Just over two years ago, The Alberta New Home Warranty Program (the Program or ANHWP) realized there was a need in the marketplace to comprehensively measure homebuyer satisfaction and to bring its Builder Members tools and resources to meet their homebuyers’ expectations. That is when they teamed up with J.D. Power and Associates—an independent, trusted third party with extensive experience in consumer satisfaction surveying—and came out with a unique market research initiative called the New Home Builder Customer Service Satisfaction StudySM. The study officially launched in July 2007.

The process is quite simple: new home buyers who choose to build with a Program Builder Member receive a comprehensive customer satisfaction survey six months after they take possession of their new home. The survey covers every aspect of the homebuilding and homebuyer relationship from the moment the person walked through the builder’s show home through to the post possession customer service experience. The questionnaire comes directly from J.D. Power and Associates and is completely independent of the builder and the Program.

The results of the survey are then compiled, and each Builder Member of ANHWP is given its own personalized information in quarterly reports called “The Voice of the Customer.” The builder is then able to compare their company performance to industry benchmarks. 

“These personalized reports give our Builder Members relevant information so they can really understand what drives customer satisfaction and use that information to make their businesses run better,” says Schuyler Wensel, President and CEO of ANHWP. “The best reference you can have is a satisfied customer.”

The results of the New Home Builder Customer Satisfaction StudySM are also relevant and useful for homebuyers for they will now be able to tangibly compare homebuyer satisfaction levels amongst builders in Alberta.  The data from the surveys will be published as Power Circle Ratings™ for each Builder Member of ANHWP who had enough responses.  Builders will be rated in areas of overall satisfaction, home design, home quality, customer service and price/value. It all leads to increased transparency and a clearer picture of the strengths of each home builder.

The pinnacle of homebuyer satisfaction will be reflected in the awards handed out to a select group of builders for achieving the Highest Ranked designation. The tabulations from the New Home Builder Customer Satisfaction StudySM will determine who receives the J.D. Power and Associates Highest Customer Satisfaction award (one each for single-family home Calgary, single-family home Edmonton and multi-family home Edmonton categories) as well as the ANHWP New-Home Buyers’ Choice Award (single-family home Calgary region, single-family home Edmonton region, and single-family home in Alberta region categories). To be eligible for the J.D. Power and Associates award, a builder must produce more than 100 single-family homes, or more than 60 multi-family homes, each year.

“The Alberta New Home Warranty Program’s partnership with a well known consumer research firm like J.D. Power and Associates benefits both our Builder Members and the new home buying public by increasing homebuyer confidence and access to information,” concludes Wensel. Both the Power Circle Ratings™ and the Highest Customer Satisfaction Award results are now available to view online. For more information on Power Circles™ visit http://www.AlbertaNewHomeWarranty.com NL