The Queen of Batt-and-Blow

By Carla Waldemar

If IHEN Rachel Combs was hired Y Y to launch an insulation division for a building materials retailer in her native Texas, what she knew about the niche operation could be engraved on the head of a pin (with room to spare). Three days later, she was good to go.

Thanks to Guardian Building Products' training program, she says, "I now knew how to batt a house, how to blow a house. how to use a computer, and how to do take-offs." So, a decade later, when Marylandbased Builders FirstSource (BFS) decided to enter the Houston. Tx., market, where she'd made herself a name, they tapped the lady to build such a program up from scratch again.

"I'd built a division from the ground up, so I had that behind me," Combs justifies their choice. But far more valuable than all that batt-andblow know-how were the relationships she'd insulated with her builders. "They know that when I say I'll do it. I'll do it-even if I have to batt the house myself."

Starting over presented yet another challenge. "People didn't know what

Builders FirstSource was-a new name in Houston, which is a very, very competitive market. It took a lot of hard work, starting something up and then meeting some kind of expectations, but you don't let that deter your spirit. When you knock on doors, doors will open," she declares.

Her most important asset was her reputation. So when she moved, her builders moved right along with her. She'd won them the first time around by cold-calling, letting them know what her division had to offer. "I did a couple of free houses to establish a background. I'd go out there, visit all the subs."

The same strategy worked at BFS. Starting with zero on the ledger three years ago, Rachel has doubled sales every year; driving 2003's numbers to l32%o of 2002's already enviable stats. Last year, she beat her own sales record by 3237o, making her number one in Guardian's insulation sales nationwide and its Installer of the Year-the first person to achieve the goal in a quick three years and the first woman ever to score top honors.

Beins based in Houston makes those numbers even more remarkable. The city's insulation market had been dominated by two industry giants, and competition runs fierce to gain the accounts of the tract builders upon which BFS depends. "It's tooth and nail," she notes. "Those tract builders squeeze every last dollar and cut costs as much as possible."

But Rachel doesn't play that game. "We don't offer better deals; we're not price-based-anybody can do that. Instead, it all comes down to customer service. Our jobs don't get hung up, and they pass on the first inspection so nobody falls behind.

"Tract builders are more demanding Ithan custom builders]," she demonstrates. "They can't have lag time. So we're part of a team with our builders and with our install crews; everybody works together for one goal-coordinating with the supers and knowing what the building inspectors want. Supers like us because if, by chance, we can't do it [on time], we'll call and work with them, check with everybody, let people know. We have to make sure everyone involved knows what's required and what they're doing."

The system pays off. "If a super leaves to go to a new builder, he'l1 call us; he likes working with us."

Success through Solid Teams

Rachel understands that her division is as good as its installation teams. Once again, she's forged relationships. She partners. And these players stay on board. "I hire all the employees," which today number 11 crews, she notes. "I treat them with respect, like they're people, not disposable. When they do a good job, I reward them with t-shirts, hats, gift certificates. When I noticed some of them shivering, I got them heavy jackets and skull caps for Christmas. And if they need some equipment on thejob, they get it.

"I bring out Gatorade, chicken, pizza. And we 'meet' at each close of day by NexTel, so they know what to expect on the jobs tomorrow. In return, they take pride in their work.

"They have it all organized, how to look out for one another, how to work as a team, and it makes a big difference," she testifies. "If I'm hiring, I always ask if they know somebody. I have the new guys go out with different crews so they learn what different builders want. If they've never done this kind of work before, I put them with almost every crew so they can see different techniques and choose what works best for them. I don't tell them what to do, just look at the end results. The crews offer each other suggestions, show guys easier or better ways of doing things. And they get paid as a team (unless someone is new or not pulling his weight)."

Rachel is a believer in paying for piece work, and so are her crews. "They like it better. Some do multiple houses a day; they don't want to leave at 3 p.m., they want to finish the day and make money."

Last year's frantic pace of insulating six houses a day has escalated. Today BFS completes 17 homes per day and counting. Rachel uses Guardian's installation videos to jumpstart the training process, but, she says, "We're basically self-sufficient. Each tract builder has his own idiosyncrasies, so it's always something different. We check with each building inspector too-'What exactly do you want?'-to find out his pet peeves. It's an ongoing thing; we're constantly interacting and checking Websites for coding. It's not a 9 to 5 job," she laughs-"more like 2417,I can tell you that! A lot of hard work."

BFI also installs the windows it manufactures in two plants, and again Rachel teams up to piggyback sales of both products. "I partner with the window salespeople to talk about opportunities, like, 'I'm dealing with so-and-so builder; want to place a bid on windows, too?' Customers get a better deal if they join more than one program. They're always asking, 'What more can you do for us?' They want us to install other things, but right now that would represent more growth than the company can handle with the kind of service builders have come to expect from BFS," she feels.

Okay, a reporter just has to ask: What's it like beine a woman-and a petite blonde at that-in a he-man's field? "There are very few women," she acknowledges, "so heads do turn. Certain people look at you like, 'What do you know?' But I can get around that. My guys say they enjoy working for me because I care about what they say and about their environment. I have a good rapport."

When it comes to builders, "Everybody knows me," she laughs again. "And if I don't get their business at first, I'll pursue it."

To be knighted Retailer of the Year "was fun!" she glows. "They didn't expect it of a woman. But I give credit to my company; they'll do everything in their power to let you grow the business, open doors for you."

Next year? "The Houston market's good-lots of open space, and we're back on a boom again, after oil. Now, there's diversity. So we'll continue to grow," the lady pledges. Keep tuned. Or, if you're a competitor, prepare to scramble.

- A Jbrmer award-winning LBM trade magazine editor, Carla Waldemar writes frequently on the building material industry. Contact her at cwaldemar@ mn.n.com.