Graber Post Buildings is the largest distributor of SmartBuild Systems. They set up over 100 customers in more than 20 states. We sat down with Tim Fox to hear how Graber handles such a wide service area and how SmartBuild helps its customer base grow its business. It is an amazing success story!
1 – It is well known that GPB is a major supplier to Post Frame. Tell us how many locations you have and what territory you serve.
We operate out of one location in Montgomery, Indiana, and service over 20 states throughout the Midwest and surrounding states.
2 – How can you manage to service such a large area and still be competitive in price and service?
We have a great management team as well as key employees in our office, wholesale, logistics, and manufacturing. One of the main keys to our success is we have employees that care and stand by the customer service values that Glen Graber and his family put in place over 50 years ago! We stay competitive because of the great relationships we have with many vendors and valued partners! We also manufacture all of our own metal, laminated posts, trusses, and specialty trims.
3 – Tell us how you go to market. Do you sell directly to contractors?
We go to the market as a full-service, one-stop shop for all post frame needs. We deliver full kits to the job site and offer great products and service to wholesalers and contractors alike.
4 – What role does SmartBuild play in your relationship with your customers?
SmartBuild has offered us a great opportunity to put an amazing tool into our contractors and wholesalers’ hands that saves them time and money. It speeds up the process from bidding jobs to placing your order while eliminating mistakes. SmartBuild has also been proven to help grow our contractors, and wholesalers’ businesses and has helped us grow our network across the markets we cover.
5 – If I were a contractor, why would I want to get SmartBuild from Graber?
On the contractor side, the key advantage to getting Smartbuild from us is we already have a complete catalog of items built into the system with real-time pricing. All of these items are readily available and can be delivered to the job site as a full kit. This saves the contractor time and money and eliminates the stress of dealing with 3-4 separate suppliers.
6 – If I were a supplier or wanted to become one, why would I consider becoming a dealer for Graber?
On the supplier side, Graber Post can offer great products at a competitive price as well as great customer service. Some examples of this would be 40-year warrantied metal, 50-year warrantied laminated poles, engineered trusses built in-house, and many other specialty items.
7 – Closing thoughts?
SmartBuild has been a great tool that this industry has needed for years! It has helped us grow our business as well as our contractors and wholesalers. We very much value our relationship with the SmartBuild team and look forward to the advancements and growth in the future!
