Leveraging their firsthand experience, Hall & Hart is charting a course towards a more streamlined approach to designing custom homes.
In a conversation with Craig Sutton, Director and General Manager at Hall & Hart, Craig sheds light on the company's evolution through lessons learned from past customer interactions. This transformation involves recognising the need for a substantial shift, aligning with customer expectations, optimising processes, and ultimately enhancing the overall customer experience.
From the left: Hall & Hart Directors: Nick Rawson (Founder, Pre-Construction & Design Manager), Craig Sutton (General Manager),
The Initial Approach
In our early days, Hall & Hart followed a process similar to that of other builders. Sales consultants would assist customers in designing their homes based on their desires and the basic characteristics of their land. The focus was primarily on securing the sale, with design and compliance issues often addressed after the signing of the fixed-price tender.
While this approach had success for greenfield sites, it proved wholly inadequate for knockdown rebuild projects, particularly in Sydney with the vast number of councils and their respective regulations.
The Challenges Faced
Knockdown rebuild projects presented unique challenges, with poor design and unaddressed compliance issues leading to significant delays, budget overruns, and eroded trust in the builder. Sales consultants, while skilled in salesmanship, lacked the expertise of designers and architects, resulting in subpar designs that failed to consider critical constraints. Compliance issues that went unresolved during the early stages of the process compounded the problems, causing frustration and dissatisfaction among customers.
Listening, Learning, and Transforming
Recognising the need for change, Hall & Hart proactively sought feedback from customers, listening attentively to their concerns and experiences. It became evident that a fundamental shift in the builder's process was necessary to meet the high expectations of customers. With this valuable insight, Hall & Hart employed dedicated compliance professionals and implemented a comprehensive compliance review upfront, conducted before any design work commenced. This proactive approach identified critical constraints early on, enabling accurate assessment of budgets and ensuring the design process aligned with compliance requirements.
Employing Expertise and Enhancing Design
To further enhance the customer experience, Hall & Hart made a further investment in employing highly skilled building designers and architects. These professionals possessed the knowledge and expertise needed to create custom home designs that considered both the client's requirements and the specific constraints of the site. By marrying customer aspirations with careful compliance analysis, Hall & Hart succeeded in delivering designs that were not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional, compliant, and optimised for the individual site.
Superior Customer Experience Through Design and Planning
The transformative changes undertaken by Hall & Hart have had a profound impact on the customer experience. Clients now receive expert guidance and support throughout the design and planning stages, resulting in homes that align with their vision while meeting all necessary compliance requirements. The integration of compliance reviews at the outset has minimised delays and budget implications, fostering trust and confidence in the builder.
From the left: Hall & Hart Directors and Leadership Team: Morgan Etheridge (Sales Director), Craig Sutton (General Manager), Nick Rawson (Founder, Pre-Construction & Design Manager), Michael Goodall (Construction Manager) and Neill Evans (Founder).
Hall & Hart's journey as a builder exemplifies the power of listening, learning, and adapting to customer feedback. By recognising the shortcomings of their initial process and taking proactive steps to address them, Hall & Hart has transformed the way they operate. Thorough compliance reviews conducted upfront, along with the employment of skilled designers and architects, have elevated the customer experience, ensuring that designs are optimised, compliant, and tailored to individual client needs. Through their commitment to excellence and continuous improvement, Hall & Hart has emerged as a builder that prioritises customer satisfaction and delivers homes of exceptional quality.
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