Mystery Solved
‘How does Wayne Homes de-mystify custom home building?’
Here is the three-part answer: we listen; we ask; then we listen again.
We know that many of our customers are experienced home owners; and that they want some very specific features in their new, custom home. Our marketing and sales folks know that we do not build for target groups, we only build for individuals. This means that we must discover exactly what each person wants in their new home, one by one, and take nothing for granted!
To do this, Wayne Homes uses a unique tool we call The Value List. It helps us learn what’s most and least important for each individual. Using it ensures that the husband and the wife each get what they want, plus some of those wouldn’t-it-be-nice-if wishes too. In conclusion, the Value List tells our teammates exactly what to deliver, and helps us create an outstanding building experience.
‘What’s the secret to making it easy and fun?‘
The right people. Wayne Homes is a team of very talented, very special folks who know that we can’t treat our customers any better than we treat ourselves. So every day we focus on making it fun at work. That’s the reason we’re able to deliver equally outstanding experiences to all our customers. The result? Almost half of our sales come from customer referrals. People continually tell us they had way more fun than they ever imagined!
‘How would you describe your mission?’
Our mission is simple:
- Deliver outstanding customers experiences;
- Do a great job; and
- Get better every day.
Creating a great work atmosphere makes it fun for both our teammates and our customers. We always focus on more than just the home itself; we believe you deserve an awesome experience too.
We call Wayne Homes’ custom building process ‘Your home, on your lot, your way.’ Doing a great job means we deliver everything we promised, on time and on budget.
The third part of our mission, getting better every day, means that all the good we accomplished yesterday, won’t be good enough tomorrow. We hate to stand still. All three parts of our mission make it fun to work for, and with, Wayne Homes!
Conversations: Part One
I’ve been reflecting on the new friends made and the many conversations that took place during the season of holiday gatherings. It’s interesting to me that as soon as a fellow guest discovered that my passion is custom home building; the intriguing questions began to fly. If you were the proverbial fly on the wall, here’s what you might have heard…
“Dave, what is it that today’s home building customers are really looking for? Are there some things your customers are willing to compromise on, and some they aren’t? How much stress does the building process cause? Is price all that really matters? Great questions each and all! Here’s how the conversations went.
What are home buyers looking for today? The best value. And they find it when someone will deliver exactly what they want, at a price that’s fair, while making the entire transaction memorable (after all, no one likes to be put through a wringer just to save a few bucks). By the way, price actually isn’t that difficult to replicate—in my business, any builder can match any other’s new home price at any given time. But they can’t reproduce our unique home plans; and it’s impossible for another builder to duplicate how our Wayne Homes teammates will treat you every day. We’re dedicated to making custom homebuilding fun!
Compromise?
I think people build a custom home so they won’t have to compromise!
Sure, there’s always some give-and-take when the choices are almost limitless; but Wayne Homes’ unique Value List process helps uncover what’s most and least important to each individual, in a person by person approach. This way both husband and wife will get everything each needs; almost everything each wants; and always a few of those “wouldn’t-it-be-nice-if…“wishes. The bonus is our team also knows exactly what to deliver on time and on budget, and how to create great memories from start through service.
How much stress is there?
Not much. We make ourselves available for you, and we keep you informed. We anticipate and act, rather than delay and react. We love to listen and ask the right questions at the right time. We will offer excellent advice when asked; and we try very hard to be a great partner! Our goal is to see you smile every time we interact.
How much does all this cost?
Obviously, the price of your new home really depends on what you want in it. Yet price is only one part of the equation; when you think on it, the total cost of ownership involves more. Have you heard the anecdote about Dr. Edwards Deming who, when asked “Professor, how much did your new shoes cost?” answered “I don’t know; I haven’t worn them out yet.” In the same way, the total cost of owning a new home should also include the money you’ll spend to run it (utilities) and the cost to maintain it (service).
