LISTEN TO THE CONTRACTOR’S POINT OF VIEW
“DO YOU KNOW THE MUFFIN MAN?” This popular nursery rhyme harkens back to the 1800s and references a man peddling muffins in England – a vendor, if you will. The song can be thought of as word-of-mouth advertising for a British gentlemen and his baked goods. However, what if the narrator in the tune had sampled pastries from many of the Muffin Man’s competitors: the Danish Damsel, Biscuit Bloke or Profiterole Purveyor, and selected the Muffin Man because his delicacies were not only the best-tasting, but also made from high-quality ingredients and priced fairly? The same can be said of associations when evaluating vendors. With so many contractors in this industry available to help property managers and associations, many of the best options can often go overlooked. Can thriving associations actually take the time to know new suppliers? For the next couple of minutes take a walk with me down Drury Lane to explore the services of the Muffin Man. Overall these can save associations both time and money.
Think about it from a contractor’s point of view for a minute. Many quality roofers, tuck-pointers, carpenters, plumbers, and others have spent years tweaking the breadth of services they offer to fit residential associations’ needs. Relying on a perfect market, with the thinnest of margins sometimes, just to keep their business running is a common practice. Some of these vendors gear up solely for associations and tailor their product for this market specifically. In a sense, they have made this very beautiful, tasty muffin perfectly for you. It’s acknowledged that it may be hard to find time to evaluate more than one, but if you can sample a little bit of the various offerings, just to taste the variety that is out there, you might like what you find. Or you may realize there are different ways to satisfy your “craving” for a repair or project.
BEST PRICE MIGHT NOT BE BEST OPTION
What would a muffin taste like if it only cost .05 cents? In contrast let’s consider a vendor that has been in the industry for over fifty years. You might say he offers the tastiest baked muffins in the region. He has developed best-in-class practices, and trained his employees to perform their jobs well. In doing so, he needs to pay his employees well to maintain the high level of quality to which his customers have been accustomed. He also needs to market himself. The marketing and skilled labor costs alone increase his price. Let’s say he uses the freshest dough, rare and sought-after flavors and that his muffins have zero calories despite their mouth- watering taste. Those ingredients may increase the price of the muffin because the consumer is receiving a better quality product. In other words, his muffin is going to cost more than .05 cents. That being said, there are times you will find a need for this type of company. He remains competitive in certain markets, but is thriving in more complex projects such as an intricate roofing job with copper or slate shingles, unique siding, custom details, anything that might be beyond a small contractor. This type of contract is often overlooked but might be perfect for your association. Again you just need to look for them, they are out there.
www.cai-illinois.org • 847.301.7505 | 53
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