Quality-minded builders, remodelers, developers and contractors rely on our customer satisfaction surveying to help them provide exceptional service

Our friends at Custom Builders USA have offered to conduct a special webinar for GuildQuality members on May 11 from 1-2pm ET.   The speaker will be Bill Smithers (CEO), who will share how the CB/USA network combines the purchasing power of reputable builders to lower costs and increase service levels from suppliers.  CB/USA’s value proposition is well summarized in this short video (2.5 minutes).

We will be joined on the call by Bob Fleming, owner of Classic Remodeling.  Bob is a GuildQuality member and a founding member of CB/USA – Charleston. 

Click here to register for the webinar.

The American College of the Building Arts is dedicated to educating the next generation of building artisans. Students at the college are learning both the craft and the profession of construction.

Visit the college’s site or read this recent Preservation Magazine article, and you’ll quickly see why we’d like to support their mission. In our own ways, we both seek to elevate the stature of the building, remodeling, and real estate development profession.

The college and its students would appreciate your financial support — and they’d also benefit from some inspiration. So here’s my appeal to you:

Please tell us why you have chosen this profession!

If 100 building, remodeling, or real estate development professionals share their story (in the comments here on this post, by replying to @guildquality on twitter, or on our facebook page) before the end of March, we’ll give $500 to the college. So please, give us your answer (no matter how brief), and ask others to do the same.

Note: I’ve reposted some comments that people have provided in other forums. I’ve tried to catch them all, but likely missed some. My apologies if I missed yours!

Jan 6 Update: The meetup will be at 5:30 on January 19 at Tempo in the Las Vegas Hilton. For more details, visit the official meetup page.

On January 19 at 3:30 in South 221, Craig Schweikart (of Constellation Homebuilder Systems) and I are giving a talk entitled “Best Practices for Integrating Technology in Your Business�.

My portion of the session will cover how GuildQuality uses technology in both our operations and marketing. The show’s planners invited me to give the same talk I gave during November’s Custom Builder Symposium (I also gave a similar presentation at a couple of recent NARI events). I’ll be updating it to include some of my more recent finds, so even if you’ve seen it before, I encourage you to join us.

If you have interest in this session, my 1st annual IBS hike, a meetup at 5:30 on the 19th at Tempo (in the Las Vegas Hilton), or just getting together for a cup of coffee, please let me know!

Photo courtesy of ccharmon

I’ll be giving a talk at the IBS on Tuesday, January 19, and then staying in Las Vegas for a couple more days. I hate to say it, but I really can’t stand Las Vegas. The disposability of the place makes me feel sad for both humanity and our planet. So as a respite, I intend to escape Sin City for the afternoon of the 20th.

A few years ago, I had the great pleasure of hiking in Red Rock Canyon, about 30 minutes outside of town. This year, I intend to return. By hiking into the canyons on Wednesday afternoon, I’ll be missing some great stuff at the International Builder Show, but I expect to make it back to the convention center by dinner time. If this sounds tempting, check out these pictures.

If you are attending the show, and would like to get away for a few hours, please sign up here to join me, and I’ll include you in the trip details. If you can’t join me for the hike, but would still like to get together, please let me know and we’ll try to work out a time to circle up.

Earlier in the year, we announced a partnership with the Pella Certified Contractor (PCC) program, wherein GuildQuality became the preferred provider of customer satisfaction surveying and an integral part of the PCC program.  Since that time, over 30 new PCCs have become members of the GuildQuality community, and this number continues to grow.

As an extension of our relationship with Pella, and to recognize those PCCs who are the “best of the best” in customer satisfaction, Pella has announced a new PCC Customer Satisfaction Award, powered by GuildQuality.  The award will recognize those PCCs who are delivering an outstanding customer experience, specifically for their Pella-related jobs.

To be eligible for the award, PCCs must be an active GuildQuality member as of December 31, 2009.  In addition, the winners must survey a minimum of the last 20 completed Pella jobs, achieving a 90% recommendation rate  and 60% response rate to the surveys.  The award recipients will be notified in March 2010.

This award is a separate distinction from than the annual Guildmaster awards, and members may apply for both.

For more information, please contact GuildQuality’s sales department at 888-355-9223 or sales@guildquality.com.

In October, the good people at Kohler hosted a handful of our custom homebuilders at their company headquarters in Kohler, Wisconsin. Business-wise, the trip included a tour of the historic factory and a series of focus groups. The Kohler team was interested in sharing with our homebuilders how they craft their products, and hearing our members’ thoughts on what Kohler can be doing to help them deliver superior quality and service to their homeowners.

The Kohler factory is an exhibit of craftsmanship from every period of our history. Kohler artisans are hand finishing fixtures almost immediately alongside giant robot arms and glowing vats of molten iron. If you are a builder or remodeler, and you ever you have an opportunity to visit Kohler, Wisconsin, you must go. I have never seen anything like it, and it elevated my appreciation of both American industry and industrial artistry.