Wayne Homes has been an Energy Star partner since 1997 and we pay you if your utility usage is more than it should be (our exclusive Energy Smart guarantee). We build every home to last, which is why we were the first builder in Ohio to win the National Housing Quality award, and why our warranty is twice as long as the industry average. Finally, do you remember all those smiles we talked about? They come at no extra cost, because headache-free is truly priceless!
Stay tuned for Part Two! Keep up to date by visiting our Facebook page daily.
Without a Doubt
What do stock market forecasts, economic predictions and weather projections have in common? They all have too many variables to forecast the future accurately. The same might be said of the homebuilding industry. So if you want to know if this is the right time to build your new home, what should you do?
Consulting a ‘Magic 8 Ball’ could be one strategy. Do you remember that shiny black orb from Mattel? First you would ask it a question and then turn it upside down. Soon one of the random answers would magically appear; such as: “Cannot predict now” and “Reply hazy, try again”. We know that’s not the solution, but it’s certainly lots of fun!
To plan for the future, put aside that magic ball and look at history and current trends. Then ‘test the numbers’ against your past experience and use common sense. To make it easy for you, we’ve sifted through the experts’ data and listed all the important measurements. You can find out how these key metrics are doing at the end of this article. We predict everyone will reach the same conclusion.
When the right amount of variables point in the same direction, it’s easy to form a clear picture of what’s to come. In fact, more and more people intuitively know it without doing any research. Prices will not go lower and interest rates will not go lower. Right now, the timing will never be better. Without a doubt, NOW is the time to build a new home!
- The Federal Reserve just published that “national economic activity expanded at a modest to moderate pace during the reporting period.”
- Household growth has picked up, and all measures of inventory (new & used) are down meaningfully. The supply-demand environment is quite different than in the past four years.
- Investors are responding to attractive opportunities and inventories of choice resales are growing scarce in many markets.
- Foreclosures have run their course.
- Resale prices have slowed their decline and will begin to rise.
- The costs of many commodities are going up; new home prices will follow.
- New home sales Incentives are down sharply from peak levels.
- Mortgage rates have hit their historic low.
- Website traffic to homebuilders’ sites is at an all-time high.
- Foot traffic thru homebuilders’ model homes posted double-digit improvements last quarter.
- In sub-sectors, the strongest job improvement over the last three months occurred for residential building construction (up 6.3%) followed by residential trade contractors (up 0.6%).
- It is an election year.
- Politicians realize the importance of housing activity to their electability. The mid-70s and early-90s housing recoveries began during election years.
Knowing these statistics, even the Magic 8 Ball must agree “All signs point to YES.”
We’ve Gained an Angel
We no longer hear JoAnn McCaskey’s gentle laughter in our hallways and we miss her greatly. Every day for nearly two decades JoAnn was our spark and role model for how to be truly engaged in life…she created value at work, smiles at play, and joy for everyone she touched. And JoAnn touched many who never got to meet her. No one breathed more life into giving back to the communities where we live, work and play.
JoAnn loved to spearhead efforts to share the bounty with those less fortunate. She would creatively nudge extra volunteer hours from her teammates as well as extra dollars from those whose time was otherwise committed, all to benefit others in need. Share-a-Christmas; Toys for Tots; Coats for Kids; Walk for the Cure…JoAnn helped feed the hungry and shelter the homeless throughout the year. Every day was her Christmas day. Whether wrapping then delivering presents; helping at a food bank; or walking through all kinds of weather to help find a cure; her kindness had no limits, her smile had no bounds.
To paraphrase John Wesley, JoAnn did all the good she could; by all the means she could; for as many people as she could; for as long as she could. Even from her hospital bed, she inspired visitors, staff and roommates alike with her angelic smile and soft-spoken words of wisdom. Now she is with the angels.
“If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin into his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.”
Her life is echoed in these words from Emily Dickinson; and like the poem, JoAnn will always be with us.
