Customer Service: Expand Beyond Vanilla!!

Chip Bell Talks Out of the Box About Customer Service

Chip Bell, a well-known authority on customer loyalty and service innovation, has some interesting thoughts regarding customer service:

Outside the box customer service = retention, referrals!

Make Service Neopolitan, Not Vanilla!

Bell suggests: Walk on the wild side with your customers! In other words, provide a customer experience that is not only good but innovative -- which translates to meet customer expectations and then go for the unexpected!

Innovative Service Brings Rewards

What's interesting about customer service, from Bell's perspective, is a quality service experience will be met with customer loyalty and Tweets, referrals and all sorts of positive items for the organization.

Homebuilder Opportunities to Deliver More

How can you step out of that Vanilla box? 

1. Key customer service terms: quick, consistent and measurable! Do you know the average age of your homeowner warranty request? Can you drill down and find out how many times broken windows were installed in your community? Information (or, data) is key to being able to provide consistent, quality service.
2. Make your warranty process frictionless! Does your homeowner need to call between 8-5? Or, submit a written list of issues? How many times does your team trade voicemail messages? Do they know what's scheduled? Keeping homeowners informed is the single best way to obtain referrals!
3. Keep your vendors in the loop, 24/7 -- and make that process as easy as possible. Typically, vendors have their own processes and you can't really customize yours for each of theirs so make sure your vendors have everything they need anywhere/anytime, 24/7. Work orders, drawings, photos, contact info.

Software Will Help!

Homebuilder customer service is a day-in/day-out process. You'll want to have tools to expedite the heavy lifting so it's possible to move beyond vanilla!

Frictionless is 24/7 Homeowner Access!

CPS WarrantyWatcher provides cloud-based warranty management that's available 24/7 on all platforms (tablet, phone, desktop) so your team and vendors are able to respond quickly. And, your homeowners get a seamless process, too with 24/7 access to submit and monitor their requests!

Visit CPS at PCBC 2019

We'll be showcasing WarrantyWatcher at PCBC 2019 May 30-31; visit us at Booth 141! Or, reach out to us and we'll schedule a one-on-one demo.

Have You Asked: What's Our Home Buyer Experience Gap?

Just a couple of Solution Blogs ago, we talked about the how the concept of customer service has transitioned into customer experience -- you can read it here.

Let's focus this Blog on your buyer -- after the time of purchase.

Information Reduces the Gap!

What is a Buyer Experience Gap?

Ask yourself:

• What would you consider to be a great buyer experience after the Purchase Agreement is signed?
• What is the actual buyer experience today in your organization?
• The difference is your buyer experience gap!
  

Is Communication Part of Your Gap?

Did you see our Solutions Blog: Homebuilder #1 Referral Driver: Keeping Buyers Informed? You can read it here.

That Blog is one of our most frequently read! It starts with Eliant CEO Bob Mirman's statement in Builder and Developer: the single largest referral driver for homebuilders is how well the builder keeps buyers informed regarding the status of construction.

Lack of Information Creates Buyer Stress

Mirman asks us to think of the homebuying process as similar to a hospital stay.  No question: both are stressful! 

Yet, the stress can be mitigated by information. 

No one, in other words, feels comfortable in the dark. Mirman notes the #1 reason for buyers' Willingess to Refer a Friend is the builder's ability to keep the buyer informed of their status.

Communication Doesn't Need to be Complicated

Mirman points out, You don't need conversation -- just communication.

That's How Technology Can Decrease that Experience Gap

We'd like to suggest technology will provide the tools necessary to improve your communications -- and reduce the gap! CPS' web Portals take information already developed by FieldCollaborate's construction users and WarrantyWatcher's customer service teams and make it available to buyers and homeowners via the Internet.

No additional work required: the construction schedule can be set as viewable for your buyers. Warranty requests, status updates and appointments are available via mobile or desktop. In both cases, 24/7, anywhere/anytime.

Want to up your game, decrease the gap even further? Go the extra step and take stage-of-construction photos and attach them to your construction milestones. Your buyer knows what's happening, fewer trips to the job site, fewer calls --- and your internal team can view them, as well.

How about adding post-repair photos so your homeowner knows how things look before getting home from work? After all, you buyers have Portal access 24/7 so they're up-to-speed as the work is completed.

Referrals are the Result of a Great Buyer Experience

Referrals can be your least expensive source of traffic -- and the most rewarding. Enhanced communications is a win-win as your team communicates results internally and they're viewable by your most important audience: the buyer.

Check Your Buyer Experience Gap: Then, Watch Referrals Grow!

In thinking about the takeaways from Jeff Shore's Sales Leadership Summit, realized there is probably an opportunity to analyze the buyer experience as well as that of the home shopper.

How to minimize the buyer experience gap?

