Installing window awnings can significantly reduce the amount of electricity you use for summertime cooling – for fans and air conditioning. Tade advantage of wintertime discounts offered by many companies – and you’ll save money on these great energy savers. Companies who sell and install awninags are usually very busy during late spring and summer – so by contacting them now, not only can you get terrific pricing – but they’ll have more time to spend with you helping you pick out the right product for your home. Our company is offering free motors with all of our awnings, until March 2011.

Here’s a worthy warning from Techlicious, the website that makes Tech Simple (www.techlicious.com.) Founder Suzanne Kantra writes: “My mother-in-law’s nav system has a button that’s labeled “Go Home.” So after a long day out, she can push one button when she’s ready to head back. But what if someone stole her car? He could press that same button to find out exactly where she lives and he’d know she’s not at home. And if she had a garage door opener, all a thief would have to do is follow the directions home to rob her blind.

To reduce the likelihood that she’ll be victimized by her own technology, I made her “Home” address an intersection near her house, not her actual address. And now she makes sure her nav system is well hidden in the car.

There’s a reason for the new reality shows on hoarding – most of us have too much stuff.  Thinking ahead to your spring cleaning – and who doesn’t want to Think Spring during these coldest months of the year – some more tips to unclutter your home from Donna Smallin, author of 7 Simple Steps, and 700 tips and ideas.

Kick the Shopping Habit

• Consider buying less stuff in general.
• Go shopping only when you need something -  make a list and stick to it
• Minimize impulse buying by leaving your credit card at home when you browse.  If it really is a must-have item, you’ll be willing to pay cash for it.
• Don’t go to a garage sale unless you are looking for something specific
• Don’t buy something just because it’s on sale!

Craft-Bilt has found many ways to go green-er in recent years. Replacing the lights in our factory significantly reduced our consumption of electricity. Many of the sustainability efforts are specific to manufacturing – be some of the initiatives we have made can be implemented by homeowners, as well. Here are a few:
1. Replace incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lighting.
2. Use GreenGard® certified cleaners to preserve indoor air quality
3. Use microfiber cloths for cleaning to reduce waste and excessive chemical use
4. Install floor mats at entryways to minimize dust and dirt inside your home
5. Use paper products and trash can lines with recycled content
6. Have a family meeting where you collect suggestions from everyone on how you can maintain a greener home!

According to the annual report, The State of the Nation’s Housing 2010, from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, over the coming years remodeling expenditures are expected to increase at an inflation-adjusted 3.5% average annual rate, below the pace during the housing boom, but sharply recovering from the recent downturn.

I’m proud to tell you that Craft-Bilt’s longtime customer Frank Evans Company is bing featured in the next issue of the US Builders Review, a national publication.  Evans, located in Massachusetts, is one of New England’s most respected installers of retractable patio and deck awnings.  The company has featured Craft-Bilt awnings and shade products for more than fifteen years. 

The article will focus on Evans’ business strategies and operations, as well as feature several projects.  US Builders Review reached over 250,000 contractors, developers and architects nationwide.

 

Wao shows off his Craft-Bilt water bottle

December 14, 2010 

Christmas came a week early for people with intellectual disabilities at The Arc of Philadelphia and Philadelphia Developmental Disabilities Corporation (ARC-PDDC), thanks to the award-winning Craft-Bilt Manufacturing Company of Souderton, maker of sunrooms and awnings.  Craft-Bilt continues to carry on a holiday tradition which they started in 1986. 

On Tuesday, December 14, 2010, Craft-Bilt executives and staff members traveled from Souderton for the 25th year in a row to The Arc and PDDC, at 2350 W. Westmoreland Street, Philadelphia, in order to deliver gifts.  Craft-Bilt’s Richard Ball, an account manager, dresses up as Santa Claus, and there are Santa caps and Rudolph antlers on the others.

Since Debbie Stone, the daughter of the founder and the sister of Andy Stone, company president, had been a special education teacher in the Philadelphia School District for years before joining the family business, she had suggested a project involving the clients of the Arc of Philadelphia and PDDC to begin this tradition. 

The annual event involves Craft-Bilt’s obtaining the names of about 70 clients of the Arc and PDDC on Westmoreland Street, finding out sizes and needs of clients who don’t have close family ties or any families at all, and then purchasing and wrapping presents for them.

Laura Princiotta, COO of PDDC, said that the clients in the training center look forward each year to this special celebration.  Gift-wrapped presents include practical and useful items, like hats, scarves, gloves, slippers, socks, sweatshirts, fleece blankets, perfume or cologne, shaving cream, body wash, toothpaste, comb and brush sets, as well as jewelry, small stuffed animals, music boxes, mugs, small knick- knacks, picture frames, and umbrellas. 

Inger and Andy Stone purchase the clothing items on the list, and employees each select one item from the list prepared by Princiotta and her staff and gift-wrap each item.

 Craft-Bilt’s Mandy Gebbie organizes all of the gifts, which were wrapped by manufacturing associate Nancy Eck. Craft-Bilt also orders several hundred tiny stuffed animals for Santa to hand out in the Training Center at the Arc and PDDC.

According to Debbie Stone, the Craft-Bilt employees look forward to this special visit to the Arc and PDDC each year, and they enjoy having contact with their special people.  The smiles and hugs were evidence of the delight which the Craft-Bilt gifts brought to the Arc and PDDC clients.     

Craft-Bilt also is a major sponsor of the annual Arc and PDDC Golf Outing, sponsoring several teams of Philadelphia School District students.

Betterliving of Hampton Roads shared this thank you note with us….we appreciate the great job our sunroom dealers do for their family of customers!

For great tips on everything about cleaning and caring for your home – check out the weekley newsletter from Tim Carter – Aks the Builder!  I get a great tip about how to clean the wood siding on my home prior to painting – without harming my foundation plantings!  Check it out at www.askthebuilder.com!

Recent data confirms what we really knew all along–Americans want quality customer service and they’re willing to reward businesses that provide it. Echo Research/American Express reported the following:

 *           61% say in this economic environment, quality customer service is more important to them

*           Americans will spend 9% more with companies that provide excellent customer service

*           24% of Americans believe companies value their business and will go the extra mile to keep it

*           37% believe that companies have increased their focus on providing quality service

*           27% feel businesses have not changed their attitude toward customer service

*           28% say companies are now paying less attention to good service

 *           Most consumers feel businesses can do more to retain their loyalty:

             *           48% feel companies are helpful but don’t do anything extra to keep their business

            *           21% believe that companies take their business for granted.

We try to buck the trend by providing service excellence to our dealers, and to consumers who purchase our products. Please let me know what we can do to continue to improve our efforts in this critical area.