Are your construction vendors showing you added value with cost savings? Do they prioritize your business? Do they provide support and resources when needed?
If you answered “no” to any of these questions, it’s time to consider transitioning from your current vendors to CBUSA’s brand partners. Now, you might be thinking, “I’ve been with my vendor for a long time, I’m worried about losing that relationship.” Or, “I know what to expect from my current vendor, I don’t want to start over.”
The reality is, transitioning from current vendors to CBUSA brand partners is a lot easier than you think, and the benefits for your business are substantial.
You’ll hear from two of our regional managers in a bit about how they’re helping builders make the switch – but first, let’s talk about some of the benefits.
What are the benefits of switching to CBUSA’s brand partners?
There are many reasons why working with CBUSA’s brand partners is the better option for members. Here’s a list of the top five.
1. Cost savings
CBUSA negotiates with vendors to secure competitive pricing and exclusive discounts for its members. Builders can take advantage of these savings to reduce their project costs and improve their bottom line.
2. Streamlined procurement
The CBUSA team simplifies the procurement process by offering a centralized platform where you can access a wide range of products and services from trusted vendors. This streamlines the purchasing process, saving you time.
3. Access to trusted suppliers
The builder and vendor relationship is very important, and that’s why CBUSA is careful to select brand partners based on their reputation for quality and reliability. You can have confidence in the products offered by CBUSA vendors, knowing they’ve been vetted by industry experts.
4. Diverse product selection
CBUSA’s brand partners offer a diverse selection of products to meet your needs. Whether it’s building materials, appliances, whole-home generators or smart home solutions, you can find what you need for your home builds.
5. Support and resources
Members of CBUSA receive ongoing support and resources that include training, education and networking opportunities. You can leverage these resources to stay informed about industry trends, business best practices and new products.
How does CBUSA’s team help members through the transition?
If you’re still trying to figure out how to make the transition or need help deciding which CBUSA partners make the most sense for your business, we’ve got your back. We know this change can be difficult, and we don’t expect you to do it on your own. Our experts are here to guide you every step of the way to ensure the transition seamless.
To give you an in-depth look at process, we interviewed, Jay Moyer and Ryan Stewart, two of CBUSA’s regional managers. They shared how they help members transition to CBUSA brand partners as well as success stories from builders who already made the switch.
Is the transition process complicated?
Jay: Step one is prioritizing the programs. Each region manager has one-on-one meetings with our builders. In this meeting it’s crucial to understand the builder’s priorities and then pick programs that’ll meet their needs. Once programs are identified, our team does a comparison between the builder’s current vendor and CBUSA’s partner. The builder then decides if they’d like to move forward.
Ryan: I feel there’s a misconception that switching brand partners is a complex and labor-intensive process for the builder. This is simply not true. In most cases, all we need to get the process started is a current quote or invoice. Once we have that information, we’ll take it and run with it. CBUSA manages all negotiations with supply partners and follows up with the builder to provide details on how it’ll impact their business specifically.
Can you share one of your success stories of members who work with CBUSA’s brand partners?
Ryan: Oklahoma City, one of my team’s markets, recently underwent the process of renewing their group’s committed buy for lumber and engineered wood. During this process, the group combines their volume for a specified period. CBUSA then uses their data to negotiate material pricing on their behalf. The group then selects one vendor to fulfill their material needs.
While CBUSA has a national partnership with Weyerhaeuser for engineered wood products, the Oklahoma City chapter faced challenges with up-front pricing and product availability in their local market, limiting their ability to take full advantage of the program. Fortunately, a local supplier recognized the opportunity to earn the group’s business and made the decision to align their inventory with our Weyerhaeuser partnership, which greatly increased satisfaction among our members.
This serves as a prime example of the power of collective buying. We believe that when builders unite, everyone benefits, and programs negotiated on a national scale can truly make a significant difference for independent business owners. A comment we received from a builder indicated that the program [CBUSA] could very realistically give him the ability to retire earlier than he would have otherwise. This is a very meaningful win for our team.
Jay: I had a meeting with one of our builders where we discussed CBUSA brand partners. We prioritized five programs to work on: lighting, door hardware, windows, appliances and plumbing fixtures. We agreed to take these one at a time, so there wasn’t too much change going at once.
The builder then shared their current lighting package, and I worked with our supplier to get comparable pricing. The CBUSA price ended up being better than what the builder originally had. I followed same process for door hardware as well as windows, and we’re now working together on appliances. It’s great to hear builders say they’re happy with the value CBUSA brings them.
If current CBUSA members are still hesitant to make the switch, what advice do you have for them?
Ryan: If a builder is in the early stages of conversion and hesitant to explore options with one of our brand partners, I’d encourage them to at least take a look at the hard facts of what our programs offer. It’s important for them to recognize that they have access to exclusive national programs that are negotiated on behalf of over 800 builders doing 15,000+ home starts per year.
There’s no harm in considering alternatives and having an open mind about the products they’re using. We’re there for them to be a resource and an extension of their purchasing department to help them capitalize on opportunities and improve their business.
Jay: CBUSA provides so many valuable programs that we can help with. These programs don’t need to be changed overnight. It’s important that members know we’re here to take on all the up-front work in the conversion process, which means they can focus on day-to-day work of running their business.
Ready to make the transition to CBUSA brand partners?
Our team of regional managers are here to make your conversion process as simple as possible. If you’re not sure who your region manager is or need their contact information, you can find it on the home page when you log in to your CBUSA Member Portal.
Not a member yet? Now’s the time to join the leading group purchasing organization in construction designed for top home builders. Send us a membership inquiry today to get started.
