PCA Articles
The Strategy Behind Planning and Coordination
“I’m gonna tell you a secret. I hate paint,” said Richard Casillas, owner of JML Construction Services in Orlando, Florida. “But because of the relationship and the team we have, paint has become one of the biggest parts of our business.”
It’s no surprise that large-scale projects are difficult to complete, especially when there are material shortages. In this episode of Business Anatomy, Team of Leaders, JML Construction shares how their executive team relies on Behr Pro for products, supplies, and services to execute and finish big projects.
How the Collaboration Got Started
Casillas came to the conclusion that he wanted to be back in the field after serving as the head of operations for a university in Florida. He established a business after receiving his Florida home inspection license. After doing plenty of work in the home inspection space, the business transitioned into the construction space.
“We started getting asked to bid for painting,” said Casillas. “At that time, I met Chris. He was the Behr representative. So we wanted to bring Behr products into the projects that we were doing.”
David Cofresi, Regional Account Manager at Behr Pro, explained that the relationship Behr Pro builds with builders usually gets started at social events or associations they are a part of. Overall, Behr’s main goal with these relationships is to help them manage their pipeline.
“We go to these business exchanges or trade shows, and that’s where we get to network or meet these builders and start the relationship, and it just develops from there,” said Cofresi.
Relying on Behr Pro for Supplies and Services
“You don’t have to walk into a Home Depot store and stand in line at a paint counter to order Behr for a professional project,” said Amber Schmidt, National Account Manager at Behr Pro.
Behr Pro has its own distribution centers and provides delivery services along with its partners that offer credit terms. According to Schmidt, Behr offers all of the services that you might expect from a typical paint manufacturer or distributor, but the experience is different due to the people you work with and the level of care.
“We keep the crews on the job site working. You’re able to just call us and say ‘Hey, I need this amount of paint; I need this shade; I need it here this day’ and then we take care of it,” said Cofresi.
Furthermore, Schmidt added that Behr Pro provides JML Construction and other businesses with cutting-edge, original solutions to the frequent professional issues they face, as well as expert assistance.
An Overview of JML’s Planning Process
Chris Noe, project manager at JML construction, explains the planning process of a project with Behr Pro from start to finish. He includes the processes and extra steps taken in order to ensure quality results, effective communication, and efficient work.
“It all starts with bidding on a project. We’ll take a look at our project and see if that’s something we want to pursue, and if we do, then we internally do takeoffs,” said Noe.
In order to do takeoffs correctly and ensure that no errors are being made, JML uses a program called Stack. They are able to precisely estimate the amount of material they will need for the job thanks to this software. They can also enter several paint manufacturers and set the square feet per gallon to whatever they believe they will be able to achieve. Ultimately, it offers a precise assessment of how much material will be utilized and how much it will cost.
“I have my rep who is out here weekly taking orders, providing mil thickness tests. They’re helping keep us honest and making sure that the general contractor is getting what they paid for,” said Noe.
Working Together to Produce High-Quality Results
When every trade has finished working within the unit, it’s time for the painters to enter and correct anything that was overlooked.
“I want to make sure that my job looks of the best quality ever. I’m very picky about that,” said Soledad Delarosa, purchasing manager at JML. “The best quality – including drywall, painting, and my punch has to be perfect. Wherever I go, I make sure JML looks perfect. Even though it takes more time, it’s going to get done the way I want.”
Daily team meetings with all of the painters are held on-site to further guarantee great work. It is crucial for them to know what their objectives are for the day and week so they can concentrate on what needs to be done and complete it efficiently and on schedule.
Building a Family Out of Strong Partnerships
“We are truly blessed because we have a group of people that we love as family and they roll up their sleeves and work hard,” said Casillas.
Together, the teams at JML and Behr work toward the same objectives and are driven by similar passions. The partnership has been said to resemble a family because of how well the partners work together and how much they trust one another.
“I’m really blessed to have a network of people I enjoy being around, I enjoy doing business with,” said Schmidt. “So, I know that my business is taken care of, but I also get to do that while being surrounded by great people. It’s just a really neat environment.”
To learn more about the partnership between JML Construction and Behr Pro and how it fosters a family in addition to being helpful for planning and coordination, visit PCA Overdrive to watch the full Business Anatomy, Team of Leaders episode.
About The Author
Daphne Young is PCA’s Blog Writer, responsible for concentrating her efforts on collaborating with thought-leaders in the painting industry to write articles appealing to PCA’s audience and offer further insight about the industry.