Book Club Part Two
I went to my bookshelf to get down “Zingerman’s Guide to Giving Great Service” prior to writing this entry and it wasn’t there! AAAghh! Then I remembered…I had recently shared my personal copy with one of our trade partners who had stopped by to say hello. That’s another thing we do around here–we share books and articles that we find truly resonating. “Zingerman’s” is always atop our need-to-replace-it-again list.
My wife and I met the author, Ari Weinzweig, some twenty years ago–back then he was delivering his awesome baked goods to a market in Toledo, Ohio (now he also does it by mail order). First and foremost, you need to know that Zingerman’s food is absolutely phenomenal! We liked their artisan baked goods so much (in particular chocolate-cherry bread) that we would often drive into Michigan just to get it. Years passed, we moved to North East Ohio, and lost track. Then it happened; a teammate visited Ari’s deli in Ann Arbor and returned with the game-changing book “Zingerman’s.”
Pardon the pun, but we ate it up.
Contained within 120-odd pages are many simple but important recipes that can teach any company exactly how to treat their customers like royalty. Example: there are three Zingerman’s steps to great service:
- Figure out what your customer wants.
- Get it for them accurately, politely, and enthusiastically.
- Go the extra mile for your customer.
Such an uncomplicated, easy to remember formula! They’ve boiled down all the complex theories about customer service to three down-to-earth instructions. When you stir in a team that’s dedicated to providing outstanding customer experiences, you’ve got the winning recipe!
Ari and his team grew that once-small deli into eight different businesses including a training company for those who wish to learn the Zingerman’s magic. And wow, did we ever learn. Every Wayne Homes teammate can now recite these three steps to great service, as well as the five steps for handling a customer complaint (also in the book). More importantly, each of us now adds a bit of fun into every interaction whether among ourselves or with our prospects and our customers. So exactly what can a custom homebuilding company learn from a successful deli in Ann Arbor? Plenty!
To learn more about our customer care, please visit us on the web here!
For a delicious taste of Zingerman’s Deli, visit their website here. You may also find Zingerman’s magic online where you’ll find seminars, workshops, training guides and books!
Book Club Part One
We like to read books around here; our shelves are absolutely full of them. And because my mother always said “Books are for sharing”, in the next few blogs I thought I’d share what some of our favorites are, and why. Let’s start with one that every Wayne Homes teammate receives when they first join us; it’s an oldie-but-goodie called “Raving Fans.”
‘Raving Fans’ is a quick read; it can’t be more than a half-inch thick. Ken Blanchard of ‘One Minute Manager’ fame co-wrote the book with author Sheldon Bowles almost twenty years ago. In the good things come in small packages tradition, it’s chockfull of stand-the-test-of-time truths. Here’s a quick synopsis:
If you want to thrive in today’s economy, you can’t just satisfy your customers; you have to ‘wow’ them. Hasn’t most shopping become a chore instead of the memorable and fun experience it should be? Aren’t we getting numb to customer service that really doesn’t service us, but rather that company’s agenda? Charlie wants to change all that.
The star of ‘Raving Fans’ is an engaging male fairy godmother named Charlie. He is on a mission to teach the world how to look at customers differently (and treat us the way we want to be treated!). Charlie shares his three-part recipe: Decide, Discover, and Deliver. Follow these directions to cook up a Wow experience for teammates and customers alike!
- Decide. Solidify the vision of your perfect product being perfectly delivered. Don’t promise more than you know your company can consistently deliver.
- Discover what each customer wants and match their vision to your own. Most of the time both agendas will mesh; but if the two sets of expectation don’t, it’s better to say ‘No’ upfront than to experience a doubly-miserable transaction!
- Deliver what’s promised, plus one percent. Doing what you say ‘plus one’ creates lots of smiles and keeps costs within reason.
‘Raving Fans’ inspires. Through an engaging story, it sheds new light on how every business should interact with its customers. As a result, we learned that delivering outstanding experiences is every bit as important as the bricks and sticks that make up our homes.
