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RCS instructor Beverly A. Koehn, of Beverly Koehn & Associates in San Antonio, taught “Customer Service and Home Owner Relations,” which focuses on “understanding the human and business needs of the customer so that you can meet and exceed their expectations,” she said. “We teach about avoiding the seven deadly sins of customer service and learn how to deal with the difficult customer.”
In “Hiring, Training and Supervision,” Koehn also taught attendees about the common mistakes that are made in the interview process and the steps to follow to ensure that each subcontractor understands EEOC and advertising guidelines or that an employee is the right fit for the company.
Jud Motsenbocker, of Jud Construction in Muncie, IN, who is an HBI trustee and a former HBI chairman, reported that his courses, “General Project Management” and “Planning and Scheduling” were “well received with packed houses for both sessions. Not only did attendees receive continuing education credits, they learned the importance of a team effort at every level.”
The management course provides an overview of the many facets of being a superintendent and is a good introductory class for the rest of the superintendent series.
“Students learned the multiple and varied roles of the superintendent; how to manage production operations by using the planning, action and review method; and understanding estimates,” he said.
His second course, Motsenbocker said, emphasizes improving the planning and scheduling process to increases profits and taking steps to help ensure on-time deliveries. Attendees also learn the five fundamental scheduling methods and how to utilize each one to successfully manage a project.
“Codes and Quality Control,” which has recently been revised, was taught by veteran builder Paul E. Mashburn, Jr., of Viking Builders in Winter Park, FL. The former HBI chairman and past president of the Florida Home Builders Association taught students the five essential components for ensuring quality in the jobs their companies do.
“The super eight courses leading to the RCS designation have been approved by the state Construction Industry Licensing Board and that’s a real plus,” said Mashburn. “Also, local executive officers are bringing the course to the local association level. In Orlando, attendees learned to set performance expectations based on a quality foundation. The course also discussed the superintendent's responsibilities regarding codes and tips on how to enforce code compliance on the job site.”
Mashburn also taught “Budget Management and Cost Control,” which reviews the role of the superintendent in making jobs profitable by understanding the critical elements in job costs and how to control them.
Two other courses required for the RCS designation — “Safety and Security” and “Superintendents Office and Subcontractor Relations” — were taught by Ed Snider, vice president of construction quality and workplace safety for Beazer Homes USA in Addison, TX.
In the safety course, “we essentially show how to protect your job site by learning the essential ingredients of a safety program, what the most common OSHA citations are and how to prepare for an OSHA inspection,” said Snider.
His second course covers what a superintendent should be looking for in a subcontractor and what to do to recruit the most successful subcontractors for a project.
“The course really offers tips for creating a winning partnership with your internal customers and provides a proven strategy for dealing with conflict,” Snider said.
Since it was introduced in the fall of 2002, the RCS program has increased its course offerings significantly as more and more employers have recognized the value of continuing education for their employees.
Summing things up, Orange Park, FL-based builder Roger Day, president of Rosewood Homes, noted that, “The designation program increases the profitability of your company by teaching your employees how they can be more effective on the job site.”
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