Supporting Harris’ assertions, Alan Vander Meer, executive vice president and general manager of Franklin, Ind.–based Davidson Industries (which recently was acquired by Builders FirstSource), said that his company’s ability to maintain collaborative communication with customers throughout the employee ranks has been the key to offering successful turnkey supply to Indianapolis-area big builders, such as Beazer’s Trinity Homes division. “There is an upper management relationship, there is an estimating and purchasing relationship, there is a sales and job-site superintendent relationship, so we are at least three deep in a trust level that comes from being honest and open with each other about all aspects of [the supply relationship],” Vander Meer explained during a panel presentation on partnerships with Trinity president Cliff White.
Although Davidson focuses primarily on servicing big builders, Vander Meer encouraged the attending dealers to establish collaborative business practices with all of their customers, regardless of their size and scope of business. “We’ve decided that serving the production builder is the way we are going to go,” Vander Meer said. “That might not be right for [your market]. But whatever you do, find your niche and compete. Perform for yourself and for your builder customers.”
