Construction has been commoditized by everyone trying to play it safe.

For decades, it was a race to the bottom with low bid pricing. Companies benchmark against each other and end up in a cluster, all optimized around the same thing.

Standing in the middle of the highway feels safe until you realize you’ll eventually get hit.

The Reverse Benchmarking Framework

Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman of Ogilvy UK, introduced a concept called reverse benchmarking. Instead of copying what competitors do well, you identify what they consistently fail at and excel there.

The key insight: focus on what the industry accepts as usual, but your buyer doesn’t agree with.

Buc-ee’s Built an Empire on Clean Bathrooms

Buc-ee’s are massive 30,000-square-foot gas stations with an average of 100 pumps. They average more customers an hour than most convenience stores do in a day. Their differentiator? Bathroom cleanliness.

They have large, welcoming, and clean bathrooms, unlike gas stations that often have disgusting bathrooms out back, requiring a key to be requested from the cashier. Buc-ees has full-time employees whose sole job is to patrol bathrooms 24 hours a day.

In a GasBuddy survey, 37% of drivers said one of their worst fears was being unsure where to stop for a clean restroom. Buc-ee’s saw what competitors neglected and made it their competitive advantage.

Their competition only wins by being cheaper.

Demo Diva Escaped the Price War

In residential construction, many contractors often talk down to customers, provide vague quotes, and fail to follow up in a timely manner.

Demo Diva made residential demolition and dumpster services easy, with a focus on excellent customer service. They also made it welcoming for women in an industry that often ignores half the population.

Their competition only wins by being cheaper. Demo Diva escaped the price competition entirely by owning something competitors neglected, and they fueled that with a memorable brand complete with pink excavators and dumpsters.

Construction’s Untapped Opportunities

Poor communication costs the construction industry $31 billion annually. Nearly 30% of projects are delayed due to miscommunication. Rework accounts for 28% of total project costs.

Clean jobsites exude professionalism and quality workmanship. A messy jobsite causes clients to question quality. A clean jobsite instills confidence.

Here are specific ways to apply reverse benchmarking:

• Treat project handover like a new car delivery. Walk through how to use the building, explain maintenance, and celebrate it instead of handing them a 3-ring binder no one wants.

• Make jobsite cleanliness a differentiator. When the industry standard is messy, exceptional cleanliness becomes memorable.

• Create a Domino’s pizza tracker for projects. Clients want to know where things stand without having to ask.

• Recommend materials like a wine sommelier. Trade contractors can educate instead of just executing.

• Extend beyond the usual 1-year warranty. Create service plans that demonstrate your commitment to quality work.

• Make proposals like movie trailers. Show what the experience will be, not just spec sheets.

• Measure team performance like sports teams. Make stats visible and celebrate wins.

The Real Barrier Is Ego

Breaking away from the pack is scary. It feels like a gamble. Construction leaders worry it will hurt their reputation if it doesn’t work.

The irony is that playing it safe is anything but safe.

Much of the construction industry’s resistance to differentiation is ego-driven. The actual business risk is low when you focus on your buyer instead of your competition.

Most construction companies don’t prioritize hiring based on culture or core values, so not everyone will be on board with change.

How to Implement This

Start with culture, not tactics.

Define and promote core values. Core values should guide employee actions and serve as a magnet, attracting like-minded individuals and repelling those with opposing views. Living by core values drives out those who don’t believe in them.

Create an Ideal Client Profile. Find ideal clients instead of any client. This matters more than the total addressable market.

Ask your favorite clients what they want. Brainstorm what clients would value in an ideal environment. Have dream clients rank the ideas.

Score ideas on impact and ease. Rate each idea from 10 to 1 (most to least impactful) and easiest to hardest to implement. The highest scores get implemented first.

Brand your process. When you implement something unique, name it. This protects your differentiation when competitors try to copy.

What Happens When You Win

Clients are shocked, but positively. They’re not expecting it. Construction becomes a delightful experience.

Most competitors won’t understand why you’re doing it and will never change. Some will copy it, but won’t go far enough to make it effective. They’ll stop before making it good.

They can train a market on what to expect, but setting expectations too low means clients don’t care about their version.

You escape the price competition. You win business because of what you do differently, not because you’re cheaper.

The construction companies that win are the ones willing to look at what everyone accepts as normal and ask: what does our buyer actually want?