Why we want to help glass professionals become better at what they do.

Traditionally, we used to put all our focus on delivering a product that fits all industry standards. Floats glass manipulation has become something we master while we constantly evaluate and adapt our production process to stay effective and relevant. But what about our glass professionals? Our clients also have an important role and thus need to be involved in our quality philosophy. That’s why we want to help them to become better at what they do: being excellent glass professionals who are continuously improving themselves. But why, you ask?

Job to be done

When we look at it from a marketing perspective, our clients ‘hire’ our products not only because of the products itself, but because they have a specific job to be done. The idea behind the theory of ‘Jobs to be Done’ (JTBD) is that people don’t just simply buy a product or a service, but that there’s always the idea of progress or evolution behind a purchase. People will buy something that they think will help them improve their specific situation. So instead of thinking about the ‘what’, we should focus more on thinking about the ‘why’.

“The bear does not think about evolving itself and its world. It never has a Job to be Done. The human, on the other hand, does think about evolving herself. And every time she begins the process of evolving herself, she has a Job to be Done”. - Alan Klement

One example of a Job to be Done that has often been stated, is getting from point A to B. The potential solutions in chronological order would then be: horse, bike, train, car, plane. This example makes it clear that the solutions to a Job to be Done don’t only evolve over time, they can also be products from different kinds, and hence, your competition isn’t always only to be found in your own sector. Innovative solutions don’t stick to sectors.

This means that when we’re thinking about a product, we shouldn’t just be thinking about the product itself. After all, the value of the product isn’t in the product itself, it is in what can be gained from using it. If your product doesn’t improve the situation of the person using it, then what’s the point in buying the product? Charles Revson, the founder of Revlon cosmetics, had it right when he famously stated: “In the factory we produce cosmetics, in stores we sell hope.”

Focus on the results, not on the to do’s

When we are talking about the end client of a product, it’s also important to highlight that their main interest doesn’t lie in the different steps needed to achieve the end result. They are less interested in what needs to happen in order to achieve the end result, but they do want to know what the end result will be like. The focus of the end client is on the improvement after the Job, not on the tasks of the Job. Hence, when talking to your client about glass, you don’t need to talk about the different activities that need to be done in order to install the glazing. Focus on the enhanced end result instead: talk about how the improved isolation will save your client money on gas, or on how the UV-filtering coating in the glass will make their newly placed veranda more pleasant on sunny days.

While it’s called a ‘Job to be Done’, the client shouldn’t actually be getting the feeling that they are doing a job. This is because the purpose of a Job to be Done isn’t the activity of doing the jobs themselves. The purpose is to improve a situation, so when going about a Job to be Done, that’s also where the focus should be. You should talk to your client about the end result they want to achieve, and why they want it. This will not only help you get a good view on what specific product(s) to offer in order to achieve that goal, it will also make the client feel heard, and make them think about the end result without feeling like they should be worrying about all the steps in between. It builds trust and goodwill, and thinking about the why instead of the what will also give you better end results.

Focusing on the end results is essentially linked to the why-question, which we already stated is important when thinking about the customer and the Job to be Done. If you don’t know the end result the client wants to achieve, then you don’t know the context, and you don’t know the product a client is looking for. This means that when you only focus on the what or the how, you might be missing the point for what your clients wants to achieve, and hence, you will not be able to better their situation. The example of music is often given here, as this is where the why can make all the difference. The desired outcomes are indeed very different if someone wants to listen to music at a rock concert, as opposed to while working out at the gym, while at work, or even while trying to fall asleep. This is obviously a speaking example, but the same goes for installing glazing as well: it’s not just the difference between the type of construction or its location, but there are also different solutions possible if, for example, your clients is more concerned for the environment, for their budget, or for safety hazards.

Making the glass professional the centerpiece

A Job to be Done is all about creating a better version of the client. The client wants the product as a means to improve themselves or their situation. This means that instead of focusing on the technical details of a product and making sure the customer gets an explanation about these, we should redirect our focus to what the client wants to achieve. Compare it to a first date: you are more inclined to go on a second date with someone who spent the evening asking questions about you, and listening to your stories, than you would be with someone who spent the entire evening just talking about themselves and their achievements. However, the fact remains that our clients can’t create a better version of themselves or a better situation for themselves all by themselves. You will always need an innovation from yourself or from others to make a change in your world. And this is where a product or service can help.

Improving the end result through the service

While the above does not mean that we shouldn’t also be focussing on a continuing improvement of our end product, in our case it does show that we should also shift our focus to the service offered before, during and after the installation of our glazing.

“Because we care about their role in the entire process and their role in the entire process. This means that they can engage more actively in the entire design process, and they can in turn help their clients in the long term by not just installing any glass, but by choosing the most viable option from a range of choices for them from the start, and by installing it to perfection.“

After all, there’s a wide range of similar and equally good products on the market, while the client hardly cares for all the different technical aspects that are linked to any of them. So you will not be able to stand out by throwing yet another vaguely similar product in their direction without properly explaining how exactly this type of glazing will make their life better. Instead, as a glass professional, you should be able to talk to them about what they want, and translate our technical lingo into their expectations. Your added value is not in the glass you sell, but it is in the way you sell it and follow up on it. You have to take the time to understand your client’s needs and then find the best match to their needs for them. You need to know the possibilities of the different kinds of glass you offer, so that you know which products to offer for which requests. You need to be reliable to deliver good service afterwards, so that, if anything goes wrong, the client knows they’re in good hands. You want the client to feel that they’re not just buying glass and someone who installs it, but you want them to feel they’re buying your expertise, your know-how, and your service in the years to come.

Creating better glass professionals

We can help our own clients improve, so that they, in turn, can improve their approach and services to the end client. We want to help creating better glass professionals, and we realise that in order to do so, we also need to improve ourselves as well as offer services to this end to the glass professionals.

• Building a knowledge base: by improving the product knowledge of the glass professionals, they can also improve themselves in focusing on the why of their clients, and helping their clients find the best solutions for their needs. To this end, we organise a series of trainings, named Sprimoglass Masterclass. The various Sprimoglass Masterclasses focus on different aspects of the glazing, in order to create a broad knowledge base amongst the glass professionals, going from eg. product standards to the calculation of sun-protection glazing.
• Improving our own after sales service: one of the Jobs to be Done for clients when they are having their glazing installed, is making sure they don’t have to worry about their glazing for years, not even when something goes wrong. In order to give them that peace of mind, we want to make sure that there’s an after sales service in place they can rely on. If we can be bold for a moment, our goal is to continuously improve our after sales service to a level of the highest international standards.
• Having a reliable service for our own clients: if you want to achieve an end result that fulfills the needs of the end client, the glass professional needs to be able to rely on the glass manufacturer for a timely delivery and a qualitative product. As a glass manufacturer, we play an important part in having an end result the end client is happy with. This is why we put a lot of emphasis on reliability: if the glass professional can rely on Sprimoglass to deliver the desired product, then they are one step closer to delivering the desired end result to their client.

It’s clear that, while we are not installing the glazing we produce ourselves, we can play a big part in getting the Job Done. As Sprimoglass, we are committed to do exactly that.

Do you want more information on the Masterclasses? Drop a message: [email protected]

Do you want to get in touch with our sales department? Contact them through: [email protected]