2015 Non Profit Staffing Group Handbook
WELCOME! Thank you for being a part of the Parade of Homes SM! For nearly five decades, the Home Builders Association of Greater Grand Rapids (HBAGGR) has held a Parade of HomesSM. In 1959 HBAGGR hosted the first Parade with 12 homes on “Parade Street,� and in 1995, we added a Fall Parade of HomesSM. These events have continued to grow and now are the premier showcase for our Greater Grand Rapids home builders.
This year, there are a total of 80 entries made up of 60 single-family homes, 11 condominiums, 3 remodels and 6 virtual entries in the Fall Parade of Homes, representing 56 builders. As always, a key to the success of the event is you! Volunteer staffing groups are very important, and we hope this handbook is a resource to you in your efforts. Please read this Handbook thoroughly to understand all the various aspects of the Parade of HomesSM system. If you have any questions, please contact us at the numbers listed below. Dates to Remember: May 22 – June 6 Fridays, Saturdays, Memorial Day 1p-9p Wednesdays 5p-9p You are required to staff your assigned home all of the dates and hours of the Parade of Homes SM. If for some reason there is a problem, please contact the HBAGGR immediately. A financial penalty will be assessed for hours missed. You can always reach a staff person during office hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday) at (616) 281-2021, but in case you do need to reach someone during non-office hours, you can utilize the following emergency calling methods:
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS Emergency
911
HBAGGR Office
(616) 281-
2021 Builder: Name Phone Non-Profit Chairperson: Name Phone HBAGGR STAFF
Office
Cell
Priscilla Lyon
(616) 281-2021 ex. 252
Home Builders Association of Greater Grand Rapids 3959 Clay Ave. SW, Wyoming, MI 49548 Phone: (616) 281-2021 Fax: (616) 281-6002 Website address: www.MyGRHome.com E-mail address: parade@hbaggr.com 2
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(616) 328-9376
What to Expect From Your Builder •
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The main goal of the builders is to sell their homes and obtain future business and credibility by being a part of the Parade of Homes. We require builders or their representatives to staff the Parade Home all hours of the Parade. We widely publicize the hours and dates of the Parade of Homes and the public is usually ready at opening times to view the homes, so it is important to be on time at the start of every shift. Security of the home is the builder’s responsibility. We encourage the builder to arrive at the Parade Home 10 minutes before the Parade opening time. This gives you time to get in and set up, and also the builder time to get the home ready for visitors. The home should also be scrutinized at closing to make sure all windows and doors are locked. We have also required of the builder, an on-site means of communication, such as a cell phone; or land line already hooked up in the home. Builders are required to provide a table and two chairs for volunteers from which to sell tickets and welcome visitors. Please remember that it is the builder’s decision where they will locate your staffing group. We urge them to consider the traffic flow through the house and always recommend bringing visitors through the front door. Encourage your volunteers to dress accordingly and work with the builder to consider supplying a space heater or fan, bug spray, or whatever might be needed. Another important item they provide is a working toilet and toilet paper on site. This is not for the public’s use (unless the builder authorizes this), but for your volunteers. Please be sure this remains neat and fresh.
