Case Studies

Nov 16 2009 8:02AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Bruce Case

As a business, we "need" certain things to happen to keep the lights on.  We need a quality team of people working together.  We need cash coming in the door.  We need a backlog of work so we can plan our production schedules, sleep at night and keep our folks busy.

But we have to balance these with why we are here - longer term goals and visions.  Sometimes these longer term goals and visions align perfectly with our short term needs (having a quality team of people working together, etc.).  But sometimes they are in conflict.  Pushing through a sale that isn't thoughtfully put together might help short term cash flow but conflicts with our vision of team, quality, etc.  

Balancing this ying and yang is one of businesses biggest challenges.  Not just for remodelers but for any business.  Esp...Read More

Nov 2 2009 12:58PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Bruce Case

I met with our bankers the other day.  They said that 3-5 years ago, their lenders "ran the show."  The lenders made the bank money.  The lenders were the king pins.  The lenders could do no wrong.

My how that has changed.  She said that now those garnering new deposits (i.e. cash) "run the show."  They keep the bank's assets safe/out of harms way.  They build up the bank's balance sheets.  Those garnering new deposits are the king pins.  Those garnering new deposits can do no wrong.  

As a result of this sea-change, their bank's lending is down about 90%.

...Read More

Oct 16 2009 11:49AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (3) |

By Bruce Case

I don't know about you, but we have gone through tremendous change.  Change that I am excited about.  Yes, it was necessitated by the tough economy.  But 99% of it is the right thing to do - they are changes that will help us in the mid to long run.  They are changes that will help us work more coherently as a team and that will improve our client experience.

But wow, getting change to stick is hard work.  Any change is tough to get to stick - but I find getting detailed processes (our p's and q's) to stick is especially difficult.  It's tough to monitor on a regular basis whether team members are doing all the steps in the process.  It's tough for them to feel immediate positive reward(s) from new processes.  And it's not the type of work that makes me excited (or them) - yet it's critical to our team working effectively.
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Oct 1 2009 3:03PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Bruce Case

I don't know about you, but I'm constantly trying to balance optimism with an ear to the ground for any surprises lurking around the corner.

We've seen a nice stabilization (even in uptick...) in the last 3-4 months in average job size, sales and our lead times.  Nothing like it was 2-3 years ago in the "go go" times but certainly a good sign in this New Economy.  It has helped steady my nerves and hopefully the nerves of our team members as well.

However, I can't help but watch unemployment, foreclosures and other fundamentals of the economy that are still lagging.  Will they lead us into another drop like we saw in October of 2008?  Or will they primarily effect a slice of the economy - not the entire basket?

We can only control what we can control - regardless of what the economy does we'll react and get throug...Read More

Aug 31 2009 7:56AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Bruce Case

Picking is almost impossible because they are all so cute and playful ... and the few that aren't tug at my heart strings because I want to give them the love and attention they deserve.  It took us about two hours but we found the one we would adopt.  A bright eyed, gently playful little girl we would call Rosabelle (we are, technically, below the Mason Dixon line).

The only other male in our home was Bogart; our 18 year old cat that was cantankerous at first blush yet loyal and loving once you knew him.  After sending Bogart to "cat heaven to eat 'mice cream' " (as quoted from my daughter), we decided to adopt a new cat from the Arlington Humane Society. I had lobbied for weeks (and I am proud to say – successfully) that the cat had to be a boy because I am not secure enough to be surrounded by females (wife, daughter, female dog).&nbs...Read More

Aug 17 2009 7:56AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Bruce Case

I am getting ready to give a review to one of our key team members.  I've heard a lot of people don't do annual reviews - either they think they're a waste of time or maybe they are concerned about conflict or hitting issues head-on.  I actual love reviews - always have.  I love parent-teacher conferences, I love getting reviewed and I enjoy giving reviews (unless it's a real stinker).

It's a good time to call a timeout, think about what is important, what is good, what is bad, and future areas of improvement.    Every review I do, I ask the person I am reviewing to review me too - as their boss how am I doing, what can I improve, how can we work better together.

...Read More

Jul 27 2009 2:32PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Bruce Case

Inova Blood Donor Services came to our Bethesda offices last week.  Case Cares has worked with Inova a number of times to orchestrate blood drives – because those that need blood really do need it and because blood is in short supply right now. Twenty some Case team members signed up and after the normal screening process about 18 were able to donate.

I wasn’t one of them. I didn’t even sign up. I am on the Case Cares committee, I saw the kind and pleading e-mails sent out to the office and to the field teams. Why didn’t I sign up? I can blame it on being busy, frightened of needles (which I am – but who isn’t….come on admit it…) or some other lame excuse. But the real reason – the reason deep in my soul – is that sometimes I’m just not in a "giving" mood. I am working my butt off, for less...Read More

Jul 13 2009 1:04PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Bruce Case

Value seems to be the buzzword with our clients - always has been to a degree; but these days it's a driving force.  How are you building value for your clients and prospective clients?  

