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We’ve all experienced bad service at some point. Whether it’s slow or inept service at a restaurant, a business vendor that underdelivers, talking to an employee with a lackluster attitude about solving your problem, or my personal favorite, those automated attendants on the phone that create an endless loop of frustration. It’s no fun and it leaves a bad taste in your mouth for far longer than the original encounter lasted.

At RWC, we have been proud of our commitment to customer service over our 40 years in business – we think our service sets us apart from others in our industry – but… we also know that we aren’t perfect and that there is always room for improvement. So, we are thrilled to announce the creation of our brand new “Concierge Service” designed to help us step up our service to the next level.

This is not one of those trendy, yet frustrating “automated call centers” but an actual experienced human! Novel approach, huh? In charge of our Concierge Service will be none other than RWC’s Bryon Earhart. Bryon has been appointed RWC’s Customer Advocate, and he will use his 34 years of experience in the warranty industry to help your customer experience be as pleasant and fruitful as possible.

Many of you have talked with Bryon over the years and know that he is personable, knowledgeable and tenacious at resolving issues. He’s the man now tasked with spearheading our customer service improvement initiative and brings all his experience to help you, our valued member, get the most benefit possible out of your RWC membership.

Feel free to reach out to Bryon…

You can reach Bryon directly at 800-247-1812, Ext 2199 or bryon.earhart@rwcwarranty.com.

And of course, your Account Executive is still here to help, but with RWC, you now have a Customer Advocate anxious to provide you with Concierge Service.

Bryon may not be able to hook you up with tickets to the hottest Broadway show but he is your ticket to the best customer service around.

 

Reminder of What’s On Our Menu of Choices for RWC

More Options From Us Means a Better Fit for You

Earth mover heavy contractor equipmetnDid you know that there is a specially designated number you should call before starting any digging projects? 811 is the (free) phone number you need to call before digging to protect yourself and others from unintentionally hitting underground utility lines.

There are millions of miles of buried utilities beneath the surface of the earth that we don't even think about but are vital to everyday living like water, electricity and natural gas. By simply calling, you'll help prevent unintended consequences such as injury to you or your family, damage to your property, utility service outages to the entire neighborhood and potential fines and repair costs.

Most contractors know that they need to find out what’s underground before beginning to break ground, but there may be some finer points of safe digging that you’re not aware of.

How exactly does this 811 thing work?

Simply call 811 from anywhere in the country a few days prior to digging, and your call will be routed to your local call center. Tell the operator where you're planning to dig. Your affected local utility companies will be notified about your intent to dig and will send locators to your dig site to mark the approximate location of buried lines with flags or paint.

When can I begin my digging project?

Wait for the marks! Utilities will mark their buried lines on your dig site. Most crews will arrive to mark your dig site with paint or flags within a few days and will make sure you know where to avoid digging so you don't hit buried utilities. Remember there may be multiple utility lines in the same area. Be sure to check your state laws for specific information. It's also a good idea to call and confirm that all affected utility operators have responded to your request and located accurately. (State laws vary on the process for confirmation; check with your local one-call center for more information.)

It's finally time!

Now it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work - but respect the marks! Make sure to always dig carefully around the marks, not on them. State laws generally prohibit the use of mechanized equipment within 18-24 inches of a marked utility, which is called the “tolerance zone”. If you must dig near the marks, hand dig or use vacuum excavation to expose the facility. After exposing the facility, avoid using mechanized equipment within the same tolerance zone.

The marks provided by the affected utility operators are your guide for the duration of your project. If you are unable to maintain the marks during your project, or the project will continue past your request’s expiration date, please call 811 to ask for a re-mark. In addition, if excavation equipment is removed from a work site for more than two (2) business days, you must notify the call center again.

Also keep in mind that some utility lines may be buried at a shallow depth, and an unintended shovel thrust can bring you right back to square one - facing potentially dangerous and/or costly consequences. Don't forget that erosion or root structure growth may shift the locations of your utility lines, so remember to call again each time you are planning a digging job. Safe digging is no accident!

Source: call811.com and ccicomply.net

Pre-pandemic, it was not unheard of for items to occasionally go missing from a job site. Whether through an honest mistake such as a worker pocketing a tool he or she believed to be theirs, or a genuine theft of materials, losses nonetheless would ultimately be a costly detriment to builders and developers. In post-pandemic culture, the landscape has become a bit drier due to product shortages and supply chain delays. Builders have recently seen large loads of valuable materials and appliances being stolen from job sites.

