The following is an article written by Division 9 Flooring Project Manager David Flynn. 
Opportunities In The Obvious: Finding opportunity in a market saturated with competition
In a market covered, canvassed and bid upon by our peers, both qualified and unqualified, we can separate ourselves. Make ourselves stand out. Not just from the competition but from competing. Not just with better service, quality and pricing, but with ability and problem solving solutions. If our mindset is “why can’t we do that?” we will see new doors open. Not just to unique and new opportunities, but also to building the trust and confidence our clients are looking for.
If a client has a project that needs attention and we are able to use the standard product, we usually do. But every project should be looked at beyond the spec. We should consider the potential for additional scope of changes such as the mitigation, resin flooring, secondary containment and maintenance.
A few of the obvious ones: Areas that need vapor mitigation – Simple answer – The entire State of Washington. Kidding but not really.
Nine times out of ten, floors have higher than industry standard amounts of vapor emission. As we know, this is easily identified with a calcium chloride test for very little cost. This really is not a sell, this is information that will allow the customer to make a decision based on the amount of risk they are willing to take with their flooring investment. Testing is also a tool that, if administered and communicated properly, can help to minimize our potential liability related to a failure
Areas that need resin flooring: Most resin products are used on projects related to the medical and food industries. An un-tapped market is the need for secondary con-tainment in commercial facilities. For example: Mechanical rooms in most commercial, and residential environments. Where a drain failure occurs, the leak must be contained. This can easily be done with curbing and a resin coating installation. These areas are rarely seen by the public, and the expectation of beauty are low. This results in a quick and easy application of resin and the additional benefit of water containment of the areas. Not if they have a leak or discharge, but when.
These are just a couple of areas I have found that offer new opportunities. As we find clients and show them our commitment to quality and service, we also need to demonstrate an understanding of the whole flooring market. We should provide our trusted clients with education about finishes they may not know exist, or they may not understand the potential benefits to their buildings/projects.
David Flynn – Project Manager
