Sales Force Limitations
Due to sales force constraints, many manufacturers are forced to focus on the larger regional or national builders for instant volume. They don't have the personnel to reach and/or gain traction with the larger local or regional builders that build up to 1,000+ homes per year. Frequently, these builders are left to be managed by the distributor. Some manufacturers contract out their sales representation to rep agencies and lose even more opportunities to cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with this lucrative tier of home builders.
Incentive Program Negotiations
As any good salesperson is trained to do, they listen to their customer's wants and needs. They try to ensure a win-win solution for the customer based on their own objectives. The local (and even regional) manufacturer rep doesn't always have the ability to negotiate or finalize beyond a certain point during the negotiation. The deal is passed up through the organization and eventually back down to the builder, and may or may not be in line with what was communicated originally to the local rep. Often, a second or third version of an incentive program is proposed and offered to the builder that does not coincide with their wants and needs.
Relationship Uncertainties
Relationships between builders and manufacturers are often filled with uncertainty:
For Builders:
- Now that the incentive program is in place, how do they manage it? This includes collecting, processing and submitting data to the manufacturer for rebate processing.
- Key contact information from the manufacturer for customer service, technical assistance, local/regional/national sales people, or the internal processor for incentive programs is often hard to come by.
- A lack of communication on new product information, extended lead times, current product literature, catalogs and price books is common.
- Receiving manufacturer support for product knowledge and installation training can be difficult to schedule and is often forgotten.
- The deal is signed, what now? Typically, there are no defined plans on managing an ongoing relationship with the builder.
- The rep signed a builder who doesn't have an internal rebate administrator. How do they gather accurate information to process their rebate requests?
- Manufacturers may not have the resources to perform their own audits to ensure the integrity of the program.
- Manufacturers do not always have adequate resources to reach the local and regional builders.
Builder Partnerships Brings Value and Provides Solutions
Builder Partnerships provides solutions to the relationship challenges between builders and manufacturers.
- Builder Partnerships promotes a stronger relationship that benefits both the manufacturer and builder through direct interaction
- Our interactive website provides builders and manufacturers with a hassle-free tool for managing incentives
- Builders can easily enroll and submit closings into multiple manufacturers’ incentive programs
- Manufacturers are connected directly to the builders and have the ability to track an individual incentive program's performance via our website