‘Raving Fans’ helped us to design our unique ‘Value List’ so we can better discover your vision from your point of view. It’s what we use to understand why you want what you want, so that we can consistently deliver your custom home, on time, and on budget. We rarely have to say “We’re not the right fit for you”; the Value List makes it easy for you to hear “With Wayne Homes, almost anything is possible!”
Reading ‘Raving Fans’ continues to motivate us. We are proud to be the first homebuilder in Ohio to ever receive the National Housing Quality Award. And we’re most proud that our customers were the important voters who said they not only got a great home but also had more fun than they ever could imagine!
*We encourage you to visit our website to learn more about the mission of Wayne Homes!
The Debate is In!
Remember ‘Point / Counter-Point?’ I just read an article that asked the question ‘which sells new homes faster: energy efficiency or design?’ Two highly credible market researchers argued their side of the story and you guessed it, they disagreed on the answer.
The first point was made by American LIVES. Based on their recent nationwide survey, energy efficiency wins the day because all those resale homes simply can’t compete with it. Their research found that three-fifths of shoppers preferred new homes over used homes, mostly because potential buyers could expect a lifetime of lower utility bills. In fact, fifty-five percent of those buyers said that they’d pay up to $5,000 more for energy features like insulation, low-E windows, and high performing HVAC systems, knowing that any upfront costs would be quickly paid back if they built new instead of buying ‘old’.
The counter-point came from Marketscape Research and Consulting. They say American shoppers want “different and better”—and home shoppers are no exception. Look no further than the TV industry as an example of this, they say. Pricier flat screen TVs are flying off the shelves yet they perform the same basic functions as their bulkier counterparts. Why is this happening? Flat screens are perceived as different and therefore better and in the same way, design trumps energy in new home sales.
Furthermore, Marketscape hears from home shoppers around the nation who continually lament about seeing ‘the same old houses’. The company cites examples of homebuilders who are thriving today mainly because they are meeting consumer demand in new ways, with re-invented floor plans and home designs that reignite the fun and excitement of new-home purchases. Builders who best deliver what today’s consumers want, succeed.
So who is right? Our in-house research confirms that both sides are! We’ve built over 17,000 new homes in the last four decades and each one was custom-tailored to our buyers’ tastes. Design and floor plan innovations occur here on a daily basis–we like to say ‘At Wayne Homes, almost anything is possible!’ And because we also combine that custom building with an exclusive Energy Smart Guarantee you get the best of both worlds. We’ve been an Energy Star partner since 1997, because it’s a brand we trust.
Are we as smart in statistics as these two highly-regarded research firms? Probably not; however we are extremely good at listening to our buyers! This trait gives our customers the exact home that they want: one that looks great, lives well, and costs less to own day in and day out. Isn’t that the real point?
Core Values
My wife and I went to a cozy Italian restaurant the other day. While waiting for our table, I gazed about and noticed that their ‘family philosophy’ was proudly displayed on the wall behind the cash register. It began: “We are in business because you are our patron, and we know that you have needs…” It ended with: “We know you have expectations, and we are committed to exceed them”. That certainly rang a bell! Guess what? Those familiar words were backed up with admirable follow-through; and we had an excellent meal at a fair price. The entire experience gave me the inspiration to share our Wayne Homes philosophy with you!
I am proud to tell you about our people and their commitment to Wayne Homes’ core values. What are core values? They are principles that don’t fluctuate when the economy does; they are unwavering beacons that guide us in decision-making; they are beliefs that are never changed to fit the occasion. Core values provide the framework for any teammate to reach wise and correct solutions without first having to ‘check with the boss’. They reflect who we are, and what we do!
- I provide an Outstanding Customer Experience
- I always act with Integrity
- I believe in Continuous Improvement
- I use systems to achieve Operational Excellence
- I believe in Quality Growth
- I am a part of our Community
- I am part of a team that custom-builds Great Homes
Did you notice that each core value began with the word “I”, rather than “We”? That’s because our teammates requested that change several years ago. You see, it’s a very personal commitment from each of us that I, like my teammates, take individual ownership of every one of these core values. The bonus is that each of us knows that the entire team’s actions and behaviors are truly aligned. We can count on each other without hesitation! And that makes everything possible.