Do You Have A Buyer Experience Opportunity Gap?

Extending some of Jeff's home shopper concepts a bit, 

-- What would be a great buyer experience after the home shopper signs the Purchase Agreement?

-- What is a buyer experience today in your organization?

-- The difference is your buyer experience opportunity gap!

Have you been asked to increase your buyer referral rate? Uncertain where to begin? Closing the buyer experience gap is a great place to start!

Keeping Buyers Informed is Key to Their Experience

Any chance you saw our Solutions Blog: Homebuilder #1 Referral Driver: Keeping Buyers Informed? You can read it here.

Not surprisingly, that Blog is one of our most frequently read! It kicks-off with Eliant CEO Bob Mirman's Builder and Developer article statement: the single largest referral driver for homebuilders is how well the builder keeps buyers informed regarding the status of construction. 

Lack of Information Creates Stress

Mirman asks us to think of the homebuying process as similar to a hospital stay.  No question: both are stressful! Yet, the stress can be mitigated by information.  No one, in other words, feels comfortable in the dark. He notes the #1 buyers' Willingness to Refer a Friend is the builder's ability to keep the buyer informed of their status. 

Communication Doesn't Need to be Complicated

Critically, Mirman notes, you don't need conversation -- just communication. 

Information is Communication

We'd like to suggest using software to gain the tools necessary to enhance your current communication process. CPS' software Portals take information developed by FieldCollaborate's construction users as well as WarrantyWatcher's customer service teams and make it available to buyers and homeowners via the Internet. 

No additional work required: the construction schedule can be set as available for buyers to view. Warranty requests, status updates and appointments can be viewed via mobile or desktop. In both cases, 24/7, anywhere/anytime. 

Want to take things up a notch, improve the experience even more? Go the extra step and take stage-of-construction photos and attach them to your milestones. Add post-repair photos so your homeowner knows how things look before getting home from work. After all, your buyers have Portal access 24/7 so they're up-to-speed as the work is completed!

Referrals Are the Result of a Great Buyer Experience

Referrals can be your least expensive source of traffic -- and the most rewarding.  Communication is a win-win as your team communicates results internally -- and they're easily viewable by your most important audience, your buyers!

Home Buyers Want Convenient & Quick Warranty Service

A recent Radial article notes, in the age of Amazon, consumers have sky-high expectations. And that's regardless of industry -- customer service is a key differentiator at time of purchase as well as after-sale referrals.

Enhance Your Customer Service Ops with Self-Service!

Home Buyers Look for Personalized Customer Service

Homebuyers aren't any different than other consumers when thinking about their post-closing warranty service.  

Consumers want convenience and quick issue resolution -- in addition to an environment that is proactive with personalized service.

Self-Service Functionality is Hot!

Self-service is reported as one of the hottest trends in customer care. Consumers love the idea of being able to quickly and easily meet their objectives from submitting a warranty request to checking status to being able to review their warranty history.

Technology Helps Builders Meet Buyer Expectations

Innovations and advancements in technology enable builders to meet these expectations. Take a look at CPS' WarrantyWatcher software  -- particularly the Portal -- as an example. Homeowners are able to log-in, 24/7, to submit requests. No more waiting until Monday morning! And, they're able to check status at any time - no more calling, voicemail or missed calls.

The same Portal self-service is available for subcontractors. Although formal work orders are sent via email, it's always possible to log-in to the Portal, pick-up work orders, review associated drawings and photos and confirm availability.

Self-service channels consistently outperform other channels in terms of consumer satisfaction. Consider this, for a minute: does anyone snail mail or fax over anything, anywhere any longer?  How about calling?  Consumers love self-service because it reduces friction and provides answers immediately and consistently.

Go Omnichannel!

And, the Portal provides for a personalized, omnichannel experience, as well.  In other words, the Portal can fit into your business operations, seamlessly. Make it available from your website, skin it with your logo and colors, include photos of your team members.  It's all about winning and sustaining loyalty.

Referrals Are Yours When Service Exceeds Expectations!

Remember: the #1 referral reason for homeowner referrals is keeping buyers informed during construction and post-closing.

Builders: Collaborate to Increase Your Referral Rate

Have you been asked to increase your buyer referral rate -- and not quite sure where to start?

Keeping Buyers Informed is Key

Any chance you saw our Solutions Blog: Homebuilder #1 Referral Driver: Keeping Buyers Informed? You can read it here.

FieldCollaborate Is All About  Communication!

Not surprisingly, that Blog is one of our most frequently read as it kicks-off with Eliant CEO Bob Mirman's Builder and Developer article comments:  the single largest referral driver for homebuilders is how well the builder keeps buyers informed regarding the status of construction. 

