A&S Homes 50th Anniversary

Customer Input Critical for A&S Homes

Source: Winnipeg Free
 
A lot has changed since brothers Antonino and Serafino Spezzano founded A&S Homes in Winnipeg nearly 50 years ago.

In the company’s first year of business in 1976, its sales were just $250,000. Today, it has annual sales in the hundreds of millions of dollars and has established itself as an industry leader in Manitoba when it comes to building custom-designed homes.

What was once a two-man operation now employs hundreds of staff and contractors across the province. A&S has also evolved into a fully integrated company that now also builds multi-family apartment blocks, commercial and industrial buildings, and office developments.

One thing that hasn’t changed over the years is the company’s dedication to building well-crafted custom homes that people love to live in and are fully tailored to meet the needs of each homeowner’s unique lifestyle.

Frank Spezzano, VP of business development – residential, says the key to achieving that goal is the company’s collaborative design-build process and its willingness to listen to customers at every step along the way.

“Every homeowner is different and we believe their home should reflect that. Listening is where it all starts,” says Frank, Antonino’s son who now runs the company along with his brother Vince, VP of business development – multi-family.

“We don’t just sell homes — we build them with the customer’s input at the centre of the process. That value has guided us from the beginning and remains essential to everything we do, from our first meeting through to the final walk-through.”

Whether it’s layout, finishes or accessibility features, we build homes that fit real life.” – Frank Spezzano, VP of Business Development – Residential, A&S Homes

They spend time with customers to understand their needs, preferences and lifestyle.

“Whether it’s layout, finishes or accessibility features, we build homes that fit real life,” Frank says.

“To be honest, it can be a challenge. In order to make it work, you need to have a dedicated team that really understands all the different aspects of what’s involved in making those customizations.”

That willingness to listen has earned A&S the trust of multiple generations of homebuyers, something that is reflected in the fact that 30 per cent of its customers are repeat buyers or have been referred by family members who have done business with the company. In fact, some clients have built as many as eight homes with the company.

To date, A&S has built more than 7,000 new homes across Manitoba, including both single family and multi-family dwellings.

A big part of what sets the company apart from many other homebuilders is its focus on customization at every stage of the building process. That process includes having designers and architects at A&S Homes’ design centre consult with homebuyers during the initial planning phase and continues through construction as well as after-sales service.

“One of the reasons why we feel it’s important to consult is because each customer has different needs and we’re not all the same people,” Frank says.

“When we allow customers to express exactly how they want to use the place, it provides us with the knowledge base to suggest changes that would improve the experience of where they live.”

A&S Homes’ attention to detail has earned the company multiple honours including numerous Consumer Choice and Manitoba Home Builders’ Association awards for excellence in design, customer service and energy efficiency.

Frank says while the recognition is gratifying and reaffirms his company’s commitment to raising the bar in the industry, the most rewarding aspect of the work it performs is the satisfaction that comes from knowing customers are pleased with the final results.

As the countdown to A&S Homes’ 50th anniversary in January begins, it’s a time for the company to reflect on what was and look ahead to what is yet to be.

Antonino remains very much involved in the day-to-day operations of the company he helped build a half-century ago and continues to be counted on for his leadership. A number of celebrations are planned for the coming months to mark the occasion and the contributions both he and his brother have made to the industry.

While it’s too soon to say what the next 50 years will hold in store for A&S Homes, Frank says the company will continue to evolve and adapt to a changing industry landscape.

“We see that the marketplace is changing. Affordability is getting to be an issue,” he says.

“That’s something that we’re working towards — finding solutions so that everybody can afford a home. It’s a big challenge and we’re working to find ways to do that with technology and efficiencies and changing building products and other things so that we can build a better house more economically.”

By: Jim Timlick

Originally published by Winnipeg Free Press