Jan 12 2006
Owens Corning, already a leading provider of builder services, today announced the addition of two customer service programs to its Life of the Home(R) suite of builder services as a part of the company's HOMExperts business.
The inclusion of Owens Corning's Home Readiness walk-through service and Concierge Service to HOMExperts(R) Life of the Home offering provides builders with proven programs to increase homeowner satisfaction and positively impact their JD Powers scores.
Following are highlights of the new services:
Home Readiness
Home Readiness is a comprehensive pre-walk-through service that works directly with the builder to identify areas that require service, cleaning, fixing or improvement, before the final closing with the homeowner. From general clean up to installations, Home Readiness not only allows builders to ensure general homeowner satisfaction at move in time, but also provides them the initial opportunity to develop a strong relationship with their customer, which can help to mitigate the risk of litigation, as well as lead to increased word-of-mouth referrals and loyalty.
Concierge Service
Like all of the HOMExperts(R) Life of the Home service programs, the new Concierge Service is designed to deliver additional support from the builder to ease the lives of homeowners and literally 'delight' them with unexpected 'five-star' perks as they move into their new home. With several thousand participating members at the time of launch, this unique program offers homeowners 24 hour a day/ 7 days a week concierge services over phone, email or via the internet.
The Owens Corning Concierge Service handles everything from the functional to the fun. The service locates anything from lawn care specialists, dry cleaners, window washers, pet sitters, maid services, to sushi restaurants, entertainment venues and sporting events, both locally and nationally -- helping new owners settle into their new home and enhance satisfaction with their new purchase ... and their builder.
"At Owens Corning, we've long recognized what a 2005 J.D. Powers and Associates New Home Builder Customer Satisfaction Study found -- of the ten largest drivers of overall satisfaction with builders, customer service and home readiness are the two largest," said Mike Giosso, general manager, Owens Corning HOMExperts.
"According to the study, customer service accounted for 20 percent of overall satisfaction with new home builders, while home readiness accounted for 16 percent. The move by HOMExperts(R) to place increased focus on the Life of the Home builder services is one more way we are helping builders differentiate themselves and improve homeowner satisfaction."
Builders attest to the fact that customer care services such as those offered by Owens Corning HOMExperts are becoming business-critical in the changing landscape of homeowner satisfaction.
"In today's competitive builder market, the definition of 'customer satisfaction' continues to evolve," said Tom Fee, vice president of services and warranty, Mercedes Homes. "Owens Corning has taken time to truly understand what it takes for builders to grow our businesses and ensure customer satisfaction from the beginning, with Home Readiness, to the end with the Concierge service. Owens Corning HOMExperts programs not only meet, but exceed the expectations of homeowners."