In this episode of Building with Metal, McElroy Metal talks with Spencer Graffam of Castlebrook Barns, a leading custom barn manufacturer, about how transparency, collaboration, and follow-through turn project challenges into long-term trust.
From design adjustments to material performance, hear how a strong partnership and shared commitment to quality created repeat business — and why trust remains the most durable building material of all.
[00:00-02:00] Introduction and Guest Welcome Host Kathi Miller introduces Spencer Graffam, President of CastleBrook Barns, highlighting the episode's focus on turning construction challenges into customer loyalty opportunities.
[02:00-05:30] Company Background and Market Reach Spencer discusses CastleBrook's evolution from a regional California business to a global manufacturer of equestrian structures, including barns, arenas, wineries, and even Bengal tiger enclosures. The company has operated since 1999, scaling from 150+ employees to 35-40 through automation and improved manufacturing techniques.
[05:30-09:00] Customer Service Philosophy CastleBrook's commitment to live phone support versus voicemail systems. Spencer emphasizes how immediate human connection prevents customer frustration and enables real-time problem-solving, contrasting this approach with AI and automated systems.
[09:00-12:00] Partnership with McElroy Metal Discussion of the 20+ year relationship between CastleBrook and McElroy Metal, including how both companies maintain family culture despite growth and how they've worked through challenges together.
[12:00-20:00] The Shea Center Case Study Detailed examination of a project challenge with The Shea Center, a therapeutic riding organization. Spencer explains how initial customer service responses followed contracts but missed the real issue, leading to escalation and his eventual involvement.
[20:00-24:00] Lessons Learned and Process Changes How the Shea Center experience transformed CastleBrook's approach to customer service, positioning representatives as customer advocates and implementing processes for internal debate when issues arise.
[24:00-27:00] Business Growth and Future Opportunities Discussion of international expansion opportunities, particularly in light of changing trade policies, and CastleBrook's plans to compete with European manufacturers.
[27:00-30:00] Customer Feedback as Innovation Driver Examples of how customer suggestions led to new product lines, including the development of covered round pens that became a premier global product.
The construction industry has a dirty secret: perfection is impossible. Yet many companies destroy customer relationships by refusing to acknowledge when things go wrong. Spencer Graffam, President of CastleBrook Barns, takes a refreshingly different approach—one that has kept his company thriving globally since 1999 and maintained partnerships spanning over two decades.
During a recent conversation on the Building with Metal Podcast, Graffam shared a pivotal moment that transformed how his company handles customer service. The story centers on The Shea Center, a therapeutic riding organization serving children with disabilities in Southern California. What started as a contract dispute became a masterclass in turning friction into loyalty.
The issue began typically enough. CastleBrook had delivered covered round pens to The Shea Center, but something wasn't right. The customer service team followed standard protocol, pointing to contract specifications and explaining how the delivery matched what was ordered. They weren't wrong—technically. But they weren't solving the problem either.
The situation escalated until Dana Butler, head of The Shea Center, reached out through a vendor who then contacted CastleBrook directly. When the letter finally reached Graffam's desk, his response wasn't defensive. Instead, he picked up the phone and listened. Really listened.
"I started understanding what the problems were, and then I realized, 'Oh, my goodness. We made a mistake,'" Graffam recalls. "Were we culpable 100% for it? No. But were we culpable enough that we should take charge of it? Absolutely."
This admission marked a turning point, not just for The Shea Center project but for CastleBrook's entire approach to customer service. Graffam discovered that his team had been drinking their own Kool-Aid—so confident in their quality control processes that they'd stopped truly hearing customer concerns.
The revelation prompted immediate action. Graffam gathered his team and delivered a message that would reshape their customer service philosophy: "Your job is more than just acting as customer service project management for the customer. Your job is also as an ombudsman and an advocate for the customer." He emphasized that if something doesn't pass the smell test, contracts shouldn't be hiding places. Teams should argue internally, debate solutions, and ultimately do what's best for the customer while maintaining reasonable profits.