There are a few specific items that tend to “walk off” a construction site more often, and end up on resale platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and MaterialsXchange.

COMMONLY STOLEN ITEMS FROM A JOBSITE:

In addition to the inherent inconvenience of missing materials, theft causes additional situations to arise in a domino effect. One of the most damaging resulting consequences on a job site is schedule delays. Most items on a job site are necessary, and when they go missing, they need to be replaced. If you are lucky, they are easily and quickly obtainable; however, in some cases, they are items that need to be special ordered. The same can be said for heavy machinery and appliances. When they go missing, it can take days, weeks, or even months to replace them. If the job can’t continue, the entire project timeline is knocked off course. If the project can’t reach milestones because the equipment is missing, the contractor is in danger of not receiving scheduled payments. This means they may not be able to pay subcontractors for their work; and the next thing you know, a payment dispute has broken out. Not to mention the potential tarnishing of the contractor’s reputation with clients and peers.

Stopping thieves entirely may not be possible, but there are ways to mitigate the issue. Unfortunately, most theft happens internally, and subcontractors working on several sites are aware of potential targets. Prequalify subcontractors prior to retaining their services to be sure they’re reputable. Contractors that steal are often repeating offenders, so there’s a good chance another contractor might know them and be more than willing to warn others in the business. Also, be sure to secure the job site. This can be done by installing a tall fence, floodlighting, or hiring night security to watch the site when the workers have finished for the day.

Consider protecting tools and equipment with GPS trackers and geofencing. (If this technology term is new to you, geofencing is a location-based technology in which virtual boundaries can be assigned to a geographical area in the real world. These virtual perimeters can be displayed on an indoor map and can trigger actions or alerts on entry or exit of a tagged item within the specified area.)

It is also beneficial to establish a security protocol for the job site which clearly outlines what isn’t acceptable on a project and what is. It’s helpful to mark items with notes such as “not allowed to remove scrap for personal use.” Make sure to distribute information so that all the subcontractors are aware of expectations to prevent confusion or misunderstandings.

Another obvious but effective solution is to install a security camera. They are a great way to deter a thief from stealing from a job site and can also offer police valuable information should a theft occur regardless of any precautions that have been taken. And, since most thefts occur from within, there’s a good chance the thief will be recognizable to those running the job site. If it is not possible to position the cameras to get a view of the entire site, it’s best to aim them toward lumber and materials piles, heavy equipment, and entrances to the site as well as the project that is under construction.

In light of the unfortunate reality that not all job site theft is avoidable, it is highly recommended that the contractor carries a good builder’s risk policy, such as those offered by RWC Insurance Advantage. Information on the programs offered can be found on our website: https://rwcinsuranceadvantage.com/.

Prior to work on a job site, crew members are carefully trained and certified in safety measures. However, no matter how many precautions are taken, it’s a fact that accidents do happen. And one of the most frequent power tools involved is often the saw. It’s certainly worth a few moments to brush up on some simple rules of thumb for best practices when operating saws of any kind, offered in this article (reprinted) from NAHB.

Saws are among the most common power tools used on a home building site. When used properly and maintained in good working order, saws are quick and efficient tools to complete the job. But serious injuries can result if the proper safety precautions are not followed. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are more than 30,000 table saw injuries annually. The most frequently injured body parts are lacerations to the fingers and hands.  Medical costs for treatment of table saw injuries are estimated at $2 billion or more. Although table saws cause the most injuries, care must also be taken when using circular, miter, reciprocating and any other kind of saw, including hand and, of course, chainsaws. When using saws, remember the following tips to ensure safety.

Residential Warranty Company, LLC, HOME of Texas and MWHC are proud to announce and congratulate our Sales Awards Winners! The Account Executives recognized this year for their individual efforts and achievements have each generated a great deal of business for the company in a rather unusual year. Not always able to be physically in front of a prospective new member due to the pandemic, they found other ways to connect, educate and assist their clients in formulating the best risk management program for their unique business.

The Outstanding Account Executive of the Year Award is the companies’ most prestigious award and is bestowed upon the Account Executive who demonstrates the most effort in a wide variety of categories. While Sales is obviously a critical factor, the Outstanding Account Executive Award is based on more than just the sale. Not only are Sales numbers like most new members & most enrolled homes counted, but also a variety of other areas factor in to contribute to the overall success of the rep, the department and/or the company in general. It includes objectively measured things (average # of homes per new member, # of appointments, retention rate, etc) as well as those areas which are a bit more subjective to measure, including willingness to help out in someone else’s territory, at a show or HBA event, help pick up the slack when reps are off, attitude, etc. The Outstanding Account Executive of the Year Award for 2021 encompasses all these many factors and more.

