David Weekley Homes Announces 2009 “Partners Of Choice Award Winners”

by David Weekley Homes

David Weekley Homes, the nation’s second largest for-profit privately held Home Builder, released the winners of its prestigious “Partners of Choice Award.” Now in its sixth year, the Partners of Choice award is given to suppliers based on their quality and service performance as rated quarterly by David Weekley Homes Team Members. Each company’s numeric scores are averaged, and then an alpha rating is assigned relative to its ranking with all of the other Weekley national trading partners. Alpha ratings range from “A” to “F” in increments of 20%. The “Partners of Choice Awards” were presented to suppliers who maintained either an “A, A” rating for both Quality and Service or an “A” rating in Quality or Service for the previous twelve months.

The following companies were recognized as winners of the coveted “A, A” Partners of Choice Award:  Boise Engineered Wood Products, Dow Chemical, DuPont Building Innovations, Eaton Corporation, GAF-Elk, James Hardie, Lennox Industries, Office Depot, MASCO Builder Cabinet Group, Seacoast Supply, and Schneider Electric. Special recognition goes to James Hardie and DOW Chemical for achieving and maintaining an “A, A” rating for five consecutive years.  Also, recognized for making the list for the first time as “A, A” winners are MASCO Builder Cabinet Group and Schneider Electric.

Recognized for their “A” awards were the following companies:  BMC West (“A” in service), Formica Corporation (“A” in service), Honeywell (“A” in quality), Hunter Douglas (“A” in quality), iLevel by Weyerhaeuser (“A” in Service), Simpson Strong Tie (“A” in quality), and Wilsonart International, Inc. (“A” in quality).

David Weekley Homes has demonstrated its strong commitment to excellence by sponsoring the National Trading Partner Survey.  Approximately 600 Team Members from every market and every level inside their organization participate in the program by providing feedback on the provider’s performance.  Providers through discussion with David Weekly Homes Team Members then act upon the feedback.

The primary purpose of the survey is a process called channel alignment – the process of getting all parties in the distribution channel on the same page in providing goods and services to the builder in a timely manner.

Bill Justus, Vice President of Supply Chain Services for David Weekley Homes, implemented the unique supplier rating system in order to achieve channel alignment of all parties within the supply chain. By providing feedback from builders, Design Consultants, warranty service, administrative personnel, and executive Team Members, trading partners know exactly how they are doing in each market and at every level inside the Weekley organization.  In summary, the survey highlights the importance for trading partners to be responsive to all David Weekley Homes Team Members. 

“We source products from top competitors in each industry.  While there may be slight differences between their products, generally all are acceptable.  What separates great from good providers are those that realize they must actively manage the supply chain to consistently deliver high quality, competitively priced products to us.  Those that do this create value in the eyes of their customers,” said Bill Justus.  “A company is truly world-class when it is willing to put its products and services up against anybody, anytime, anywhere.  Our National Trading Partner Survey is a practical way of measuring this otherwise abstract concept.”    

“Receiving the “A,A” Partners of Choice Award is the highest compliment we can pay our providers,” Justus said.  “To attain this award means that approximately 600 Team Members from every level of our company believe the provider is best in class in delivering its products to us in a timely, efficient, cost effective manner.  I cannot think of a stronger validation of world class excellence.”

David Weekley Homes has some partners that have achieved the coveted “A, A Partners of Choice Award” for the past five years.  “To receive the award for one year is extremely difficult.  It is a remarkable achievement for those that have done it for five consecutive years.  It is particularly impressive when you consider the breadth of the survey and the changes in the market place,” said Bill Justus.  “Our winners have proven through their actions that they are world class performers.”

James Hardie is one of the companies that has achieved the “A,A” award every year since the survey’s inception. “When I look at the whole program, Weekley’s National Trading Partner Survey is a great tool for measuring success up and down the David Weekley Homes organization,” says Dan Tresch, National Manager-Business Development of James Hardie. “It provides us with great visibility into our own company and timely feedback which enables James Hardie to address issues and opportunities quickly and effectively. The survey is a great model for other builders to follow. It not only benefits the builder but the suppliers and has allowed James Hardie to continually improve on our quality and service.”

About David Weekley Homes
David Weekley Homes, founded in 1976, is headquartered in Houston and operates in 14 cities across the United States.  David Weekley Homes was the first builder in the United States to be awarded the Triple Crown of American Home Building, an honor which includes “America's Best Builder,” “Builder of the Year,” and the “National Housing Quality Award.” Weekley has also appeared seven times on FORTUNE® magazine’s coveted “100 Best Companies to Work For” list.  Since inception, David Weekley Homes has closed more than 60,000 homes. For more information about David Weekley Homes, visit the company’s web site at www.davidweekleyhomes.com.