Housing Giants - July 10, 2008 - (Page 16)

tECH By Tom Gebes, BuilderMT Walk This Way How one company used restaurant management know-how to make the most of its software systems and implement a virtual ‘walk around.’ Tired of bad news? Want to hear a dramatic success story that doesn’t start with “Once upon a time …?” In the middle of one of the worst meltdowns in the history of U.S. housing, Anderson Homes, a Raleigh, N.C.-area builder, jumped to No. 259 in 2008 from No. 354 the year prior in the Professional Builder Giant 400 Report. Anderson also had closings that were up a whopping 28 percent. In 2007, a record year, Anderson Homes and its semi-custom division, Vanguard Homes, sold more than 350 homes. Despite the overall 25-plus percent market downturn, the 2008 projections show that Anderson will see its closings rise another 15 percent to 400. Anderson homes sizes range from 1,100-square-foot townhomes to 3,200-square-foot single-family homes, priced between $110,000 and $400,000 in 17 communities. How could they be putting up these numbers when everyone else is struggling to keep the lights on? The answer, strangely enough, is Red Robin restaurants. anderson’s workforce Anderson has 65 employees. They carry 12 site supers, 15 in sales, 9 in design and another 36 or so sprinkled among purchasing, estimating, warranty, marketing, accounting, IT, land development, property management and executive management. When the team saw the downturn coming, they brought in a highly skilled sales and management consultant named Chris Stark of Pivotal Resource Group to see what he could do. Interestingly, Chris’ 16 HoUsinG GianTs.7.10.08 www.HoUsinGGianTs.com http://www.buildermt.com/ http://www.andersonhomesnc.com http://www.redrobin.com/ http://www.housingzone.com/probuilder/index.asp?layout=giants http://www.vanguardhomesnc.com/ http://www.vanguardhomesnc.com/ http://www.PivotalResourceGroup.com http://www.housinggiants.com

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Housing Giants - July 10, 2008 Contents Viewpoint News & Moves Tech M&A Critical Management Series Part 1

Housing Giants - July 10, 2008

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