sale. A glazier who wants to sell and install demountable walls in Division 10 must build proactive relationships rather than rely on reactive bid responses to general contractors.

As illustrated in the diagram below, all projects follow a similar project path, which starts with planning and ends with construction. A&D firms have the most impact, given they are involved with the entire process. The distributor carries the second highest level of impact on demountable wall selection, given they are typically involved throughout the project from planning through installation.

The glazier’s challenge is to move from the bid portion of the sales process to at least the design development portion. Essentially, the glazier must replace the dealer/distributor for the demountable walls portion of the project.

What Does a Glazier Have to Do Differently to Win Division 10 Business?

The most important step in this process is to choose which portion of the market in which to compete. Not all business is driven by the same priorities.

Here’s the key thing: relationships with A&D firms, building owners and general contractors drive opportunities and success in Division 10.

Above: The Pimms model describes how companies can leverage existing relationships with existing products. It’s understandably more difficult to sell new products, and to sell to new customers that do not have an existing relationship with the company.

Here are some good steps to take to understand this model more clearly.

• Make a list of all recent projects.
• Identify the decision-making and/or key influencer relationships for those projects. Who chose to work with you? Was it the general contractor? A&D firm? End user or building owner?
• Why was the project successful?

Now look at the list again. Where are your strongest, most consistent relationships? As shown above, the best chance of breaking into the Division 10 demountable wall market will come from leveraging existing relationships. It will take time and effort, but the relationship will open the door to future opportunities.

Here’s what needs to happen next.

• Understand what motivates your best relationships. What matters to end users? To A&D firms? To general contractors? A glazier must understand the priorities. The A&D firm is most concerned about aesthetics and product performance, as well as the ability of a supplier to deliver as promised and protect their reputation. The general contractor, however, is most concerned about on-time, complete installation and great communication. Each role is different, and their definition of success can vary widely.
• Define a value proposition. A glazier must be able to articulate a compelling reason why the traditional, entrenched model should be changed. That starts with understanding needs, and then learning to position a solution that neutralizes other competitors out of the demountable wall portion of the project.
  • Hint #1: having in-house, trained installers who are certified on the product is a big part of the story. Many competitors, typically a non-glazier, outsource installation resources to do the work. That means they don’t have complete control over the outcome.
  • Hint #2: Division 10 distributors typically set higher profit margins on demountable walls to help offset their lower-margin product lines and the cost of outsourced resources. Offering an attractive and price-competitive product will give your key influencer contacts a reason to bring you and your solution to the table.
• Choose a product line that supports your value proposition. Use article two from this series to start narrowing down the options. Make sure that the product solution supports the value proposition and addresses the most important needs of your key relationships.
• Strengthen and build relationships. Glaziers need to build deep strategic partnerships with A&D firms, developers, and corporate facility managers to support their needs and processes. Sales professionals who understand the market can do this work the best. Hiring someone with existing relationships will jump-start your success.
• Prove yourself. Go all out to win a few small jobs and demonstrate that you can fulfill all the expectations of your key relationship holder. Actions, as usual, will speak louder than words. There will be some painful learning, but it’s better to have that happen on small jobs than large ones!

Take Back the Market!

Interior glass walls are embedded in almost every interior building design. These projects come with challenges. They require careful estimating, detailed project management, and highly skilled installers. Executing a job right takes time. Doing it poorly can quickly turn a profitable project into a losing proposition.

However, glaziers who understand and embrace the demountable wall business opportunity, sales process, and strategy can take back a large portion of the interior wall market. Demountable wall business is profitable. It’s growing. The current competitors do not expect glaziers to change their selling approach. Why would they? Glaziers have really not embraced proactive selling since demountable walls started increasing in volume. It’s time to shake things up.

Take the Next Step

If you are intrigued by this significant growth opportunity and want to learn more, please plan to attend my free webinar this fall.