As a newcomer to “Blogging” I hope to set the tone for Highmark’s future communications and social user experience. I recently read an article titled “It’s all about respect”, hence the name of today’s blog.
At The Highmark Group, we expect that all our communication will be projected from a position of respect. We respect that each person or company we reach has achieved their own level of success based on their experience, hard work, and education. While we strive to offer insight into our experience, we realize it is, after all, OUR experience; yours has been different and we respect that.
My father used to give me all sorts of advice on every topic of my life. He would always follow it up with “take what you like, and discard the rest.” I extend to you the same advice. In addition, as I grew older, he began to ask me for advice. I ask this of you too. If you have advice for Highmark or me, I welcome it; in fact, it’s one of the highlights of my job.
Highmark has been doing takeoffs, submittals and irrigation bid-designs for almost six years. Our staff members have been performing these services for over 20 years and after all that, we think we have something amazing to offer to any Green Industry company. From the biggest to the smallest, we can help. We have had many successful projects and experiences and yes, we’ve had some failures.
Last month Highmark changed, updated, or introduced several things that will be of interest to experienced and new clients alike:
First, Highmark is now directly available to the contractor. In the past we have limited our services through one distributor. That agreement has ended and Highmark is now open to all contractors. If working with Highmark through a distributor is your preference, then keep reading.
Second, Highmark has expanded our network of distributors we are working with throughout the country. We have contracted with several amazing companies through which our services are being offered. Contact us to see if there is a distributor in your area (or suggest one). Highmark values these relationships and fully endorses these companies.
Third, Highmark services have been “made better”. I say that because “improved” isn’t enough and “all new” is too much. We didn’t want to scrap everything but we did want to implement what we have learned with our new opportunity. We spoke with many from our industry about what our services should include and what they should cost. According to many of you, we were simply doing too much, and the necessary cost of doing all those extra things was prohibitive. We’ve listened.
Here’s our SECRET – Highmark strives to provide a high quality, cost effective, and on time Takeoff, Submittal, or Bid-Design that not only meets your expectations but becomes a trusted and integral part of your bidding and estimating process. We will settle for nothing less.
Fourth (and yet another secret), We’ve simplified our product. Takeoffs are supposed to be just that, takeoffs, nothing more, nothing less. It’s pretty easy; we have no agenda and we don’t sell the products. If it’s on the plans, it’s on the takeoff.
Fifth, Technology is our friend, our future, and we embrace it. We’ve launched an all new website, customer user experience (that’s your log-in) and several very cool onscreen interactive features such as the Interactive Takeoff and Interactive Materials List. These tools allow you to make the takeoff your own by reviewing the takeoff and adding to or taking away from the materials list before you print or send it to your favorite supplier. This is all on screen.
Through this blog, we hope you will get to know us, we will get to know you and we will help propel each other through this interesting time. Just a quick review of our industry tells us that things are changing very fast and they will only continue to change. Let’s do this together and find the success we know can be ours.
Until the next (and probably more entertaining) blog,
Aaron Harmon
President – The Highmark Group
thehighmarkgroup.wordpress.com 