In a year encumbered by skyrocketing costs, a real estate market that was hard to predict, demand that was through the roof and a continuing undercurrent of unease about the future in which a pandemic hadn’t quite been tamed, we needed a leader to set the pace....and that leader was Freddy Pesqueira!

Freddy (pictured above) has been with RWC for over 7 years and is a two-time winner of the Outstanding Account Executive of the Year award. His willingness to go anywhere, talk to every builder, and help in any way made him an easy choice for this year’s accolades. And it didn’t hurt that out of 11 award categories, Freddy finished in 1st place in 6 of them! With his accumulated knowledge of the home warranty industry, combined with his excellent customer service, Freddy is an invaluable asset to the many RWC members he has brought into our fold. Congratulations Freddy!

Our success is nothing without our team and certainly no one person makes or breaks us but together we are a force to be reckoned with in the industry. Again, this year we were blessed that our entire sales team worked his or her way into contention for all of our companies’ top awards, making ours a truly a well-rounded and dedicated sales team.

Special recognition again goes out this year to our Sales Support team whose help, encouragement, organization, knowledge, and overall willingness to lend a hand keeps us on the right path and paves the way for our Team’s success. Special shout out goes to Jody Lehman (Assistant Sales Manager), Ann Cooper (Administrative Assistant), Jana Watts (Sales Support Liaison), Agnes Brennan (Retention Liaison) and Susan Duncan (Texas Support). You are vital to our team’s success, helping us help our builders and real estate professionals throughout the year. While the sales team in the field generally gains the recognition, the people behind the scenes are crucial to provide the support needed to get the job done. So my sincerest thanks go out to this incredible team for the work they do on our behalf.

According to an analysis by PeopleReady.com's skilled trades division, there were 388,345 jobs posted for trades-related workers between May and June of this year.

Positions most in demand are:

NAHB Members and HBAs are trying to do their part and actively recruit the next generation, however, finding qualified subs and trades continues to be a challenge for the residential construction industry. Nonetheless, they are stepping up to the plate and taking action. By providing supplies, scholarships, and one-on-one connections with students, HBAs around the country are getting out into their communities to spread the word about the rewarding jobs throughout the industry through:

- Lectures at Community Colleges - Supplies and Scholarship Support through High Schools and Local Technical Schools - Direct Connections to Career Professionals through Events and Home Shows

NAHB.org's Careers in Construction toolkit has ideas and resources for members and HBAs to connect with their local community. Check it out!

Source nahb.org

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Ronald L. Sweigert was recently named co-manager of RWC's Member Services Department in charge of enrollments and customer service. In his nearly twenty-nine years of service with our company, Ron has worked as a warranty advisor, as a special agent for insurance sales, and as general manager of a small builder call-back service operation. Most recently he was a warranty administrator in our Member Services Department. We are confident that Ron’s long and varied experience together with his penchant for innovation will serve him and the company well in his new position. Ron replaces Sandra Sweigert, who agreed to take on more responsibility for the company as co-manager in our Warranty Resolution Department.

Logan M. Radle also has been named co-manager of the Member Services Department in charge of underwriting. Logan is a 2011 graduate of Millersville University and is licensed in property and casualty insurance by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. Prior to joining us, Logan worked as a claim specialist for a national insurance company. Since coming on board, she has distinguished herself in our insurance operations, where she oversaw the underwriting of bonds for members of the warranty programs. Logan’s training, demeanor, and attention to detail make her an ideal fit for her new position. Logan replaces long-time manager Bryon Earhart, who has reduced his workweek to two days so that he can tend to familial obligations. Bryon will continue with the company on a part-time basis as our Chief Warranty Underwriter.

We are excited about bringing Ron and Logan forward into management positions, especially since the excellent employees they have replaced are still working with us. Please do not hesitate to call on Ron or Logan (or any of us for that matter) if we can help you, our valued members, in any way.

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As a Member in our warranty program, you are probably familiar with our Warranty Express online enrollment system. You enroll the home online and, after closing occurs and payment/forms are sent to us for processing, your buyers are able to download their warranty documents from our website.

