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Customer Confusion Is Killing Your Business

Blake Grewal on Fixing the Real Problem in Construction Companies


If your leads aren’t converting, your reviews are drying up, and your referrals are few and far between, it might not be your sales team or your marketing funnel that’s broken. It might be your customer journey.


That’s the wake-up call Blake Grewal delivers on this episode of the Construction Champions Podcast, hosted by Ron Nussbaum. Blake is the founder of CustomerIQ, a customer experience strategy company helping contractors build businesses people love to hire and refer.


Why Communication Breakdown Is the Real Revenue Killer

Too many construction business owners think their sales problems come from outside: bad leads, poor marketing, or a slow market. But Blake makes one thing clear:

"The reason you’re not scaling isn’t your leads, it’s the friction you create after you get the lead."

Whether it’s inconsistent follow-ups, unclear estimates, or radio silence during the job, confusion in the customer experience kills trust. And trust is what leads to repeat business, 5-star reviews, and referrals.


That’s why construction leaders need to stop focusing only on lead generation and start obsessing over what happens after the sale.


Onboarding Isn’t Just Paperwork, It’s First Impressions

In construction, onboarding is often an afterthought. But Blake explains how a poor onboarding process can unravel even the best sales effort.

  • Missed expectations

  • Scope confusion

  • Change order chaos


These all stem from a lack of structure in how you start a job. Blake outlines what great onboarding looks like:

  • A kickoff meeting

  • Written expectations

  • A dedicated communication channel (like BuilderComs)

  • A step-by-step timeline shared with the client


When you treat onboarding as your first executional sale, you set the tone for everything that follows.


Automations vs. the Human Touch

Automation is essential for growth, but too much automation without thought leads to generic, frustrating experiences.

"Automation should remove friction, not humanity," Blake says.

That means:

  • Avoiding robotic follow-up emails

  • Customizing client updates

  • Using tools like BuilderComs to automate communication without losing personalization


Your clients want to feel heard, informed, and supported. That doesn’t require more meetings—it requires smarter systems.


Your CX Metrics: Reviews, Referrals, Repeat Business

Most builders measure growth with revenue. But Blake suggests you also measure:

  • How many reviews are you getting per project?

  • How many clients refer someone within 6 months?

  • How often are you getting hired again by the same customer?


If those numbers are low, your customer experience is broken, no matter how many leads you bring in.


Stop Chasing Revenue Without Foundation

There’s a dangerous trap many contractors fall into: chasing more jobs to fix cash flow issues caused by poor delivery. But scaling something broken only makes things worse.

Blake and Ron agree that the real fix starts with:

  • Cleaning up communication

  • Mapping the customer journey

  • Making it easy to be your customer


When you build a business people love to work with, marketing becomes easier. Sales become smoother. And growth becomes sustainable.


BuilderComs: The Communication Fix You Need

BuilderComs exists because communication is the #1 breakdown in construction. We fix that by giving you a centralized platform for updates, messages, documents, and customer handoffs.

It’s not just about better tech, it’s about a better experience for your client and your team.


Ready to Fix Your Customer Journey?

Watch the full episode: 


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Connect with Ron Nussbaum:


Explore BuilderComs, the construction communication platform:



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Keywords: construction podcast, customer experience in construction, construction onboarding, contractor communication, BuilderComs, Blake Grewal, CustomerIQ, construction CRM, construction business growth, construction automation, client retention in construction, contractor referrals, construction sales process, Ron Nussbaum




Customer Confusion Is Killing Your Business

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