Customer Service: Pulte Homes launches new builder-buyer campaign

Pulte Homes has unveiled a new customer-service campaign for 2002. Titled "The way it should be," the idea is based on the company's belief that new-home buyers should be involved in every aspect of building and owning their homes, according to Steve Petruska, president of the builder's Las Vegas Division and Southwest Region.

"Some home builders try to cut corners by using lower quality materials to try to minimize costs. At Pulte, we know how a home should be built and believe in using only the highest quality components, thereby building long-term relationships with our customers," Petruska said.

Key to the campaign is the Seven-Step Customer Care Program, which starts with a pre-construction meeting between the buyer and the builder.

"Home buyers are introduced to the construction team and the superintendent. The superintendent knows the home buyers by name, and the home buyers have direct access to him for any questions or concerns they might have," Petruska said, pointing out that the construction timetable is discussed at this time.

"On-time scheduling is something that Pulte takes very seriously. Each home buyer can be in contact with the construction team at any given time. This ensures that concerns are addressed and handled immediately, eliminating possible delays."

Next, the buyer meets with the superintendent to verify the options before drywall installation. This is followed by a quality assurance inspection by the builder.

Step four is the buyer's final orientation, at which a service representative demonstrates how to operate the home's features.

"At Pulte, we walk through each room to ensure the home buyer is satisfied, and if repairs need to be made, we don't make the home buyer wait, something that often happens with other builders," Petruska said. "We want to make sure that when a home buyer moves in everything is complete to their satisfaction."

Next is a 30-day follow-up, where the owner provides any concerns about the home with the builder. At the six-month follow-up, the owner and the builder discuss any issues that may have arisen since the first follow-up. An 11-month follow-up completes the program.

"This Seven-Step Customer Care Program allows home buyers to be involved right from the beginning," Petruska said. "This gives us valuable feedback every step of the way, and lets us identify issues to be able to make adjustments as we go.

"Pulte team members are hardworking, caring and family-oriented, which allows them to strive to build homes that they would be proud to live in themselves. In fact, a great many team members have purchased a Pulte home."

All of the builder's homes feature Pulte's Platinum Series Environments for Living building technology for energy efficiency, and offer a two-year heating and cooling guarantee.

The homes also feature the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star seal, as well as a structured wiring system that is designed to handle telephone, fax, DSL, cable modem, and satellite and digital television.

Pulte Homes, the nation's largest home builder, is developing 12 neighborhoods in Southern Nevada. Last year marked the second consecutive year that the company earned the highest ranking among local builders in the J.D. Power and Associates 2001 New Home Builder Customer Satisfaction Study.

Pulte Homes Inc., based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., has operations in 44 markets in the United States, Argentina, Puerto Rico and Mexico. Through its Del Webb operations, the company is also the nation's leading builder of communities for people age 55 and older.

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