We use 60 days as the time frame after closing before documents are posted but often, those documents are available much sooner. Did you know if you provide your buyers' email address on the Application for Warranty form (#10 on the form - see example below), we will send them an email to notify them whenever their warranty documents are ready to download?

We know that everyone gets bombarded with emails and sometimes “system-generated” notices can look like spam. Let your buyers know that they will get the following notice from us.

Then that’s it. We don’t spam them or communicate with them further unless they reach out to us for assistance.

Once they have the email, they simply click the link provided to go directly to the login page so they can easily download their warranty book and warranty confirmation form. It’s simple and convenient.

But if they are suspicious or even just accidentally delete the email, no worries. They can call or email our Member Services Department for assistance. And even if they NEVER download these documents, as long as we have received the warranty form and payment after closing, their home is covered for the entire warranty term. Those documents will stay online for the duration of their warranty.

Warranty Express is chock full of features for you. In addition to enrolling homes, you can:

Have questions on this feature or on any feature in Warranty Express? Call us at 800-247-1812 and ask for the Member Services Department. We are happy to help!

megaphone talking announcing best warranty company for new home construction RWCWe recently had the good fortune to hear an inspirational sermon on minding our tongues. The principal idea was that we should watch what we say and guard against hurting ourselves and others by engaging in harmful gossip, mindless vulgarity, and unwarranted vitriol. The message was that not only does this kind of speech hurt others, but it also damages the speaker in various ways. The lesson was a good one that would no doubt benefit many people. Personally, I took a few notes and even posted part of the lesson next to the computer where I receive and send emails.

The subject of that sticky note concerns a test one can employ to determine whether he should speak on a subject or listen to someone else do so. The “triple filter test” is often credited to Socrates and is usually told as a dialogue between him and one of his students. As the tale goes, an acquaintance of Socrates’ said something unflattering about Socrates to the student. The next time he saw Socrates, the student was anxious to let Socrates know what was being said about him. But Socrates stopped his student and told him he should not share what was said unless it could pass through any of three different filters.

Socrates asked if the student knew the statement to be true. The student said that he did not know, and Socrates replied, “If you do not know it to be true, why would you say it, and why should I hear it?”

He then asked if the statement was good or kind. The student answered that it was not, to which Socrates replied, “If this statement is not true and is neither good, nor kind, why would you say it, and why should I hear it?”

Finally, Socrates asked whether the statement was necessary for him to hear or whether hearing it would be useful to him. The disappointed student said it was not. Socrates asked the student, “If this statement is not true, good, kind, necessary or useful, why would you say it, and why should I hear it?” The student held his tongue and learned a valuable lesson, a lesson that remains instructive today.

The story of Socrates’ three filters resonates now because, while wisdom suggests and sermons implore us to live one way, many people still find it difficult or impossible to do so. Consequently, as they have through the ages, people will talk, and they do not always care whether what they say is true, good, kind, necessary or useful. A strong individual, like Socrates, can stay above the fray and choose to ignore and not engage in banter that cannot pass through any of the three filters. That is not as easy, or as desirable, for a business to do. Unfair public comments about any company can have a negative effect on its bottom line, on the morale of its people, and even on its ability to stay in business.

The good news is that you and your company are not merely at the mercy of those wagging tongues. There are measures builders can take to protect their company’s reputation from everything from second-hand unflattering comments to scurrilous attacks on the quality of their work and the character of their people, and everything in between.

Here are just a few such techniques that can help protect a builder’s reputation in the marketplace.

Monitor your online presence and reviews. Even if you have not set up a business profile online, people can leave comments and reviews about your company on various websites. Search your company’s name on the internet and see where people are talking about you and what they are saying. If possible, address any unfair criticism and consider giving your side of the story regarding any fair complaint. If you discover a major problem, consider retaining an online reputation consulting firm or reputation management software.

Be a positive force in the communities where you build and keep an ear to the ground. Encourage your management team and your staff to engage in public service in the communities where you build. Not only will this enhance your company’s image, but your employees will get satisfaction from helping others, and they will be able to hear any negative scuttlebutt about your company that might be circulating in the community.

smiling woman drinking coffee

Treat your employees fairly. One source for negative comments about businesses is the disgruntled employee. He knows a lot about how his employer operates, he knows what to say that will hurt his employer in the marketplace, and he has an ax to grind. Do your best to keep your employees happy and supported. If an employee is heading down a negative road, try to reel him back in so that he can continue working as part of your team. If saving him is unlikely, consider parting ways earlier rather than later and on terms that do not further antagonize him.

