What is customer care?

At Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods, customer care (CC) is at the heart of the homeowner experience. The customer care team consists of field representatives, service technicians, a home detail team, two office managers, and customer care director, Andrea Nance and customer care manager, Andrea Beecroft. The team takes care of any finishing touches or construction issues that might come up with the new home.

Customer care first works on a new home when the home is about 20-30 days from closing. The builder and CC rep conduct a Quality Assurance walk to develop a list of items needing attention. The CC home detail team will then ensure all the fixes are made.

If the home has not been sold, customer care schedules a follow-up appointment with the builder 8-10 days after the QA walk to make sure all items have been completed, with any item not complete documented for follow-up.

If the home has been sold, the CC rep will schedule a time to meet the new homeowners at the house and walk through with them to ensure no items are incomplete before closing. CC will review the functions of the house along with warranty and registration paperwork with the new homeowner. 

“If the homeowner brings up other concerns or issues during this appointment, the home detail team will perform these last-minute “punch list” items,” said Beecroft.

Does the customer care team do anything else with the buyer before closing?

The day before closing, the CC field rep will schedule a home completion appointment with the homeowners, to give the buyers a final chance to see the home and agree to Ideal’s warranty.

Does the customer care team interact with the customer after closing?

Yes. At the home completion appointment, the CC field rep will schedule a 60-day follow-up appointment with the homeowner. This appointment is not required but typically most homeowners will identify things like a drawer or door not working properly, caulking that needs to be touched up, or other items that occur because of the new house settling. 

“A customer care field tech will also attend this appointment to perform any necessary repairs or touchups on the spot to save time,” said Nance.

Is the customer care team involved in any of the warranty process?

“The Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods goal is always to build an Ideal home free of flaws or deficiencies,” continued Nance. “We proudly offer a 10-year structural warranty on every house.” 

Homeowners are also offered a one-year warranty that is explained at our home preview and home confirmation appointments.

How does the Ideal warranty compare with those of other builders?

“One thing that makes Ideal’s warranty unique is the quality level at which our trades must perform. Our expectations are high,” said Beecroft. 

The trades contact homeowners directly to schedule appointments within 10 business days, expediting appointment scheduling. Also, Ideal’s in-house technicians can provide about a third of the necessary repairs, making it even more efficient and accommodating for homeowners.

How do homeowners report a warranty issue?

Homeowners can contact the CC office Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and speak to an office manager. CC also has an after-hours phone number for evenings and weekends. The other option is the online form located on the Ideal website. 

 Homeowners are encouraged to call the CC office if any warranty problems arise. The office manager will submit necessary service orders to the proper trade or technician and get issues resolved quickly.

Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods strives to make each home an ideal home. That’s one of the reasons Ideal is proud to guarantee workmanship and keep building quality homes second to none! Providing exceptional customer service is a top priority!