Your Responsibility as a Volunteer Staffing Group BEFORE THE PARADE: • Contact Your Builder. We encourage each chairperson to contact their Parade builder to introduce yourself and exchange cell phone numbers. Drive to the Parade home so you can explain the directions to your volunteers, as most Parade homes are new construction and may not be located via GPS or online maps. Find out if the builder has any rules or special situations you need to know and pass this information along. This may include rules on having food in the home, where your group will be sitting, etc. DAY 1: •
Turning in Opening Day Checklist. Each volunteer staffing group receives an “Opening Day Checklist” for each home(s) they are staffing that must be completed prior to the Parade home opening on the first day. This is intended to make sure the home is ready for the public. This Checklist must be returned via mail to the Home Builders Association, 3959 Clay Ave. SW, Wyoming, MI, 49548. If the answer is no to any of these questions on the checklist, please call (616) 281-2021 immediately and leave a message stating the house number and the problem. • Subcontractor Advertising Policy. Before the Parade opens, please collect a business card or advertising material from each advertiser in the home, so HBA Staff can verify if they are a member. Businesses that are advertising need to be members of the HBA. Please only collect if there are more than one business card, flyer, etc. from what is displayed at the home; otherwise list their company info on the “Advertisers in the Parade” sheet provided in your home box. Once collected, please return materials, opening day checklist and subcontractor list in the envelope included in your box to the HBA promptly. DURING THE PARADE OF HOMES: • Staffing the Parade Home(s) all hours of the Parade of Homes. We ask that two volunteers staff each home all the hours of the Parade. The builder is also required to have a representative at the home during all Parade hours. Your primary volunteers should be responsible adults (18 years or older). A tip is to get one volunteer for each shift, and have them bring a partner. Children 8 years of age and older may accompany adults that are staffing the home, but only one child per adult will be allowed. The builder or their representative is responsible for opening the Parade Home. If your volunteers should arrive at the Parade Home, and it is not open for you to get in, the volunteers are required to wait at the Parade Home for at least one hour from the opening time, and make every effort to contact the builder or their representative. After the onehour time frame, please notify the HBA by phone at (616) 281-2021; but the responsibility will then fall on the builder and they will be dealt with accordingly. We ask the builders to take staffing their home seriously and have established a policy for them. An unopened Parade home is considered to be in violation of the Parade Contract and warrants a penalty to the builder. 3
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Penalties are issued to non-profit groups that do not provide proper staffing. First Occurrence A letter of warning is issued to the group and they are put on notice that they will not be able to increase the number of homes they staff in the subsequent year. Second Occurrence A letter of warning is issued to the group and they will be decreased one home in the upcoming year. If they are only staffing one home, the group may lose their opportunity to staff a Parade home. Third Occurrence The group will be informed that they will no longer be a staffing group for the Parade of Homes. Per day fines are also issued for any items missing on the deadline to turn materials in. If your volunteers do miss time, the dollars per hour missed are calculated and deducted from your group’s proceeds. On occasion we have had problems with stormy weather. The Parade homes are expected to remain open with representatives from the groups and builders present at all times unless a weather warning has been issued. A “watch” does not constitute an early closing. Lack of electricity does not constitute closing either. Many builders are creative with candles, generators, or other types of illumination. The Parade is an important marketing opportunity for the builder and one day lost could be the loss of a potential customer. Please still plan to staff your regular hours. •
Greeting the public and sell tickets at the homes. SMILE! You are the first face a visitor sees when attending the Parade. Welcome visitors to the Parade home and check off the Parade home number on their ticket. Sell tickets (in numerical order) to those who do not already have one. Give a Parade Guide book to the adults purchasing tickets. If it is a repeat visitor, be sure to thank them for their return and verify their ticket signature with a valid I.D. No one should be admitted into a Parade home without a ticket.
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Keeping a tally of the traffic. Please keep track of adult attendance with the provided shift traffic tally sheets. TOTAL ATTENDANCE and TOTAL TICKETS SOLD need to be called in every day, and can be reported once at the end of each day. You may submit this information the following ways: via email to either parade@hbaggr.com or via: servicegroupreport.com, by fax to (616) 281-6002 or by calling (616) 281-2021.
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Maintain positive communications. Your volunteers are there to be helpful to the builder and to welcome the public to the Parade of Homes. Please instruct all your volunteers to be positive, upbeat and keep all negative comments (or constructive criticism) to themselves. This is a big public relations event for the Association, the builder and you! Please contact HBAGGR staff if you cannot work out a problem.
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Helping the builder. You are not there to sell or secure the Parade home, but rather to help the builder in welcoming visitors and by handling the ticket sales. We usually find very good partnerships develop between the builder and the volunteer group. If you notice ways you might help the builder have an even better Parade experience, work with him or pass your suggestions along. The builder has the final say in their Parade home, but many times a person not involved with the home can see where an extra sign might be needed, the hose over the sidewalk might be moved, or lights should be on, etc.
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Dress Code. All volunteers should be dressed appropriately. No short shorts, bathing suits, jeans, or questionable clothing (halter tops, R rated t-shirts, political statements), etc. will be allowed. Two general “Parade of Homes Volunteer” nametags are provided per home.