But the visit wasn’t all business. We stayed at the historic American Club, dined at River Wildlife, and golfed at Whistling Straits. The food and comfort we experienced during our Kohler experience was surpassed only by the thoughtful hospitality of the Kohler team.

12/9/09 UPDATE: Click here to view the recorded webinar.

A few weeks ago, I was spending some time with a number of our members. During our discussion about GuildQuality, their businesses, and state of the market, I was surprised to learn that many of them weren’t aware of our fantastic marketing resources. Upon learning more about what we offer, they encouraged me to get the word out via a webinar.

Webinar: December 3rd, 11am Eastern

On December 3rd, at 11am Eastern, I will be hosting a webinar tutorial for our builders, remodelers, and developers who’d like to learn how to take advantage of our marketing resources and for those who need a refresher on the subject.

We have a number of tools that help our members enhance their online presence and better articulate their quality of service for prospective customers, and I’m excited for the opportunity to share (or re-share) those with you.

In addition to reviewing our complimentary marketing services (like Customer Reports, Member Profiles, Listings, and our integration with a number of social media services), we’ll also spend some time discussing prospect surveying (which now accounts for 15% of our total survey volume!).

With me will be Laura Summerlin (our Member Services Director) and Mark Miles (our COO).

Click here to register for our 1 hour webinar.

We encourage all of our remodeler members to apply to become a member of the Big50 Class of 2010. Each year, Remodeling recognizes 50 companies that are leading our industry in professionalism, innovation, and best practices. Over the last several years, Guildmembers have represented 15% to 20% of each class. This is a great honor, and if you’ve not applied before, we encourage you to do so.

For the second year, GuildQuality is powering Remodeling’s Big50 Service Excellence Award. Last year’s first ever Service Excellence Award was a big success, and we’re excited to be working with the Hanley Wood team again for the 2010 Award.

For Guildmembers, applying for the Service Excellence Award is easy. All you need to do is check the box at the end of the application, and that will opt you in for consideration.

For non-Guildmember Big50 Applicants, there’s no extra charge for applying for the Service Excellence Award — the surveying process is very similar to our Free Trial.

Click here to download the Big50 application form. Applications are due by December 7.

Earlier today at the Custom Builder Symposium in San Diego, Cleveland’s Payne & Payne Builders was recognized as the NAHB 2009 Custom Home Builder of the Year.

Company co-founder Mike Payne Sr accepted the award on behalf of the company, his brother and co-founder David Payne, and his four sons that are now a part of the business. The Paynes received a standing ovation from the crowd.

On the first of October, we announced the Call for Entries for the 2010 Guildmaster Awards. As I write this, 78 members have applied so far.

Members may apply for consideration for an award by visiting the Guildmaster Award section of their account.

Alison Sturm of Attention to Detail Home Remodeling posted about this event in the GuildQuality LinkedIn Discussion Group:

In Atlanta, on November 5, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry will be hosting an informative set of classes tailored for those whose small businesses focus on services in client’s homes.

There will be at least 3 classes focused on new ways to market yourself, 3 classes focused on protecting yourself & your company, as well as a host of other useful topics. You may sign up for a half day or a full day of classes, all of which offer continuing education credits, and plenty of networking opportunities with remodelers, designers, builders, & trades.

Read more and sign up here.

I am scheduled to give several talks at industry events in the next couple weeks:

Breakfast with Remodelers Advantage at the Indianapolis Remodeling Show

Thursday, October 29, 7:00am, Indianapolis Convention Center

Victoria Downing and I will be giving short sales presentations about GuildQuality and Remodelers Advantage Roundtables. These sales presentations are specifically for owners of remodeling or custom building companies with greater than $1 million in annual sales.

While the event is designed for companies that have not yet joined either GuildQuality or Remodelers Advantage Roundtables, we absolutely welcome our existing members, the press, and our wonderful partners. Let us know if you’d like to be added to the registration list. Once we hear from you, we’ll forward you the room location.

Bucks-Mont NARI Education Day

Thursday, November 5, All Day, Perkasie, PA

The good people at Bucks-Mont NARI (near Philadelphia) have invited me to be the afternoon keynote speaker at their annual education day. I’ll be giving a presentation on the “Past, Present, and Future of the Remodeling Business.” The talk focuses on the evolution of the industry — particularly its professionalism, regulations, technology, and the marketing strategies of those that are leading it. I’ll also make some predictions for the near future based on the trends we see emerging among consumers and our members.

The morning of the event, I’ll be leading a workshop entitled “Thriving in the New Reputation Economy.” In it, we’ll explore the intersection of customer service and social media.

Click here to register for Education Day.

