Satisfied customers are the reason that last year Landmark Construction had its best year ever. Delivering outstanding customer service when faced with incredible challenges was the consistent message at the Annual Safety and Company Meeting for all employees held on May 19 at the Blue Goose Fruit Shed in Loomis CA.
According to Joe Bittaker, President, new clients have been seeking out Landmark Construction’s services because of the team’s reputation for working collaboratively with clients. “We are a customer service company that just happens to be in the construction business,” said Bittaker. “Through employees’ efforts to proactively identify potential problems, communicate honestly with clients and work together to find solutions, Landmark Construction has never missed a deadline and we are experiencing consistent growth.”
At the Annual Safety and Company Meeting, employees were recognized for their commitment to providing extraordinary customer service and recent compliments from clients were shared:
“Landmark Construction has successfully performed construction services on multiple projects for the Sacramento City Unified School District over the last decade. They are attentive to district staff and have always maintained good rapport with site staff as well. Budget issues are addressed promptly with solutions/suggestions provided by Landmark staff.”
Cathy Allen, Chief Operations Officer, Sacramento City Unified School District
“Western Placer Unified School District is currently wrapping up a $3.2 million dollar facilities expansion at our High School Farm … Landmark has been proactive in surpassing the unforeseen setbacks that this old farm presented during construction. Landmark’s diligence with staying on schedule and within budget gained recognition by our farm committee, staff and board members.”
Michael Adell, Facilities Director and Hannah Ritchie, Facilities Coordinator, Western Placer Unified School District
Paul Hanson, Executive Vice President, introduced recently hired employees. “Landmark Construction is growing steadily,” said Hanson. “This is creating opportunities for advancement among our staff. Landmark Construction is also adding team members who have an outstanding work ethic and fit our culture of delivering the highest level of customer satisfaction.”
Landmark Construction Senior Project Manager, Chuck Pettersen, along with Bittaker, also shared what is referred to internally as a “tale of glory” or an amazing customer service story. “Landmark has always made customer satisfaction the highest priority,” said Pettersen.
“Seventeen years ago at Caleb Greenwood Elementary School, we completed our first full-scale summer modernization project,” said Pettersen. “It entailed a complete gut-and-rebuild modernization of an entire elementary school, with all new electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems; demolition of 13 aging portable buildings and installation of 13 new permanent modular buildings; demolition and replacement of almost all hardscape; all new finishes, casework, doors, and interiors; and deep and difficult public utility connections. To top it off, all the classroom concrete slabs had new concrete floors re-poured. The project was delivered on-time in just 64 days – in fact the administration area was delivered early. Sacramento City USD used Caleb Greenwood as an example of what could be done in one short summer.”
Kevin Brennan, Vice President, and Tim Watson, Senior Superintendent, also described a tale of glory where Landmark’s collaborative approach reduced the original project cost from $10M to fit within the district’s $7M budget. “At Golden Sierra High School, we drove and coordinated the effort to re-design the project to reduce costs,” said Brennan. “When state funding was suspended, we assisted the district with continuing the project and then when funding was received, completed $5M of the remaining work in 60 days over the summer, completely gutting and remodeling an entire 55,000sf high school and installing all new electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire sprinkler and fire-life-safety systems.”
Prior to the all-hands company meeting, Landmark Construction project managers and superintendents attended a four-hour morning intensive Safety Training conducted by Joe Souza, Safety Consultant. The training included IIPP, OSHA for 2017, Silica Standard, Anti-Harassment, Focus Four, Excavation/Trenches and Confined Spaces.
The meeting culminated in a barbeque for employees. Landmark Construction has a long tradition of bringing their cooking gear to client job sites to barbeque tri-tip, chicken and buffalo. Employees enjoyed the benefits of fellow staff members’ barbecuing skills while discussing anticipated employee events planned for the summer such as camping, white water rafting, sailing days, sporting clays, and bike rides.