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Staffing Group Literature. Only the volunteer group staffing the home may have materials (i.e. brochures) regarding their group’s mission and services, and/or how the Parade of Home’s donation benefits your group’s mission displayed on the ticket table. Volunteers must refrain from actively promoting their nonprofit group; however, a guest is able to take information if available. Any materials that might appear to impose on others’ acceptance of their spiritual, political or other personal beliefs shall be avoided. Also, no raffle tickets are permitted. 4
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Penalties are issued to non-profit groups that do not abide by the policy. First Occurrence Second Occurrence Third Occurrence
A verbal warning is issued to the group to remove the materials. A fine in the amount of that day’s percentage of the total donation will be issued. The group will be informed that they will no longer be a staffing group for the Parade of Homes.
Parade Tickets
$12 Adults (ages 13 and up) Free Children (12 and under) In addition to at the homes, tickets are available at all Option 1 Credit Union locations and online at www.mygrhome.com for $10. • Everyone must have a ticket to enter the Parade home unless it is the builder or their representative. •
Adult tickets are $12 (ages 13 and older) and receive a Parade Guide.
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Children 12 and under are free and do not receive a Guide.
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It is essential that you always have plenty of tickets available to sell. Extra tickets are available at the Home Builders Association of Greater Grand Rapids during normal office hours. In emergency situations tickets may be transferred from a nearby Parade home. If you should happen to run out of tickets, give the person nothing – let them go through the home for free and they will get their ticket at the next Parade home. LET YOUR CHAIRPERSON KNOW IMMEDIATELY. If you can’t reach your chairperson, contact HBAGGR staff. Your builder may also be able to help you contact us.
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Each group is assigned a block of numbered Parade tickets. These tickets should be treated the same as money. Upon completion of the event we will “settle” with your organization. At this time we will take back all unsold tickets and determine how many were sold. Your organization is responsible for all monies for all tickets that are not returned.
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Do not keep your entire supply of tickets at the Parade home. We have not had many problems with theft, but it is best not to offer the temptation. Tickets lost or missing are the responsibility of your group. The same is true for any money you have on hand. The ideal rule would be to remove any tickets and cash from the house at the end of each evening, and bring what you need at the beginning of each day. If this will not work for your group, then leave only a small amount in the home. Work on a security system, possibly a locked box, or a secured location only your volunteers are aware of. Ask your builder for his suggestion; however the tickets and money are never the responsibility of the builder. Be sure all your volunteers know the system!
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Report any lost or found items to HBAGGR staff with your Parade home number. This will help facilitate getting it back to the rightful owner. The same is true for any personal items you may find. Report a description of the item and your location to HBAGGR staff.
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You should not replace lost tickets from your supply. Explain that you are responsible for your own ticket supply and cannot issue a new ticket. You or the visitor can contact HBAGGR staff at (616) 281-2021 for more information, or the visitor can simply purchase another ticket. We do not give refunds, exchanges or replacements for tickets. There is also no senior citizen discount.
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Let the builder know if you are running low on Guide books. Guide books are the responsibility of the Parade builders and they receive a quantity at the beginning of the Parade. They may procure additional books from a neighboring Parade home or the Home Builders Association of Greater Grand Rapids. Please help the builder keep an eye on this supply; we don’t want to run out!
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Ticket Process When a person comes to your home and does not have a ticket 1. Sell them a ticket(s) from the top of your group of tickets in numerical order from lowest to highest. This will make it much easier to reconcile your sales at the conclusion of the Parade. 2. One ticket allows entry to all of the Parade homes. When you sell a ticket, request that the buyer sign their ticket to “validate it” for reentry purposes. Visitors should be encouraged to come back and will be asked to show identification that matches the signature for entry. 3. Take their money and make change if necessary. If the patron must write a check, it should be made payable to the Home Builders Association or HBAGGR. We do not encourage personal checks. 4. Give them a Guide for each adult ticket sold. 5. Wish them a great tour! When a person comes to your home that already has a ticket or ONLINE PAPER ticket*
1. DO NOT EXCHANGE the paper online ticket for another ticket 2. Is the ticket signed? If not, ask them to sign it. 3. Mark off the Parade Home number you are staffing. 4. Wish them a great tour! *In the event an Online Paper ticket is exchanged for a regular ticket it is VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE ONLINE PAPER TICKET IN YOUR CASH BOX as well as documented explanation of the occurrence. When a person comes to your home with a VOUCHER (a HBA member company complimentary guest pass) 1. Is the voucher signed? If not, ask them to sign it. 2. 3. 4.
Vouchers act as cash; place in your cash box Exchange voucher for a ticket. Wish them a great tour!
