Homebuilder Streamlines Signage Process with One Dependable Partner

The Problem: Managing Signage for Multiple Locations

Managing your business – and brand – across multiple locations can be tricky. For McKee Homes, a fast-growing private home builder in North Carolina, part of this challenge was outfitting their multiple locations with the necessary signage.

With developments and offices across North Carolina, including Fayetteville, Pinehurst, Wilmington and Raleigh, Patty Sloan, VP of Land Acquisitions at McKee, has experience managing the various signage needs of McKee across the state. However, the task of supplying different locations with the necessary signage is made harder by having to work with different vendors.

Since projects often require quick turnaround times, McKee has historically opted to work with signage vendors close to where their offices and developments are located. This often means working with many small vendors, instead of a singular contact.

For McKee’s marketing team, working with multiple vendors was a challenge. Having to place and coordinate orders for each region – while trying to maintain consistent branding and appearance for signage produced using different methods – proved to be a time consuming and inconsistent process.

While working with multiple vendors close to each location was done to decrease turnaround times, it actually ended up having the opposite effect. All of the steps that went into ordering signage for each location reduced McKee’s ability to meet tight deadlines or make changes easily.

The Solution: One Signage Provider That Can Do It All

Choosing between standardization, speed and quality is every marketing team’s nightmare, but luckily, the team at McKee wouldn’t have to face this choice for much longer.

When McKee Homes’ headquarters moved from Fayetteville to Raleigh, their marketing team used this as an opportunity to explore other signage vendor options. Since a lot of the builders McKee works with in Raleigh had also worked with Duncan-Parnell, they were referred to our Signs & Graphics division.

Patty’s goal for McKee’s next sign vendor was simple: Rather than working with multiple sign vendors, “We wanted one company who knew exactly how to execute our [McKee’s] brand. It was about setting up a true partnership to help both parties.” After touring our Signs & Graphics production shop at our Raleigh office and meeting with Sales Rep Matthew Davis, Patty was able to see firsthand the team’s experience with creating consistent signage for home builders. 

While the team at McKee still deals with tight turnaround times, having a single partner makes it easy to meet deadlines without compromising on consistency. Not only is our Signs & Graphics team able to produce the signage McKee needs in Raleigh, but our additional branches throughout North Carolina make it easy to service all of McKee’s regions.

The Result: Convenient and Consistent Branding

From home builder signage to sign maintenance and repair, McKee has found a signage partner in Duncan-Parnell. According to Patty, making the switch from their old process to this more streamlined approach has made a big impact in the team’s ability to not only execute their creative vision, but to also adapt quickly, when necessary, “It’s easy for them [Duncan-Parnell] to be on the same page with us.”

Working with Duncan-Parnell has not only made getting signage for McKee’s different regions and developments much easier, but it has also given them a better way to bring other ideas to life. When McKee moved their corporate office from Fayetteville to Raleigh, they wanted to fill the space with welcoming custom signage. From their backlit, three-dimensional logo behind the reception desk to vinyl wall and window coverings, there’s a lot to see, but one of Patty’s favorite elements is the fun twist our team helped them put on an office standard.

“We don’t have your typical office environment, so instead of simple name plates for offices we wanted to do something more unique,” according to Patty. It was this approach that led the team to create Bitmoji acrylic cutouts showcasing each employee’s personality in place of standard name plates.

Another project that’s earned the McKee team a lot of compliments is a vinyl wall mural in their office and Raleigh Design Studios. The murals highlight an organization they support closely, the Alzheimer’s Association. According to Patty, “It’s been great because so many people compliment the graphic, which gives us the perfect opportunity to talk about the organization’s mission.”

Whether it’s signage for a new development, unique graphics for their offices or vibrant wall graphics highlighting their favorite cause, working with Duncan-Parnell has made it easy for McKee Homes to bring all of their ideas to life. Reach out to our team if you're ready to get started.