Develop Systems. Stick to Systems
“We used to call her ‘the overkill queen.’ Her thought process was: ‘What would my mom expect the house to look like?’” —Deana Bond, HRI chief production manager
Clean jobsites don’t just give comfort to clients; they symbolize a remarkable attention to detail that strengthens the loyalty of trade partners.
“They are very demanding but also extremely organized,” says Tony Fisher of Fisher Power and Data, which specializes in high-end electrical systems. “They organize every detail, from initial walk-through until the job is done.” That, along with a single source of contact for each job, lets his teams work more efficiently, at a lower price, than for companies that need more hand-holding.
A seemingly small but critical detail is protection of clients’ belongings. “They cover absolutely everything,” Fisher says. Painter Camolinga agrees. “A lot of contractors leave protections to us, or only go to a certain degree. These guys go above and beyond, way beyond dropcloths. There’s no cutting corners.”
Such meticulous attention to detail started in HRI’s first year with the establishment of “jobsite rules” — no swearing, no smoking, no radios, no dogs, recycle! — that even now differentiate the company from much of its competition. The company’s countless systems are evaluated, measured, and continually tweaked, yielding continuous improvement in efficiencies and client satisfaction.
There was the employee handbook (1987), followed by “pardon our dust” mailings, job descriptions, a mission statement, job calendars, ongoing client surveys, systematized hiring practices, 360-degree performance reviews, job handoff packages, safety procedures, quarterly all-staff meetings, weekly department and managers’ meetings, committees, and a meticulously crafted marketing plan that maps out everything from print collateral to educational workshops (for which homeowners pay $20) to a “networking schedule.”
Careful evaluation applies to building methods and materials, too. Though HRI is known for its high-end work — Harrell and Benson’s newly renovated home in particular is a model of advanced “smart home” technologies — Harrell prefers to try new things slowly, in connection with the proven. “I have made my team sufficiently cautious” of jumping on new bandwagons, Harrell says. “They want to be advanced, but they’re aware of liabilities.”
Paperwork and protocol logjam? To the contrary, “We have a saying: ‘Who else needs to know?’” Babot says. “Iris has a thing about overcommunication. She’s empowering, and she stands by us.”
Collaborate and Take Calculated Risks
“She’s very creative but has learned to keep her entrepreneurial instincts in check. She has strength and self-discipline, and is always willing to listen.” —Ciro Giammona, HRI general manager
While most of HRI’s systems are generic in function, some are unique reflections of the collaborative spirit that infuses the company. This is due in part to Harrell’s leadership style (her door is literally open to everyone) and in part to the ESOP, which by giving everyone a bead on the numbers, encourages innovation and continuous improvement from all.
One employee’s idea, for instance, was the “HRI Knowledge Base,” an intranet repository of ideas, sources, and lessons learned — easy for all to find when needed. The “People Power Board,” developed by Bond, maps out a three-week projection of “people needs,” accounting for every production employee and every job. The “Magic Barrel,” one for each lead carpenter, contains screws, nails, brackets, duct tape — “probably $1,000 worth of miscellaneous materials you might need” on a jobsite, Bond says.
There’s also “HRI University,” on-site educational programs held at least quarterly; strong support of job training and certifications (an astonishing 23 of the company’s 35 employees are Certified Green Building Professionals, for example); and training for and by trade partners as well.
And contracts, though sometimes 20 pages long, are written in narrative format — more like specific yet warm personal letters than legalistic documents. “We’ve found that clients don’t often read plans well because they have no training,” Paul says. “But if it’s a narrative, they will.”
More recently, HarrellCARE evolved from an idea that Giammona proposed a few years ago, when the company was so busy doing large projects that some smaller projects passed it by. “Ciro talked me into it,” Harrell says. “His thinking was, ‘Why do we throw this good fish back in the water?’” The economic slowdown served as opportunity to map out a system that enables HRI to do smaller jobs efficiently, profitably, and to its customarily high standards.
Collaboration also runs through all HRI projects. Production staff and trade partners participate in job planning from day one, for instance. And, despite having one of the most talented and award-winning design teams in the industry, “collaborating with clients is a philosophy,” Nowicki says. “If you engage the client in the design process, it’s a much stronger relationship.” The tagline doesn’t exaggerate: “We never forget it’s your home.”
Clients are fully aware of their valued role in the process. On a recent tour of several HRI projects, Harrell gestured to the beaming homeowner and matter-of-factly said, “She was lead designer. She had the vision. We just had to get it on paper. It’s really incredible to help someone achieve their dream.”