My business revolves around problem solving. Simple days involve prioritizing upcoming tasks and planning for the next few weeks. Some days are more challenging, working to figure out how to layout a new system within the space the customer has set aside (often too small) or working in the lab to solve a coating problem.
I always focus on the best way to do the job, while my clients are often most concerned with cost. I have learned through experience to develop more than one way to satisfy a particular need, a list of possible ways to proceed that works using the best solution to the lowest-cost decision and a cost/benefit analysis to show the value of the higher-cost options.