It may sound like a relatively new phenomenon in business, but there’s nothing new about it. Customer relationship management (CRM) is simply a present-­day version of something that has been around in one form or another for thousands of years—even for copper merchants in ancient Mesopotamia.

It’s all about keeping track of your customers. Taking that daily chore into the digital realm—and asking salespeople to do it with a computer—now drives revenues of well over $1 billion each day for one well-known, market-leading corporation touting CRM.

But across-the-board success in any industry takes far more than CRM. Success in all aspects of business instead requires universal relationships management (URM). 

URM means maintaining connections with customer representatives, the organizations providing you with electrical products and the people who install them. It means appropriate levels of contact with the authorities overseeing and regulating your industry. It means routine communication with the professionals in accounting, law, banking, insurance, bonding and other realms whose role is to constantly protect your business interests.

By maintaining universal relationships management, you’ll receive tip-offs to the next job, indications of upcoming trends or warnings about some disruption just around the bend.

With that in mind, we stopped for coffee with Keith Geisel, business development manager at Bruce & Merrilees Electric Co. in New Castle, Pa.

You bring a background to your role at Bruce & Merrilees that has been fundamental to your success in business development.

That’s true. During the first half of my working years, I was mostly in the field. At various times I was an electrical estimator, field engineer or project manager. With that background, I am better prepared to carry on an intelligent discussion with customers’ representatives in order to identify their needs and suggest solutions. Bruce & Merrilees is very much a customer-focused organization. Finding the best answers to customers’ problems has always been a primary focus here.

It’s no secret you have a well-practiced routine of keeping contact with a lengthy list of people you have gotten to know in many different capacities over the years. And that goes beyond electrical contracting.

It’s something that I have always enjoyed doing. It involves regularly checking in with a wide range of contacts. Something happens or I go somewhere that reminds me of someone—I call them, maybe send an article that they may be interested in. Focus on meaningful conversations that go beyond immediate business needs. This often involves remembering personal details or past discussions to foster a deeper connection.

We have often pointed out that maintaining contact with others in the electrical industry and elsewhere provides the best sources of “business intelligence” about upcoming projects, industry developments and future possibilities, long before any of it becomes common knowledge. 

There is much to be gained from conversations with folks who are not directly involved with electrical work. Talking with people in other fields who may have roles in activities that are “upstream” from projects can provide early leads to projects in the pipeline. Take, for example, a lawyer who has worked on the financing arrangements for a big job, long before most people know it’s coming.

What is your best advice for anyone who is ready to take up the habit of keeping in touch with contacts across the industry?

When you meet someone, stay in touch, offer value and be interested in the person. Don’t just reach out when you need something. Be a resource, offer help and share insights. If you meet someone that is experienced in networking, ask them if they can mentor you or provide some advice.

keith geisel