Supply chain survey reveals what builders think of dealer relationships

In the lumber and building materials distribution industry, where so many factors contribute to the process of constructing a home or business, the last thing anyone along the supply chain—builder, dealer, distributor, manufacturer—wants to worry about is their relationship with one another. But indeed, those relationships are often the key to getting a building constructed on time and on budget. In short, a builder’s interpretation of supply chain relationships directly reflects on how that builder views his LBM dealer. Earlier this summer, LBM Journal partnered with Professional Builder magazine on a survey to gauge the level of satisfaction among builders and LBM dealers with the relationships within the construction products supply chain. The survey asked builders and contractors to share their preferences about working with supply chain partners. In turn, manufacturers and retailers were asked to share insights about builders and contractors as well. While some of the findings showed that areas such as product knowledge, product availability, and installed labor were in alignment, other areas showed room for improvement.