Hampshire-headquartered Bargate Homes has created a Director of Customer Experience position, as the 18-year-old firm targets 1,500 home completions over the next four years. Lisa Green – who joined the multi-award-winning housebuilder seven years ago – has been promoted into the role, responsible for the 15-strong specialist team.
Lisa Green is the author and lead driver of Bargate Homes’ customer journey. She also managed the 12-month process of joining the New Homes Quality Board’s (NHQB) Register of Developers, which has offered Bargate’s customers enhanced protection and peace of mind since May 2023. The firm is on track to achieve a 94.8% annual approval rating for customer satisfaction from In-House Research.
Mark White, Managing Director of Bargate Homes, said: “Providing our customers with the best possible experience and home moving journey is the core strategy that runs through everything our business does and stands for. Our ESG strategy sets out our focus to be the brand that cares. Whilst the housebuilding industry is dealing with continual change, we actively strive towards building homes that are finished to an exceptional quality.
“As we continue to grow, we are making a considerable investment in our people and resources to uphold high standards of personalised after-sales service. So, with the number of our home completions set to virtually double to 400 per year, we have taken the opportunity to expand the department with new recruits and the promotion of Lisa to become our first Director of Customer Experience.”
Bargate Homes has launched four major new developments during the past 12 months and its resilient sales performance across all live sites has resulted in solid growth of the business. Bargate Homes has recently recruited four new experienced professionals into its customer experience team, including two additional maintenance operatives, an assistant manager, and a customer care coordinator.
Lisa Green, Director of Customer Experience for Bargate Homes, said: “This promotion fills me with pride, and amplifies the importance the whole Bargate team places on caring for our customers and their homes.
“Each week, every customer is updated with build progress and the completion milestone timeline for their selected plot. As well as a pre-completion home demonstration tutorial, and a warm welcome from the team on move in day, I personally visit every new homeowner. I am very proud of how our growing department has onboarded new recruits, with everyone working together to proactively and reactively ensure our homes are defect free for the two-year period after the completion date.
“Our ‘we care’ strapline has been the backbone to the Bargate business since its inception in 2006. Being one of the first SMEs to join the NHQB Code of Practice was important to us, as we were already well aligned with the requirements the Code sets out. The Code supports customers throughout their homebuying journey by ensuring a more stringent reservation process and better protection through what can be a daunting time. There is also a strong focus on a robust aftercare approach. Whilst we our focused on preventing issues from arising, the Code provides our customers with reassurance and clarity on the processes and customer care they can expect to receive.”
The NHQB is an independent not-for-profit body which was established for the purpose of developing a new framework to oversee reforms in the build quality of new homes and the customer service journey provided by developers. The Code covers all elements of a new home purchase from prospective buyers’ initial contact with the developer through to the end of the two-year warranty. It has a particular focus on developers ensuring an effective aftercare service for customers to deal with any issues that may arise.
For developers to be accepted onto the NHQB Code of Practice they must undertake a rigorous training and application process which scrutinises their current approach to ensure it meets the high standards expected. Bargate Homes’ attentive and personal customer care approach is an exemplar pillar of the Code in practice.
Bargate Homes is a wholly owned subsidiary of VIVID – Hampshire’s largest provider of affordable homes. The company delivers select developments in prime locations across Hampshire, Dorset, and West Sussex. 900 homes are currently being constructed across six live developments, supported by a pipeline of future sites expected to deliver in excess of 2,500 new homes.
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