In Conversation With... Lee Piccoli, Founder and CEO, Fusion Homes

When Lee Piccoli founded Fusion Homes in Guelph, Ont. more than 20 years ago, he had a specific goal in mind. “At the time, the residential housing industry was booming, but I felt it lacked a critical component: A company that earned customer trust by combining quality with an unparalleled customer experience.”

The company was not only able to fill that gap, he says, it did it in style – winning the prestigious Tarion Builder of the Year Award a record six times. Fusion has also been cited as one of Canada’s Top 10 Admired Corporate Cultures, by Waterstone Human Capital, a human resources consulting firm.

We spoke with Piccoli to get his insights into these and other topics, including homebuilding – and buying – during these challenging times.

How are things at Fusion Homes these days? What kind of adjustments have you made during the pandemic?

In order to best accommodate and support our customers, partners and the internal Fusion Homes teams’ needs, we’ve carefully considered all elements involved in how we’re conducting business during this unprecedented time, leading to many adjustments. For example, in mid-March, we voluntarily shut down all of our construction sites for two weeks to prioritize creating an onsite safety system that would protect our employees (The Safe Work System). We also pivoted how we’ve conducted our releases, facilitating our first-ever virtual release, along with online galleries, customer service support, and more.

And how is business adjusting?

We’ve prioritized agility, which has allowed us to successfully navigate the various challenges that have accompanied our current global climate this past year. We’ve worked diligently to cater our approach to those we’re trying to reach, ensuring that we’re prioritizing our teams and partners’ health and safety. While there inevitably have been some challenges, because of the flexible approach exercised and the incredible work my team has done, we’ve adjusted well to our evolving circumstances.

Otherwise, how does Fusion Homes stand out in the marketplace to prospective buyers?

I started the company with the goal of filling a gap evident in the customer experience process; I wanted to set a new standard in the industry, providing customers with the highest level of service across all areas – quality of product, experience, efficiency, problem solving and more. Today, this mission continues to drive our company forward and be a guiding principle across all areas of the business.

At Fusion Homes, we understand that a forward-thinking approach, both in terms of community development and customer experience, are essential to thrive in our current market. We are agile and quickly adapt to whatever circumstances arise, and thoughtfully review and apply feedback from all customers and partners as a key component in our pursuit of continuous improvement. We truly care about our customers, and that translates in both their homebuying journey and overall experience.
This situation has provided us with a once in a lifetime opportunity to reimagine our company – how we move forward and how we can transform.

In your recent contribution to our Builder Bites e-newsletter, you discussed a couple of interesting points, the first being adopting a digital-first mindset. How are prospective homebuyers reacting to this?

Consumers are reacting well; they understand that all measures and new ways of connecting are developed and executed with their safety top-of-mind.

The second was de-urbanization. How do you see that unfolding, and how well positioned is Fusion Homes to take advantage?

COVID-19 has accelerated many trends, and de-urbanization is a macro-trend that we’re continuing to see, as working from home becomes our new normal. With this new reality comes new needs – for example, more space with new functions. We’re well-positioned for this; we’ve already been proactively considering these needs in our product design (such as finished basements and home gyms) for upcoming projects and are continuing to adopt a forward-thinking approach as we plan for the future.

We understand that these are challenging times and we wanted to ensure that we were best supporting our customers through this. That’s why we’ve spent the proper time thinking through all areas of the changes that we’ve implemented, and have ensured that with these changes, we are providing ample support to our customers.

How else is COVID-19 changing what consumers are looking for in new homes?

COVID-19 has pushed convenience to the forefront of consumer needs. We’ve seen increased demand for mixed-used communities where experience and convenience are prioritized in development. Expansive outdoor amenities and proximity to retail space are some noteworthy examples. Our Metalworks community, now in phase three (The Copper Club) caters to this demand; it’s located in the heart of downtown Guelph, close to a variety of restaurants and retail locations.

What’s next for Fusion?

We’re focused on innovation and currently exploring new ways to approach design in our upcoming projects. We’ve also always been dedicated to philanthropy and supporting the communities we build in. This is at the heart of Fusion Homes, and there are new initiatives in works for the year ahead.

fusionhomes.com

& ON A PERSONAL NOTE...

If I wasn’t in the homebuilding business, I would: Be a starting pitcher for the Blue Jays!

My greatest inspiration in life and business is: Innovation and strategic thinking. I’m driven by out-of-the-box thinking and challenging myself and my team to look at things in a new way. I draw a lot of inspiration from reading and listening to different perspectives and then applying these insights to make impactful change in our community. We want to positively impact our customers’ and employees’ lives and have committed to do this through a strategic and innovative approach in our developments, employee experience and customer service.

When I’m not in office – real or virtual – I am: Spending time with my two incredible kids. Family is everything to me.

My reading list these days is: I’m currently on the last chapter of The Changing World Order: Why Nations Fail and Succeed, by Ray Dalio, which is an incredible read that I highly recommend. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins is next on my list!