We are creating options for pre-packages projects (express kitchens and baths, etc.) that accomodate a lower price point while maintaining a high level of quality and craftsmanship.  Our team is down to the best of the best which certainly increases the value.  We are focused on providing top notch quality - both in terms of craftsmanship and in terms of our customer service.  And we measure how we are doing with a third party surveying company.  We have also gotten "specials" from our subcontractors and suppliers that we extend to our clients. 

Jun 15 2009 11:03AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Bruce Case

I like to think that I have a holistic view - yet I still am constantly amazed at how interconnected each facet of our business truly is.  There is the obvious connection of design, sales, estimating and production.   Yet this interconnectivity pervades every cranny of what we do.   Accounting can't do their job right unless invoices are properly cost coded.  Our Workers Compensation premium is directly effected by how our field team codes their time on timecards.  Our marketing team's efforts are directly effected by how leads and lead sources are entered by our lead-taking team. 

The more I get acquainted with each area, the more I realize that my job as president is to help unite each of these areas - each of these disparate teams.  Because the more we can empathize with other departments and divisions; the more we work as on...Read More

May 15 2009 7:37AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Bruce Case

We are seeing things stabilize verses the "free fall" many of us experienced over the last 6 months.  Great news but I find it is still very challenging - if not more so - to find the right path for the company. It has stabilized in a relative sense but it is still a battle out there. Is it a time to take some calculated risks and try to gain market share, enter new markets, etc?  Or is it better to play it safe and live to fight another day - after we get through this winter which is likely to be challenging given shorter backlogs and potential further diminishing of consumer confidence/demand?  Any thoughts out there?

Apr 28 2009 11:17AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (1) |

By Bruce Case

The best project managers are like black holes. They gobble up everything in their path and handle it. Broken pipe on the job – no stress; no worries – just handle it. Lead carpenter sick the day the beam is going in – no stress; no worries just handle it. Client calls disturbed about the drywall dust on her art collection – no stress; no worries just handle it. 

 

And along the way they manage to thoroughly think through a project before it is put together, they keep up with paperwork and tracking systems and they ensure the stuff is there on time and on budget. They hire, recruit, train and motivate a top flight team of carpenters, helpers, subcontractors and suppliers.    They make money on the project.

...Read More

Apr 13 2009 7:05AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (1) |

By Bruce Case

Olivia and I make a habit of going into the basement every couple of weeks to create some magic.

As she would proudly tell you, she is 5 3/4 years old and has a HUGE black and yellow Stanley tool box (I let her pick it off the shelf at our local hardware store which was a lot of fun at the time but as she bangs it all around the house I question that decision) outfitted with an assortment of tools...Not just the plastic children's toys you might expect - but real tools that have been worked hard for many years.  A plane, a hand drill, a tape measure, three of every type of nail (you'll have to ask her why three instead of two or four) and pliers.

As we walk down the steps to our basement, we talk about what magic she'd like to create that day.  It could be a cow, a cat or some other wonderful creature.  That day it was a parrot.  I get wh...Read More

Mar 30 2009 2:33PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |

By Bruce Case

What will remodeling look like in the future? 
1.  Remodelers:  What will the remodeling landscape look like - consolidated or fragmented?    What will the orientation of remodelers become - continued focus on the craft or more focus on the business essentials of being a remodeler?
2.  Customers:  Until we start living in caves, homeowners will need businesses to work on their homes.  But what will they look for in a remodeler in 10-20 years?  What products will they demand (green, universal design, etc.)?  To what key differentiators will customers respond?  
3.  Supply Chain:  Will there be integration between steps in the supply chain (manufacturers consolidating with distributors, distributors with remodelers, etc.)?  Will remodeling evolve like other businesses - more...Read More

Mar 16 2009 11:04AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (1) |

By Bruce Case

The downturn in new home building has driven many manufacturers, suppliers and subcontractors to focus their sales efforts on remodelers.  Remodeling is a challenge in this environment but not nearly as tough as new home construction.

Selling to remodelers requires a different sales approach than selling to new home builders.  Think of selling medicine to a hospital - with high volume, low margins, winning over 1 key decision maker, etc. - verses selling medicine to each individual doctor.  To sell to each individual doctor - or to each remodeler - takes a grass roots, committed and consistent focus.  The good news is that the pressure on margins created by the high volume purchases of new home builders is not as pervasive.  The bad news is that selling to remodelers is a bit like hurding cats.

We buy from manufacturers, suppl...Read More

Mar 5 2009 11:48AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (1) |

By Bruce Case

Depends - on the opportunity as well as on the goals and aspirations of the person looking. Most of us are primarily driven by one of the following - lifestyle (more time off, community service, etc.), wealth (maximize short and mid term cash flow, returns, etc.) or equity (build ownership and value of the business for future generations or to sell). If you are meeting your goals and aspirations, I don't think it makes sense to invest your valuable time or money in new opportunities. If you are not meeting your business goals and aspirations, there are several types of opportunities that might fit: 

1. Educational: Keep your business independent but join a community to share best practices, learn from industry leaders and to feel part of something bigger. Check out www.CaseInstitu...Read More