“Start looking at architects as a great source of work,” advises Pacesetter winner David Rhodes. Five years ago he realized that most of his jobs came from architects and decided to focus energy on building partnering relationships with the top custom designers in Knoxville. Soon those relationships enabled him to move his business from bidding to negotiated contracts.
One of Rhodes’ most successful efforts was taking three architects and their spouses to a North Carolina resort. The weekend was a bonding experience, combining pleasure with business. “We got to know each other better and talked about how we could serve clients better,” he explains. Rhodes took the opportunity to thank them for sending him business and to discuss how they could work together more effectively on negotiated jobs. “Even if they didn’t choose me for a job, I asked them to let me know right away,” he adds.
The weekend was a success on all counts. Rhodes attributes one job directly to the get-away and believes it will continue to pay for itself. He also believes that working on a negotiated basis also benefits his clients. “The key to controlling quality during the building process is doing the up-front design work,” he says. Working cooperatively with an architect from the start, he believes, gives a custom builder that advantage.
