What is the single biggest factor that separates a transactional IT vendor from a true, long-term business partner? The answer, as I always say, is trust.
In this week’s Change Energizer Hot Seat Podcast episode, I put Natalie Murphy, Marketing Manager for Hill Country Tech Guys, right in the hot seat. My goal was to explore the Trust X-Factor behind how a company rebuilds, maintains, and scales trust, both internally and externally. Natalie revealed how her custom-managed IT solutions company has woven the principles of my Trust Credit Score Framework (T.R.U.S.T.) right into their DNA, helping them mature and deliver legendary wins for clients.
Here’s a breakdown of the key questions I put to Natalie and the insightful answers she shared about how they build elite trust with their clients and their team.
The Trust Credit Score Framework
Every one of your clients, prospects, and decision-makers are silently asking you a series of trust-based questions before they ever sign a deal. They’re scanning for signals, looking for proof that you’re someone they can rely on and collaborate with. That’s why I created the Trust Credit Score, a framework built around the five key signals of TRUST:
- True motives
- Radiance and vibe
- Underlying core values
- Skill set and expertise
- Track record
I put Natalie in the hot seat to tackle questions across all five of these areas concerning their professional services.
Key Trust Signals in Action: Expertise and Continuous Learning
Scott Carley: When your clients bring you in for a major system upgrade, a cybersecurity overhaul, or an IT integration, they are silently asking: Do you understand the complexity of our tech stack, industry, and goals? Are you bringing deep relevant expertise, or will this be learning on the job?
Natalie Murphy: Our way of ensuring the answer is yes is guided by one of our four core values, which we call “Geek Out.” It’s about the continuous pursuit of learning—both personal and professional—because technology is changing all the time. In the past two months alone, three of our 20 employees gained new certifications. Our CEO, Whit, is committed to being on the cutting edge of what IT support looks like, and that’s how we maintain that level of trust.
True Motives: Partnering for Sustainable Growth
Scott Carley: Are you motivated to help us win, or are you just selling the next big thing? Are you really focused on my business, my outcomes, or are you just pushing the latest product?
Natalie Murphy: We are not focused on the next big thing unless it helps our customers. We are focused on companies that want to grow, and we want to grow with them. Our goal is to ensure technology empowers them and doesn’t get in their way, pushing them forward in a way that’s sustainable. When you hire us, you hire a vetted partner who is genuinely interested in your business.
Transparency and Risk Management
Scott Carley: Will you be transparent about risk limitations and what’s truly possible? Are you telling us what’s real or just overpromising to land the project?
Natalie Murphy: We are really upfront about risks. There is no scenario where any company can come in and make you 100% secure, and if anyone tells you that, they’re not telling the truth. We educate prospective customers on what the risks are and what the consequences could be. There are scenarios where we’ll tell someone, “We might not be the right company for you,” because our goal is partnership, and if it doesn’t make sense, we shouldn’t move forward.
Scott Carley: Audience, did you hear that? I brought up a personal anecdote about how a small detail like an old AOL email address erodes trust with a potential partner.
Natalie Murphy: Absolutely. Looking at an email address is actually a foundational principle for cyber security awareness training. The first little seed of doubt can be something as small as an email address, and that’s where trust starts to erode. Your clients are scanning for signals, and your email address is one of the signals that is either elevating trust or eroding trust.
Communication Skills and Proven Track Record
Scott Carley: Can you communicate clearly and confidently with both technical and nontechnical stakeholders? Can you bridge the gap between engineers, leadership, and frontline users? And, do you have a proven track record of delivering successful projects?
Natalie Murphy: I found my personal “superpower” is to communicate really well with other people. I try to bring the same level of very calm, very upfront communication with everyone I speak to, and I’m willing to be honest with people when it’s not always comfortable.
Hill Country Tech Guys has successfully worked hard to rebuild trust and elevate its reputation after some past hiccups. We’ve had tangible, impactful projects like fixing internet drops for a hospital’s vital communication systems and standardizing networks across 40 properties for a property management group, ensuring a consistent environment for their employees no matter where they move.
Team Accountability and Clarity
Scott Carley: In what ways do you evaluate your team’s trust signals before assigning them to a high-stakes client profile?
Natalie Murphy: One of the biggest ways is listening—to calls, conversations in the shared working area, and interactions with each other. We also sit down and talk about their readiness and confidence based on their certifications for a project, supporting them where they’re anxious. Since adopting the Trust Score language, the conversations leadership is having have changed, becoming more open and upfront. The language has reduced anxiety and given employees clarity, which is so important for everyone at any level.
Rebuilding Client and Vendor Trust
Scott Carley: Can you describe how you use the trust credit score to rebuild fractured trust with a client or partner? And what about when a vendor fractures your trust?
Natalie Murphy: We sit down with clients and are empowered by the language to acknowledge where trust was fractured, committing to being better for them. We ask them exactly what they need to move forward, and then it becomes our job to do those things and communicate through the process.
We also use the framework with vendors. When vendors fell short, we used the language to say, “Look, you guys are falling short, and this impacts our customers, and we can’t have that”. In one case, the vendor was receptive and offered greater transparency in billing, which was positively impactful. In other cases, it helps make the uncomfortable decision to move on easier because you can clearly articulate why.
Final Takeaway
Natalie Murphy: Learning the language of trust turns it from an anxiety into a foundational tool for moving the company forward. It’s been a great change for us.
Scott Carley: Natalie, I love the value that you and your team bring. You’re just checking the boxes left and right when it comes to the Trust Credit Score, because those details are the things that really build trust.—–If you’re looking for a partner who is a subject matter expert dedicated to long-term sustainable growth, not just selling the next big thing, you need to hear this conversation.
Check out the full episode with Natalie Murphy, now on YouTube or your favorite podcast app!
Don’t wait to start your next great season. Get in touch with Scott Carley, The Trust Energizer, today: calltheenergizer.com
Find the full episode and all of our content on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ScottCarley
…and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts!
And while you’re there, don’t forget to:
- Subscribe to The Change Energizer Hot Seat Podcast for future interviews with high-trust leaders and experts.
- Share this post with a friend, family member, or business owner who needs an expert guide.
- Connect with Host Scott Carley: Book a call to discuss how the Trust X-Factor can energize your organization at calltheenergizer.com
Don’t wait for success to find you—tune in now and start energizing the change in your business and your reputation!
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