| By :
Monte Boddecker
If you're in the market for construction materials for personal or business purposes, you can benefit from services your local building supply company provides. Of course you want trained and knowledgeable sales personnel and a wide variety of brand name products, but what are some of the other services they might offer that could make you a better, or more efficient, builder? In 2008, under an agreement with HUD (the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development),the "Innovative Homebuilding Product Delivery Research Report" was prepared for the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association. They developed a list of Homebuilding Supply Chain Best Practices. When analyzing this list, what is really surprising is the low percentage of distributors that offer most of these services and the high percentage that have no plans to do so. When you're looking for a quality local construction material supplier, here are some of the best practices they should provide: • Inventory Planning, Analysis and Optimization: This service is only provide by about two-thirds of the distributors. Working with a company that follows their inventory control practices will help assure you receive what is needed when your job requires it. • Customer Relationship Management: This strategy for using technology to manage customer relationships only had a 60% implementation rate. You'll want to work with someone that gets to know you and can help you perform your job better. • Supplier Relationship Management: How close are the relationships the construction material supplier has with its suppliers? Can they get you specialty products when needed? They will be able to procure the prodcuts you need if they have taken the time to nurture and build supplier relationships. • Collaborative Planning: Less than 40% of the distributors offered this valuable service.They can do more than just provide supplies. By looking at your home plans and helping you estimate the materials needed, they can help you with plan optimization. By being available and willing to review the processes you have in place, they could also decrease the cost of your project by offering suggestions that will make you more efficient. • Just-in-Time: Materials that are sitting around are wasting money and getting in the way. Can your supplier help by delivering products to the jobsite just as they are needed? Today's building supply company can also be your partner in code standards, sustainable building practices, material take-off estimating and installation. With home buyers watching every dollar that is being spent, you need to find a supplier that can work with you to get the job done right.
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