Every so often, when a number of positive changes occur right on top of each other, it makes sense to communicate them directly to you, our readers. This month, I am pleased to highlight several significant changes and improvements to Professional Remodeler magazine and HousingZone.com.
First, when you turn the page, you will see the face of our new editor Tim Gregorski. Don’t let his youthful visage fool you. He brings a wealth of experience to the job. Tim has served as...
Sometimes it feels as though buildings are being designed without consideration of those that will occupy them. Thought always needs to be given to how the environment will be used. For example while visiting a business recently and having time before a meeting started I realized that despite the foyer, long corridors and areas to congregate there was no seating available anywhere including any benches along the walls. There was also no WiFi available, there was also very poor signage for...
A recent survey conducted by Deloitte entitled ‘Core Beliefs and Culture’ showed that culture creates strong business performance, it also showed a key disconnect between leaders and employees.
Both “executives 94% and employees 88% believe that a distinct workplace culture is important to business success and 83% of executives and 84% of employees ranked engaged and motivated employees as the top factor that substantially contributes to a company’s success.”
There is a...
“Obsessed by a fairy tale, we spend our lives searching for a magic door and a lost kingdom of peace.” - Eugene O'Neill
Nothing brings up feelings of fairy tale romanticism about a home quite like a turret. With a soaring roofline and endless natural light, it is very easy to fall in love with a well done turret. In this plan the turret becomes a space within a space that is used for retreat. Let’s take a closer look:
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I have personally seen organizations that have used initiatives to drive service excellence and have created for example 98% customer satisfaction as a result. In each case it has been about creating a systematic approach. Starting with listening to the customer via surveys and focus groups to understand customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction, analyzing data and once they understood the situation using key quality teams, tools and techniques to step by step create improvement and measure...
$50k which was to be transferred from one business account to another was not actually completed.
A client was given completely different instructions by 3 different representatives from the same office.
A client was confidently informed, ‘not a problem just call us when you are ready and we can make that happen easily’. When the client returned the representative realized in fact that they couldn’t make the change at all.
A time was set for a team to visit a home and...
Team sports analogies have long been used in home building for obvious reasons. They both have the common component of individual performances that roll up into team results. Home building is the ultimate team endeavor, made up of internal employees and external trade partners numbering into the thousands.
Why is teamwork important in home building? The answer is potent – customers' teamwork ratings are highly correlated to customer referring...
This little plan has really been a high producer. It is simple to build, lean, and has great curb appeal. As a result this plan has sold very well for several builders.
It reminds me of the quote, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” The bits and pieces of this seemingly simple plan work in concert with its...
While Quality tools and techniques have been around for a long time and proven their worth I still see and hear situations that amaze me. For example a trade embraced quality and created checklists, inspection points, tracked problems, eliminated root causes meaning that fewer defects and call backs were occurring. This resulted in cost savings and improved customer satisfaction for his business. With pride therefore he described his approach to a new contractor he was seeking work from. ‘...
I travel this country meeting with builders virtually every week and between my monthly Professional Builder article, my weekly blog on HouzingZone.com and our Lean Building Group on Linkedin.com, I hear from many more. As housing is picking up in most parts of the nation, I am beginning to hear a lot about labor shortages. Just last week I received a note from a builder lamenting how in central Florida there is a bidding war for framers and drywall contractors. I have also heard it coming...
