Just got back from visiting a modular construction company that’s absolutely crushing it in temporary space solutions. Real eye-opener.

What struck me wasn’t their fancy portable buildings. It was HOW they think about their business.

They don’t sell “modular buildings.” They solve the entire LIFECYCLE of temporary space needs:

  • Planning
  • Installation
  • Service
  • Removal

Every stage has frameworks. Protocols. Measurable outcomes.

Sounds basic, right? But here’s what many companies get wrong:

We fall in love with our PRODUCT instead of obsessing over our customer’s PROBLEM.

The “Full Lifecycle” Mindset

This company doesn’t just drop off a building and send an invoice. They’re thinking about the customer’s entire journey.

I immediately saw how they could dominate their market with some tech integration:

Imagine sensors throughout their buildings creating a digital twin that could:

  • Enable activity-based heating (why heat empty classrooms all night?)
  • Trigger service visits based on actual usage not arbitrary schedules
  • Predict maintenance issues before they happen

Their sales team can rely on something powerful: They can focus on proven solutions that work TODAY while having conversations about TOMORROW’S innovations. That’s energizing.

The Hard Question

Are we selling products, or are we solving problems?

Because there’s a massive difference between:
“Would you like to buy our X?”
and
“We noticed you’re struggling with Y. Here’s our comprehensive approach…”

The first is a transaction. The second is a partnership.

Truth bomb: Most customers don’t care about your product specs. They care about their problems going away.