In 2017, Lowe’s purchased a successful, growing multifamily MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Operations) supply company, Houston-based Maintenance Supply Headquarters (MSH).
In March 2020, the two companies came together formally under the name, “Lowe’s Pro Maintenance Supply Headquarters.” Since then, Lowe’s Pro MSH has been expanding its service area: now to 28 markets with same-day delivery and many more with next-day delivery. With multiple branch locations opening in the Los Angeles area, San Diego, Chicago, Detroit, and with a network of 1,700 Lowe’s stores, apartment building owners and managers have a one-stop solution throughout the country.
But since the first day, the goal has remained the same: to service the ever-growing multifamily industry and work with management companies to become the primary MRO supplier to apartment communities, both locally and nationally.
To do so, inventory is key. The branch locations stock more than 10,000 MRO products in job-lot quantities, and the network of stores in every state provide access to an additional 30,000 products.
The inventory provides what owners and operators of any size apartment need to maintain operations for their community, from paint and sealants to HVAC, electrical and plumbing supplies, tools, lumber, landscaping items, and appliances and appliance parts. In addition, Lowe’s Pro MSH has a large stock of personal protective equipment (PPE)--masks, sprays and disinfectants, which stores and warehouses now carry due to the coronavirus pandemic of 2020.
“We want to create value when you shop with us, whether communities are owner managed or third party managed, we can create a program tailored to meet the needs of your team,” says Izzy Garza, Lowe’s Pro MSH Senior National Account Manager.
The Lowe’s Pro MSH sales organization is dedicated to the success of its customers. A National Account team is connected to each major market. Its focus is to develop partnerships with apartment management companies and their corporate team. The goal is to help build relationships so Lowe’s Pro MSH will become an approved, endorsed supplier to that company and reduce supply costs and provide spend options.
While Lowe’s Pro MSH continues to build its presence nationally and on a corporate level, it knows that it takes boots on the ground at local and regional levels. For this reason, it has a team of Outside Sales Representatives or “OSR’s,” who visit and provide support to Property Managers and Maintenance Technicians, who oversee their apartment communities.
“We believe that working both ends, nationally and locally helps us build opportunity and improve relationships at the corporate and ground level,” Garza says.
Both the national and sales team members work together in many ways. For example, they might help locate resources to meet property maintenance concerns or suggest value-added solutions to improve ROI (return on investment). That might mean sourcing a specific energy-efficient light fixture or helping to plan interior renovations. They also tap into resources available through local, state and national apartment associations.
Because apartment community needs vary widely, Lowe’s Pro MSH members listen carefully and remain flexible to change course. “Lowe’s Pro MSH partners by doing research, gathering data about costs and resources and working with owners to decide what’s best for them,” Garza says.
In normal circumstances, the focus might be deferred maintenance. But that might quickly change when a natural disaster or health crisis strikes as it did when COVID-19 started and Lowe’s Pro MSH zeroed in on locating PPE items.
“We’re proud to say that we found solutions and now they’re part of our everyday inventory,” Garza says, adding, “It’s just one more way the company keeps growing and providing resources to win over customers. We want to make sure they have a lasting positive impression as they partner with Lowe’s Pro MSH on all levels.”