To learn more about Wayne Homes’ core values, please visit our website and see them in action on our Facebook page!
Open Houses
I don’t purchase too many things on the internet. Then again, I don’t shop that often at all…my bride of thirty five years has assumed that responsibility in our ‘marital division of duties’ (very ably, I might add). When I do go shopping, I revert to what I did pre-marriage, and typically drive to a store. But these days I’ve added a twist!
My new ritual now begins with a visit to the internet. Going on line helps me get a feel for what choices are available, even though I typically don’t buy while I’m there. When I’m shopping I still prefer to get all of my senses immersed. There’s a part of me that always enjoys the physical experience of walking around, seeing, touching, and feeling before I commit to any purchase. I suppose I could be called a bit old-fashioned in this regard; but that’s my comfort zone. So what’s all this got to do with Wayne Homes?
Our team tries to deliver the most outstanding customer experience in the industry. We want to provide one that fits everyone’s individual comfort zone. So we hope you find our easy-to-use website both terrific and a snap to navigate. It’s chock-full of floor plans, ideas, and photos of families’ dreams come true. Wayne Homes helps make sense out of custom choices that are practically limitless!
Then, if you’re like me and want that physical shopping experience added to your internet shopping, it’s only a short drive to come visit us. We’re open seven days a week so you can enjoy walking through our model homes at your pleasure. Now I do have a confession to make—we don’t have a model for each of the forty-plus home plans that we offer. It’s just not practical. That’s why we also hold Open Houses throughout the season.
What’s an ‘Open House’ you might ask? It’s a chance for you to physically experience a unique Wayne home being built on one of our customers’ home sites. A very, very gracious family is allowing you to tour their dream home for a day or one short weekend so you can vicariously share their building experience. Wow! That is extremely generous of them! And why it’s only available for a very short period of time. To find our model homes as well as an Open House near you, go to our website. We hope to see you soon!
It was my Birthday Anniversary
And the crew surprised me with a cake; but that was not the best present I got from the team…that would be all the smiles they created that day, and every day. Let me share the story.
First, you have to know that Wayne Homes has a Steering Committee. Not the typical governance committee that uses Robert’s Rules of Order and such; rather, ours is a group of peer-elected non-managers whose mission and purpose is absolutely vital to our brand. The Steering Committee owns our customers’ experience!
Its members are from nine different geographies and all kinds of positions. They meet regularly with everyone at their location to share ideas and collect best practices so they can pass on what they learn to others. Then the nine groups assemble every quarter at our Home Office to share again amongst themselves —that way our entire team can learn the best ways to ‘go the extra mile’ for our customers before, during, and after construction. The Steering Committee rocks! I was honored to take them out to lunch that day.
We rambled down the road to my favorite lunch-time restaurant and there we shared family stories, success stories, as well as everyone’s best suggestions on how to ‘beat the heat’. The heat index had been staying north of 100 for what had seemed like an eternity (Side note: is it ever too hot and humid to play golf? Yep!). Then, as we were wrapping up the group invited me to watch a power point presentation of all the great ideas they’d gathered for the Steering Committee meeting. “Absolutely!” I said, and that’s when it all started…
We got back to the office, went down to the conference room area, and SURPRISE! A chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ took my breath away. The building was filled with people and laughter. Somehow they’d managed to decorate too; black balloons and old-age jokes graced every corner. A culinary artist even used my favorite food group—dark chocolate—to create two masterfully designed cakes that accurately depicted this icing message: ‘Happy Birthday, you old poop!” What a riot! ‘Twas the first time I ever enjoyed eating my words.
Every time I think of all the love and laughter of that day, I know I received the best present of all. Happy, crazy memories. Go to Wayne Homes’ Facebook and take a peek for yourself; betcha can’t stop smiling either!
