I recently had the pleasure of joining Steve Preda on the Management Blueprint Podcast to share insights from my journey as a builder, coach, and business leader, and to break down a simple yet powerful framework I call the Satisfaction Pyramid.
In this episode, I walk through how building a great customer experience starts long before final delivery. It starts with brand awareness, team support, partner engagement, and ongoing training, all of which ultimately lead to satisfied customers and lasting success.
Before founding McMahon Custom Homes and coaching other leaders, I spent years in C-suite and integrator roles within the construction industry. What I realized over time was that money was never my true motivator. What energizes and drives me is lifting others up by helping them clarify their purpose and make meaningful progress toward it.
I shared my journey with Steve, and unpacked how that purpose has shaped the way I recruit talent, build culture, and deliver value to clients.
During our conversation, I outlined the Satisfaction Pyramid, a framework designed to help builders and business owners understand what truly drives customer satisfaction:
Brand Awareness — When your brand is strong and clear, clients, employees, and partners instinctively know what you stand for.
Team Support — Your internal team must feel supported, coached, and empowered to excel.
Trade Partner Partnership — Treating trade partners as true collaborators — not just subcontractors — builds trust and elevates performance.
Training & Systems — Ongoing process improvement and training help your team and partners stay aligned and evolve with changing demands.
Customer Satisfaction — When the first four elements are in place, you naturally deliver better experiences and deeper satisfaction.
We also dug into how these principles play out in the real world, especially in custom home building. I explained why transparency around budgets and expectations matters, how clear standards create trust, and why collaboration throughout the build process leads to better outcomes for everyone involved.
If you’re curious to hear the full conversation, including stories from my career, actionable insights for business leaders, and how the Satisfaction Pyramid applies far beyond construction — check out the full podcast episode here: 318: Take 5 Steps to Satisfy Customers with Josh McMahon
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