Do good work and keep your customers happy. There is no better advertisement than the earnest praise of a satisfied customer. Deliver what you promised, service your product, and be prompt and courteous whenever dealing with a purchaser of one of your homes, and it is unlikely your customers will be making comments that damage your reputation. Consider using satisfied customers’ comments to get a positive buzz going or to counter any negative impression that already exists about your company.

Associate with the best third-party services providers in the business who know how to treat your customers right. Anyone you recommend to your purchasers or with whom you partner in assisting your purchasers is viewed as an extension of you by your customer. Make sure the real estate agents, subcontractors, landscapers, insurance agents, and warranty companies with whom you associate understand your mission and respect your customers as much as you do. By doing so, you will enhance your reputation with your customers and in the community.

RWC can help you enhance that reputation by providing your customers and you with the best new home warranty on the market. We have been in the home warranty business for over four decades and have issued and administered warranties on more than 3.7 million homes! We offer a wide variety of warranty options, from the standard ten-year warranty to our Day 1 coverage warranty, from our extended appliance and system warranties to our specialty warranties for remodeling projects, detached garages, and commercial construction. Only RWC has developed and offers its members a customized state warranty that mirrors each state’s statute of repose and accommodates other state-specific issues. All RWC warranties provide clear performance standards that help create realistic expectations in your homeowners and provide a road map to resolving even the stickiest customer complaints.

At RWC, every guarantee our warranties make is backed by Western Pacific Mutual Insurance Company, RRG. Western Pacific has an "A- (Excellent)" rating from A.M. Best and only insures home warranty and similar new home construction risks, like builders’ general liability, that can be offered through the RWC Insurance Advantage program to RWC members. No other warranty company can boast an insurer with this kind of strength that is solely dedicated to covering builders and warranting the performance of their homes. Our pleasant customer service staff is dedicated to making your interactions with RWC as smooth as possible, and our veteran warranty resolution team will handle your customers’ claims with care.

People will talk, but why not get them talking about what a great builder you are? Put your best foot forward by giving your customers the best warranty around, an RWC warranty!

Have a great Fall and Winter!

From the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic through the current move back toward a more normalized way of life, there have been product shortages due to sudden high demand and proportionately low supply. Toilet paper…under the circumstances, was a bit of a surprise. Meat and poultry…certainly understandable. But in an unexpected twist is lumber.

While there was a drop in lumber costs at the onset of the pandemic, that is unfortunately no longer the case. The initial slump was a product of the global lockdown in response to the outbreak. Construction operations in many locations were shut down, and lumber mills and other processing facilities were left with an excess supply of material.

However, due to the subsequent fragility of the economy was the appearance of some of the lowest interest rates in recent history. Low interest rates for both home mortgages and new construction financing coupled with a desire for people to move forward with their lives in a productive manner led to a boom in the building and remodeling industries once businesses began reopening in June of 2020. This, in turn, had a severe impact on the lumber industry. Mills and other processing facilities went from having too much wood to a shortfall virtually overnight. The supply of lumber has also been strained by insufficient domestic production due in part to the 2020 wildfires and limited international access due to hefty tariffs on Canadian softwood.

Because the housing market is on fire, the lumber shortage is costing many prospective home buyers even more money. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported in February that rising lumber costs added $24,000 to the cost of new homes since the start of the pandemic. As of April, that number had increased to nearly $36,000. Home prices have been on the rise for years, but they reached a peak during the pandemic. In April, the median home sales price rose to an all-time high of $375,000, according to Realtor.com. Some renters are also feeling the impact. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) estimates that the lumber price spike has added nearly $13,000 to the market value of an average newly built multifamily home — translating to households paying nearly $125 more per month to rent a new apartment.

Homebuyers are not the only ones to feel the impact. The shortage — and price boom — is so extreme that builders have reported having lumber and other raw materials stolen from their construction sites. And in a more far-reaching scenario, some financial advisors have expressed concerns that a lumber crash could lead to a stock market crash. Without an immediate solution to the lumber crisis, affordability will remain out of reach for many prospective home buyers as supply remains scarce. The good news is that industry executives expect lumber production to catch up with demand - eventually. Some say it can feasibly occur over the span of the next 18 months. As for now, the “new normal” cost for lumber is around $800 per 1,000 board feet.

NAHB continues to seek action from the Biden administration and other lawmakers by encouraging domestic lumber producers to increase production to ease growing shortages, as well as collaborating with Canada on a new softwood lumber agreement.