Custom Builder Symposium

Saturday, November 7 & Sunday, November 8, San Diego

I’m giving a talk (on Saturday) and leading a workshop (on Sunday) on social media and customer service. In the talk, I’ll explore some of the best practices of people within and outside the industry. The workshop that follows will be hands-on — people will leave the session with a Twitter account (and at least 1 follower!), and an understanding of how they can leverage social media and consumer review sites to deepen their connections with customers and prospects. Click here for more information about this year’s Custom Builder Symposium.

I am pleased to announce the call for entries for the 2010 Guildmaster Awards. The Guildmaster Awards recognize exemplary customer service among our membership of quality-minded builders, remodelers, developers, and contractors.

The call for entries will close on January 1, 2010, and we will announce all the winners on or about May 1, 2010. Awareness of the Guildmaster Awards continues to grow, as does consumer interest in our Guildmembers in general, and we intend to capitalize on that interest by promoting the award and the winners.

As in prior years, members who survey all of their customers (see the detailed qualifications for allowed exceptions), achieve a recommendation rate of greater than 90%, and have a high survey response rate will qualify to win an award. But there are some important changes to this year’s review process and qualifications. I urge you to read the complete details here. Below is a summary of the the two most important changes.

Public Review Period. This is perhaps the most significant change to our review process. In past year’s, we’ve relied upon the member to provide a complete and unabridged customer list for surveying. This year, we will continue to rely heavily on the “honor code”, but we are buttressing that policy with a public review period for each of the applicants. For 120 days from the time a member applies, their member profile will reference that they are 2010 Guildmaster Award candidate, and consumers will be able to comment on the application.

Response Rate Requirement. Recognizing that many of our members with a large customer volume are unable to receive a response rate of 70% or greater, we’ve lowered the required response rate for members with a large survey volume. The minimum survey response rate for smaller members is still 70%, and as the company’s survey volume increases, the required response rate drops to 50%. Read more in the qualification details.

The application page for the 2010 Guildmaster Awards is in the Marketing section of your account. Click here to apply.

Congratulations to Scott Siegal, owner of Maggio Roofing, on his recent purchase of the Certified Contractors Network (CCN).

Maggio has been a GuildQuality member since December 2008, and was honored this year as an inductee into the Remodeling Big 50.  Scott will continue to own and operate Maggio, while furthering the mission of CCN – to enhance the professionalism, performance and perception of the construction industry.

According to Replacement Contractor Online, CCN will have an increased focus on education, broadening the reach of marketing, sales, and field training.  There will also be a push to grow membership by developing joint programs with manufacturers and distributors.

In addition to Maggio, GuildQuality works with a number of other CCN members, including Twin Cities Siding, Istueta Roofing, Francis Harvey & Sons, Integrity Roofing, Southwest Exteriors, and Crown Roofing and Drainage.

Join us on June 23rd – 10am Pac/1pm Eastern for a webinar hosted by GuildQuality Alliance member Dennis DuRoff of the Builders & Remodelers Newsletter.

Click here to register.

Producing engaging newsletter content on a regular basis isn’t a core competency for most small- and mid-sized building and remodeling companies. A number of Guildmembers have resolved that problem by working with Dennis’ company to manage their newsletter production and administration. Dennis is also a regular speaker and business coach, and was introduced to me by one of our very first Guildmembers. He is hosting a June 23rd webinar for Guildmembers on unique, low cost, and turnkey marketing programs for builders and remodelers.

From the Webinar Invitation:

How builders & remodelers respond to the recession will go a long way toward determining future success & company survival. Builders report that marketing strategies that worked in the past are no longer producing results.

They cite several reasons:

#1 – As markets slow, buyers feel like they are in charge of the sales process making the time from contact to contract longer than ever. How can you stay on your prospects radar when they are finally ready to pull the trigger?

#2 – Traffic is down; leads are more difficult to come by. It is becoming as important to cultivate leads as it is to generate them.

#3 – Builders know they’ve got to market their business but cash is tight and staff is cut to the bone. How can you consistently – stay in touch – without breaking the budget or compromising your staff?

Over 100 of the finest Builders and Remodelers in the country have found a straightforward, affordable, turnkey solution to help them through these difficult times.

This webinar, presented by Dennis DuRoff – founder of The Builder and Remodelers Newsletter, professional business coach, industry speaker, and author – is an opportunity to see how Builders and Remodelers are using our stay-in-touch program to help get them through.

I honestly feel that without this unobtrusive and educational communication tool, we would fade to distant memory and not be on the forefront of our contacts minds. Your newsletter is a key part of our marketing that gives us the biggest bang for the buck. ~ GuildQuality member Doug Tumlin, Pilot Builders

Dennis will cover:

>> Why the Builder and Remodeler Newsletters are fully turnkey while being highly personalized to you and your company.

>> How the Builder Newsletter can increase web traffic.

>> What makes the builder newsletter different than other newsletters you’ve seen.

>> How this newsletter can help build your brand.

>> How the builder newsletter is different than any other newsletter service on the market.