Knowing the Competition Better Than They Know Themselves

Hansen Pole Buildings provides post frame building kit packages. Lots of them and in all 50 states! As such, we have lots of clients provide quotes from our competitors, with the idea we will meet or beat the pricing – of lesser featured or poorer quality buildings.

Besides the obvious features, there are some not so obvious things which clients do not always realize. The better providers and builders of pole buildings, pay good money to belong to associations and organizations which promote quality standards as well as reasonable levels of service. Many of these providers, us included, proudly display the logos of the organizations we belong to.

There are other companies, which display the logos, but are actually not members, nor do they pay dues to the organizations. These businesses are cheaters – pure and simple. They cheat the organizations they fraudulently claim to belong to, the members of the organizations who are honest and pay dues, as well as the consumer – who unwittingly believes no business would possibly do such a thing.

The most prevalent case I see is alleged membership in the Better Business Bureau. On the home page for Hansen Pole Buildings is the BBB logo which says we are an accredited business. Click on this logo and it takes you directly to the BBB website, and gives you a report on our business. If this logo is found on any other website – click on it. If it does nothing, or is a “dead link”, you are probably dealing with a cheat. I would encourage the immediate reporting of any such business to the appropriate Better Business Bureau, as they are most likely fraudulently using the BBB logo.

Question any provider of either post frame building kits, or construction services as to why they are not BBB members. While the BBB is not the “end all”, it is a starting point for determining the legitimacy of a business.

The National Frame Building Association (www.NFBA.org) represents the post frame industry. Every legitimate post frame building kit provider, or contractor should be a member. Just today, I came across a company based in Ohio with the NFBA logo on their website. A call to the NFBA at (800)557-6957 confirmed the company is not an association member, even with the logo proudly displayed!

On the home page for the company in question, is a link to a video leading one to believe the plant shown to be “our” (as in their) manufacturing plant. With “our” lumber under roof, all of the steel coils in “our” warehouse, etc., etc. The problem is – the video is not of this business’ facility!

Their website proudly touts, “By eliminating the middle-man, you save!” however they ARE the middle man – they are reselling someone else’s post frame building and making a profit (nothing wrong with making a legitimate profit).

As a consumer, you can either do due diligence and actually check a company out, or take the risks.

Consider the old adage, “The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory”.