This philosophy extends beyond crisis management to everyday operations. CastleBrook maintains a strict no-voicemail policy during business hours. Every call connects to a real person who can ask questions, assess urgency, and begin problem-solving immediately. "By the time we would get around to them through voicemail, they're already upset," Graffam explains. "And they're not even upset at why they're calling, they're upset because they were not serviced properly."
The human touch philosophy shapes how CastleBrook views technology adoption as well. While acknowledging AI's benefits for certain applications, Graffam cautions against replacing human judgment with automation. "An AI can't build relationships. It can't go outside of the box of what it's been programmed to already know," he notes. The company's success with The Shea Center proved that resolution required understanding not just what was in the contract, but what the customer actually needed—something that emerged only through genuine dialogue.
The Shea Center experience also revealed an unexpected truth: what customers order isn't always what they want. Through open conversation and collaborative problem-solving, CastleBrook discovered opportunities to provide upgrades and improvements that better served The Shea Center's therapeutic riding programs. Today, CastleBrook has an open invitation to work at The Shea Center anytime—a testament to a relationship transformed from conflict to partnership.
This approach to customer feedback has driven innovation across CastleBrook's business. Their now-premier covered round pen product line exists because a customer asked, "Why don't you do this?" Rather than dismissing the suggestion, CastleBrook developed a prototype and created what they believe are the best round pens in the world. Similarly, customer needs have expanded their market from traditional equestrian structures to wineries, agricultural buildings, and even Bengal tiger enclosures for zoos.
Graffam challenges the conventional wisdom that customer service is a cost center. "Customer service doesn't cost you money. Good customer service makes you money," he insists. This philosophy has sustained partnerships like their two-decade relationship with McElroy Metal, weathering challenges on both sides through open communication and mutual respect.
The company's commitment to continuous improvement means accepting imperfection as a starting point, not an endpoint. Graffam shares his philosophy with characteristic directness: "One day we're gonna make our product and our customer service so perfect that there'll be zero changes, we're all done, there's nothing more to improve or change. That's the day that everybody gets fired, including myself."
For businesses struggling with customer service challenges, CastleBrook's transformation offers valuable lessons. First, empower customer service representatives to be advocates, not just policy enforcers. Second, create systems that enable immediate human connection rather than automated barriers. Third, view complaints as opportunities to understand what customers actually need versus what they initially requested. Fourth, admit mistakes quickly and take ownership of solutions. Finally, treat every customer interaction as a chance to strengthen relationships rather than simply close tickets.
The construction industry's complexity guarantees that problems will arise. Materials arrive damaged, specifications get misunderstood, and weather disrupts schedules. Companies that thrive don't avoid these challenges—they transform them into competitive advantages through exceptional service recovery.
CastleBrook's evolution from 150 employees to a lean team of 35-40, while expanding globally and improving quality through automation, demonstrates that growth doesn't require sacrificing personal service. Their upcoming expansion into European markets, capitalizing on changing trade policies, shows how strong customer relationships create opportunities even in challenging economic conditions.
The Shea Center story particularly resonates because it involves an organization dedicated to helping children with disabilities through therapeutic riding. When CastleBrook failed initially, they weren't just risking a business relationship—they were potentially impacting a vital community service. Their response—taking ownership, finding solutions, and ultimately delivering better than originally planned—exemplifies how businesses should handle high-stakes service recovery.
Graffam's advice to potential customers reveals confidence born from experience: visit CastleBrook's website for ideas, then pick up the phone. No high-pressure sales, no contact forms—just conversation. "We know that your project is gonna take many, many phone calls and much handholding, and we urge you to start the process whenever it's convenient for you."
Looking ahead, CastleBrook sees tremendous growth opportunities despite current market uncertainties. Their success formula remains unchanged: listen to customers, admit mistakes, continuously improve, and maintain genuine human connections. In an industry often characterized by rigid contracts and defensive postures, CastleBrook proves that vulnerability and accountability build stronger foundations than any structural steel.
For other businesses, the message is clear: stop defending perfection you don't possess. Start building relationships strong enough to weather imperfection. Because in construction, as in life, it's not about avoiding mistakes—it's about how you fix them that determines whether customers return. And at CastleBrook Barns, customers don't just return. They become advocates, innovators, and partners in building something better than either party initially imagined.