When a person has already been through your home 1. When the person has their ticket and your Parade Home number is already crossed off, it indicates they have already been through the home. 2. We encourage return visits as long as: a. The ticket has already been signed; b. They have a valid I.D. showing that the name matches the name on the ticket (this does not have to be a driver’s license, though that will be the most likely one). 3. If they do not have a valid I.D. – they have options: a. Make an appointment with the builder to come back during non-Parade hours b. Return when they have the valid I.D. c. Pay another entry fee This system helps to reduce abuse of our ticket system, by people sharing tickets. We want to make sure the staffing groups receive these monies, for their worthy causes. POST PARADE ALL UNSOLD TICKETS, CASH, CHECKS, VOUCHERS, AND IF ANY ONLINE PAPER TICKETS WILL BE TURNED IN TO DETERMINE CHECK AMOUNT OWED TO THE HBAGGR NO LATER THAN THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY AFTER PARADE .
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Miscellaneous •
We will provide your group with forms that can help you with scheduling volunteers. These forms are optional for you. Examples are shown on the next few pages.
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We appreciate your help coordinating the volunteers to staff the Fall Parade of Homes. Sixty to ninety days after the close of the Parade your group will receive the Parade report and your donation check.
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Thank you for your help with the Parade of Homes! You are a key part of the success of Parade of Homes and another aspect of our public relations efforts.
No Shoes/Footies Guidelines •
The Builder has the option to: o allow shoes in his home - laying down runners or carpet tack; o request visitors to wear footies, or o have visitors remove their shoes. Remember that if footies are being worn in your home these are meant to wear over shoes or socks - not over bare feet.
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We discourage the builders from choosing the no-shoes option since this is not usually popular with the public due to health concerns. If builders take this option, they are provided with signage to post and the home is indicated as a “no shoes home” in the Parade Guidebook, and with an asterisk (*) on the Parade tickets.
Homes •
On occasion, a builder may need to pull their entry from the Parade. If this happens, we will do our best to reassign the group to another builder, if any are still unstaffed. If this should happen after all assignments are made, and within one week of the opening of the Parade of Homes, then the group will still be paid the full amount they would have received had that Parade home opened as planned. If this should happen within two weeks of the opening of the Parade, 75% of the donation will be granted, and 50% will be granted if this should happen within three weeks of the opening of the Parade.
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If notification is received that the Parade Home will not be open more than three weeks prior to the opening of the Parade, the group will be notified, but the donation will not be given. In either instance, the non-profit group will maintain their seniority on the longevity list of staffing groups, and gain the one-year they would have had if the Parade home would have opened.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1.
Why isn't the Parade open on Sundays? The HBAGGR does not sponsor tours that take place on a Sunday. The majority of our members prefer to be with their families on this day. 2.
How long has the Parade been in Grand Rapids? The Fall Parade of Homes began in 1959 and the Fall Parade of Homes began in 1995.
3.
What are the requirements to be in the Parade of Homes? Entries into the Parade must be by a licensed builder member of the HBAGGR. Homes must be on a permanent foundation and must never have been lived in. The purpose of the Parade of Homes is to promote new housing in West Michigan and the professionalism of our members.
4.
Where does the money raised from the ticket sales go? The net proceeds benefit the non-profit organizations that are helping staff the Parade of Homes. Ticket sales are collected from all ticket sale outlets. A portion of the total sales is then equally divided for each of the homes, and multiplied by the number of homes staffed by each of the organizations.
5.
What is in the Guide? Besides informational pages on each Parade Home, the Guide is filled with information on the housing industry, including new home buying, remodeling and articles for the current homeowner. This year’s book is even more informative and has color throughout.
6.
Why don't some of the builders list prices? It is the Builder’s choice as to what information beyond the features, address and company contact information to include. Some prefer not to list a price. These builders would rather communicate directly to an interested buyer. The prices also vary depending upon the inclusion of a lot, the type of fixtures and materials used in the home, and extras. If you get questions, refer the public to the “Price Index Page” in the Guide, listing price ranges for all of the Parade Homes, or the builder.
7.
How are the maps organized? Builders provide us with directions to their homes and we work with a map professional to place all the homes as accurately as possible. The Guide contains detailed area maps for the vicinity of the homes. Each home listing in the guidebook also contains written directions to the home, as well as a QR code that can be scanned with any smart phone to take them to the online map of the home. Maps showing suggested routes to Parade homes will be available at each home in the Parade.
