While studying at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Paul Cardis knew that he wanted to help organizations excel at what they do best. So after receiving a master’s degree in Psychology, adding to his first master’s in Research Methods, he founded AVID Ratings in 1993. His goal was to help homebuilders measure, understand, and change their organizations to improve customer delight and increase company profitability.

Paul didn’t pick the homebuilding industry by accident. His father was a builder in the Chicago market, working on prominent skyscrapers and later working in asbestos abatement before retiring to Mexico. It was his father whom encouraged Paul to take his fresh research knowledge to the home building industry, which desperately needed help understanding its customers and improving the purchasing process for homebuyers.

“Home building is so much more than just building houses; it’s creating homes and families. When it’s done right, it leads to a meaningful experience. Not doing it right damages the fabric of society,” says Paul, recalling the two times he has purchased homes for himself.  “I went through the phases of excitement and confusion just like everybody else who has purchased a home. When you do it right, the emotional impact to a buyer is huge. I’ve told many people what a great experience I had with my builder — not because I didn’t run into any problems, but because the builder knew how to solve problems in a way that delighted me and ensured my loyalty.”

Now Paul has built a prosperous company providing enterprise-level surveys, organizational consulting, and proprietary solutions that help builders create their own avid homebuyers. Originally founded as NRS Corp., Paul rebranded the business as AVID Ratings in 2007 to better reflect the company’s mission. “I believe that avid leaders create avid employees, who create avid customers,” Paul says. “That’s what AVID Ratings is all about.”

Paul’s message has resonated with clients, too. On several occasions, clients have given him a going away present when his consulting time was over. “When the people who are paying your bills do something extra like that, it means a lot,” he says. “It tells me that they really valued my services and what I’ve been able to do to take their company to the next level.”

Since its inception, AVID Ratings has helped hundreds of companies maximize homeowner loyalty, resulting in increased referral sales, customer cooperation, and brand awareness. In fact, one of the keys to success in the home-building industry is the ability to generate homeowner loyalty. Whether the market is hot or cold, it is critical for builders to maximize referrals, Paul says. “Our research has shown that referral prospects who visit a sales center are twice as likely as marketed prospects to purchase from a builder. Twice the conversion! With those kinds of numbers, your company needs to go beyond merely satisfying customers.”

Over the years, Paul has written numerous articles for trade publications, including a monthly column in Professional Builder magazine and for the Canadian publication, Home BUILDER Magazine. He is also a regular speaker at major residential construction industry events, including the International Builders’ Show, Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC), South East Building Conference (SEBC), Professional Builder Benchmark Conference, and many Canadian home builder association events. His work has been highlighted in a variety of publications, including Time, Builder Magazine, Professional Remodeler, Custom Builder, Nation’s Building News, and numerous local newspapers and industry newsletters.

With so much expertise in creating loyal homebuyers, it seems everybody wants Paul to reveal his secrets to success. “If there is one piece of advice I could offer every homebuilder” he says, “it’s this: Create a culture of caring. That is the magic that makes everything come together.”

Close Window