Porous Pave isn’t a ‘Product,’ its a Paving Solution

For many manufacturers, the sales conversation starts with a product.

A customer sends over an RFQ. The manufacturer reviews the specifications, determines the material and tolerances, provides a quote, and eventually delivers the finished product.

The transaction is straightforward.

But in a recent appearance on the Manufacturing Insiders Podcast, Porous Pave Team Member and General Manager, Connor Ouwinga discussed our unique approach to sales. It’s not ‘what product are we providing,’ but instead ‘what problem are we solving.’ Watch the Full interview here!

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Customers Buy Solutions, They Don’t Want Second-rate They Want Solved  

The product is the vehicle. The value is in the problem it solves.

Consider Porous Pave’s offering. We manufacture a permeable paving material made with recycled tires. At first glance, it would be easy to compare the product to conventional concrete or asphalt based on material cost alone.

But that isn't necessarily the right comparison. We recognized that our product specializes in certain applications and solves certain problems.

As an example Connor brought up our work for Manton, Michigan. A city who approached us about replacing metal tree grates that were buckling in freezing conditions and creating trip hazards and liability concerns. The problem was significant enough that the city had already dealt with a lawsuit from the trip hazard. That’s where porous pave strives as first and foremost a problem solver.

The value of the product wasn't simply that it was another type of paving material. The value was in solving a much larger problem.

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We Start With the Problem, Not the Product

We describe our approach with customers as starting by understanding their problems rather than immediately pitching Porous Pave.

On different projects, that might mean asking about traction on a slope, drainage, comfort for runners, ADA compliance, or deteriorating asphalt and concrete. The specific problem changes from customer to customer. The process doesn't.

For Customers considering our product, that means asking questions like:

• Why did you need this product?
• What is happening with your current solution?
• What happens if that solution fails?
• Where are you losing time or money?
• What part of the problem is creating the most frustration?
• Is there anything about the current solution that you wish worked differently?

These aren't just sales questions. They're product-development questions. They're customer-service questions. They reorient the conversation to ensure that our product is the best solution for the problem you need solved.

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We See the Problem for Ourselves

There is only so much you can learn from a purchase order.

Sometimes the best way for us to understand the value we provide is to see where our product is being used. These observations can reveal problems that never appeared on the original RFQ, problems that the customer never considered, forgot about, or overlooked for various reasons.

During the Interview, Connor described a golf course in San Antonio that was dealing with a problem involving impervious ground cover. Local requirements meant the course needed to remove concrete, and the permeability of the Porous Pave provided a way to address the drainage requirements. But more than that, during our site visit, we were able to identify more areas on their grounds where infrastructure problems were costing them money, and thus we added infrastructure that could help prevent revenue leakage. This was a greatly appreciated value ad that was only possible with a solution-oriented site visit. 

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We Turn Your Problems Into Our Value Proposition

Once we understand the problem, we can change how we communicate our product.

We could just say that our product is ”a permeable, durable and flexible pavement made from recycled tires.” That's accurate, but it doesn't tell our customers much about the value we provide. We instead focus our value offering on how it helps customers reliably solve the particular pavement problems that are plaguing their operations. That can’t happen until we ask questions, and see the site for ourselves.

That changes the story. We’re no longer leading with what our product does. We’re leading with what our product allows our customers to accomplish. This is the difference between selling a product and selling a solution.

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The Best Customer Conversations Continue After the Sale

Solving one problem shouldn't end the conversation. It should start with the next one. After delivering an order, we have an opportunity to ask:

Did this solve the problem?

And then:

What could we have done better?

During the interview, Connor emphasized how we continue to ask customers whether there is more opportunity or whether there is something else they're struggling with. A relatively small initial order can become a much larger relationship when we take the time to understand the customer's broader needs. It also creates a feedback loop:

Problem → Solution → Feedback → Improvement → New Problem to Solve

We learn more about our customers. Our customers get a partner that understands their operation more deeply. And over time, the relationship can evolve into something much more valuable.

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Understanding the Application Is Our Competitive Advantage

Many companies spend enormous amounts of time learning how to make their processes better. That's important. But there is another kind of expertise that can be just as valuable: knowing why the customer needs what you're making.

The more we understand the application, the easier it becomes to identify problems. The more problems we identify, the easier it becomes to demonstrate value. And the better we can demonstrate value, the more we can demonstrate the cost of not solving the problem.

We don't just ask what the customer wants. We ask why they need it. Because the real opportunity isn’t simply having a better product. It's becoming the company customers think of when a particular problem appears and knowing exactly how your product can solve it.