Crafting Your Service Brand: Creating a Lasting Impression on Customers

Quotes

“So we got a lot of traction just based on that because it was truly aligned at my core with what I wanted to do with the rest of my life—be the CEO of a lot of fixers. And that’s really how we started.” – Jim Robinson, (4:16)

“You really have to come up with whatever that brand is as an identity piece. That’s really important because that represents [you] when you can’t talk to somebody.” – Jim Robinson, (8:02)

“We meet needs and wants. And if you deliver on those consistently, that becomes your brand.” – Jim Robinson, (10:41)

“I was able to build a business very quickly, but it’s not sustainable until the team is there. And you’ve got to be able to trust your team. You’ve got to be able to grow the team. And that became my number one priority in a very short order.” – Jim Robinson, (24:56)

“Being in business isn’t about being in business. Being in business is about impacting. And Impacting lives is very intentional for us…And it’s recognized by our clients. And we’re well known, certainly in our space of service in the facility side. We’re known across all verticals in that space. They just know who CGP is. We’ve been around a really long time, and they know we care for our people.” – Jim Robinson, (29:07)

Blog

On this episode of Service Evolution, host Shawn Black is joined by Jim Robinson, CEO of CGP Maintenance and Construction Services. Jim is also an author, speaker, certified business coach, and chairman of a nonprofit. Throughout the episode, Shawn and Jim discuss the importance of how service businesses brand themselves. The pair covers branding success stories, challenges, and advice that every business can learn from, whether it’s part of the service industry or not.

“You really have to come up with whatever that brand is as an identity piece. That’s really important because that represents [you] when you can’t talk to somebody.” – Jim Robinson, (8:02)

Keeping Core Values at the Core

According to Jim, a company’s brand is not merely a logo, font, and color scheme. It represents not only what the company does, but what the company stands for. A company’s brand is determined by its core values and the impact it makes on others. Because of this, it is paramount for businesses to identify and commit themselves to their core values in every aspect of the company.

“Being in business isn’t about being in business. Being in business is about impacting. And Impacting lives is very intentional for us…And it’s recognized by our clients. And we’re well known, certainly in our space of service in the facility side. We’re known across all verticals in that space. They just know who CGP is. We’ve been around a really long time, and they know we care for our people.” – Jim Robinson, (29:07)

In CGP’s case, the business is committed to consistency, integrity, adaptability, and passion, among several other core values. As a part of this, CGP is committed to being a family-first environment, meaning that team members treat each other—and clients—with respect and dignity no matter what. Because of its commitment to its core values, CGP has developed a reputation among its clients and the wider service industry as a business that always takes care of its employees and customers alike. In short, this has become CGP’s brand.

“We meet needs and wants. And if you deliver on those consistently, that becomes your brand.” – Jim Robinson, (10:41)

Standing Out from the Crowd

When it comes to standing out from the crowd, Jim provides a very straightforward solution: authenticity. Authenticity is readable by the second or third interaction you have with a potential customer, and it’s critical to show them that you’re trustworthy and direct. If they don’t feel that you are representing your business for what it truly is, customers will sniff it out and leave you for a company that is true to its brand.

When you stay true to your core values, your customers notice. It builds trust and confidence that your business will provide the value you originally sold to the customer. If you give them more than other businesses will, and you can maintain authenticity throughout, you’ll set your brand up for success.

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