8.
What range of prices is there? Homes range from under $100,000 to over $1,000,000. This is approximate, since not all the builders disclose this information.
9.
Must the homes be furnished? It is not a requirement for the home to be in the Parade. We do, however, strongly encourage the builders to make the homes as attractive and welcoming as possible to interest the prospective buyers and general public.
10. How do other areas conduct a Parade of Homes? This varies for each Association (there are 850 throughout the country). The phrase "Parade of Homes" is a trademark and can only be used by a Home Builders Association. Some charge no fee, some have what is called a "Street of Dreams" and have a collection of homes on one street. 11. Why are some builders requiring shoes to be removed? Some of our builders require that shoes be removed before people enter their Parade Home. This is to minimize the wear and tear and dirt from the high volume of traffic to the home. To help the public, we have placed an (*) by those builders’ names in the Parade Guidebook, on-line listing and on the tickets indicating that "you may be requested to remove t shoes at this location". We hope that this will forewarn the public, and aid the builder at the same time. We request that you be courteous and respect the builder's wishes. 12. Will weather ever close the Parade? It could, but only if there is weather warning. If a “weather watch” is issued, the Parade will remain open. We do not close the Parade if the power goes out. Creative lighting can be done with candles, luminaries, and back up generators.
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SAMPLE FORMS PARADE OF HOMES TICKET TRANSFER FORM
( T O B E U S E D B Y V O L U N T E E R S T A F F I N G G R O U P S A N D H B A G G R S T A F F O N LY )
D A I LY R E P O R T I N G O U T L I N E Enter reports at www.servicegroupreport.com or Call in at 616-281-2021 x252, and state the following: Organization Name ___________________________
&
Transferring FROM:
Transferring TO:
Organization Name _________________________________
Organization Name__________________________
Day
Sample
______________________________________ _____ ______________________________________ __ Parade
Home #: ______________________________ Parade
Date of Shift
_______________________
Shift
1-5p
Home #
_______________________
Cash Tickets Sold
_______________________
Vouchers Redeemed
_______________________
Adult Traffic Child Traffic Total Attendance
Home
5-9p
Sample _______________________ _______________________ _______________________
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#:
HOMES CHECKLIST Please complete this checklist on opening night of the Parade. Builder Company Name ________________________________________________ Parade Home #_______________________ Your Organization Name____________________________________________ Your Name______________________________ Parade Home Information: 1. Was your Parade home open by 1 p.m. on opening day with the doors open and your staff ready for sales? 2. Could visitors walk through the main floor areas and upstairs? 3. Does the front yard have the following: Shrubs or Flowers close to the house (could be in baskets, planted, or flower boxes, lawn seeded with straw, Hydromulch (green spray) or sod laid down. 4. Does your home have all the areas open to the public either carpeted, tiled, hardwood floors or linoleum? 5. Is there a working toilet for your use inside the home or on site? 6. Did you have a table and chairs ready for you to work from (could be dining room, folding table, etc) 7. Would you say this home was "ready" at 1 p.m. opening day?
Yes
No
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____ ____
____
____
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
____ ____
If you answer NO to any of these questions please call: (616) 281-2021 immediately. Please return this card to the HBAGGR with your tickets, money and tally sheet at wrap up time.
Sample
Sample 10
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H B A S T A F F C H E C K - I N F O R M : S A M P L E P R O V I D E D F O R I N F O R M AT I O N P U R P O S E S O N LY
Sample
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PARADE OF HOMES SHIFT SCHEDULE Parade of Homes Shift Schedule
Date
Time
Volunteer 1
Volunteer 2
1-5 p.m. Friday, May 22 5-9 p.m. Saturday, May 23
1-5 p.m. 5-9 p.m. 1-5 p.m.
Monday, May 25 5-9 p.m. na Wednesday, May 27 5-9 p.m.
1-5 p.m. Friday, May 29 5-9 p.m. 1-5 p.m. Saturday, May 30 5-9 p.m. na Wednesday, June 3 5-9 p.m.
Friday, June 5
1-5 p.m. 5-9 p.m.
Saturday, June 6
1-5 p.m. 5-9 p.m.
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Volunteer 3 (optional)