Information Mitigates Stress

Mirman asks us to think of the homebuying process as similar to a hospital stay.  Both are stressful -- yet, the stress can be mitigated by information.  No one, in other words, feels comfortable in the dark.

The same applies to good experiences, suggests Mirman in June 2017 Builder and Developer. He notes the #1 driver of buyers' Willingess to Refer a Friend is the ability to keep them informed of their status.

Collaborating to Enhance Your Communication Process 

Importantly, Mirman notes, you don't need conversation -- just communication.

Buyer communication -- in an organized and consistent manner -- may be easier said than accomplished -- and that's where corporate collaboration can assist. Did you attend the Housing Leadership Summit in May 2018? A great session suggested collaboration is more than "working together"  as it involves a commitment to structural change involving both cultural and behavioral elements.

Information is Communication

We'd like to suggest adding software to provide the tools to enhance your current communication process. CPS' software Portals take information developed by Field Collaborate's construction users and WarrantyWatcher's customer service teams and make it available to buyers and home owners via the Internet.

No additional work required: the construction schedule is available for buyers to view. Warranty requests, status and appointments can be seen via mobile or desktop. In both cases, 24/7, anywhere/anytime!

Want to take things up a notch, become more user friendly? Go the extra step and take stage-of-construction photos and attach them to construction milestones. Add post-repair photos so your homeowner knows how things look before getting home after work.  After all, your buyers have Portal access 24/7 so they're up-to-speed as the work is completed!

Referrals Can Be Your Least Expensive Traffic Source

Referrals can be your least expensive source of traffic -- and the most rewarding.  Communication is a win-win as your team communicates results within the organization -- and they're easily viewable by your most important audience, your buyers.

Builders: Get Proactive, Increase Referrals with Mobile Customer Experience Moments!

Let's take an earlier Solutions Blog: How to Improve Your "Refer a Friend" Rate (read it here) with Eliant's Bob Mirman thoughts regarding the referral impact associated with keeping customers informed - and add Full Story's Scott Voight's thoughts, "You can win on customer experience" and "Excellent customer service can largely be distilled in two words, speed and convenience."  

Have you adopted  "proactive customer service" -- that is, not waiting for an event to offer specific, customer-focused attention.

Get Mobile and Create Proactive Customer Service moments!

A recent Innovative Retail Technologies article sparked a new thought: the value of mobile relative to proactive. 

There's a "First Dibs Opportunity" study suggesting 46% of mobile usage sessions start with no real aim! Author Christine Kern also mentions 70% of respondents use their mobile devices to "kill time." 

The study concludes "if smart phones were smart, they'd do a better job of giving us something useful!"

Software can help builders turn mobile time into proactive customer service moments! Your homebuyers can grab a minute or two, while waiting in line at the store, to check out stage of construction photos. And, can't you see your buyer getting excited to see a just-installed countertop and turning to the next shopper and saying, "Check this out! My new home's kitchen was just finished!"

That's a refer a friend moment! Or, how about the impact of a homeowner browsing their warranty service requests while getting a hair cut and seeing a completed request with a photo?  Wouldn't that be a "Wow! My builder is on top of things!" moment?

CPS' FieldCollaborate and WarrantyWatcher Portals can help you easily create these proactive customer service events -- and do it quickly and conveniently. Customer experience will improve and your referral rate will jump!

CPS will be exhibiting at #IBSOrlando next week -- drop by for a demo at Booth W5583.  Or, contact us at info@cpsusa.com and we'll schedule a demo for you!

Builders: Get Added Value from Your Buyer Surveys

Rating our experiences... that's a concept that has started-up brand new companies and entered almost everyone's life in the last 10 years.  There used to be pen-and-paper questionnaires.  Today, we have Yelp, TripAdvisor, Amazon, Survey Monkey ... even primary care physicians are asking for feedback!

 Get Proactive: Engage buyers mid-stream with surveys

Traditionally, many homebuilders took advantage of post-closing surveys.  Pen-and-paper has migrated to web-based. Some builders utilize results to evaluate sales agents and construction managers.

We'd like to suggest surveys be a part of your ongoing communications process.

Doesn't it seem a bit abrupt to ask "How did we do?" out of the blue for such a major event as a home purchase -- although it can make sense for a dinner out or hotel stay.  There have probably been many "great job" and "could have been better" events from the first sales office visit through closing. 

Finding those mid-stream results -- and managing around them -- not only engages your buyer and enhances the customer experience but allows the builder to manage people and process on a more timely basis.

Earlier CPS Solutions blogs talked about initiating and maintaining the communications process during the construction process.  Keeping your buyers informed; providing stage-of-construction photos -- CPS' FieldCollaborate offers a Buyer Portal just for that reason.  Why not schedule a survey after the first Construction meeting?

Now, your buyers are involved in the feedback process and engaged to the level needed to provide meaningful feedback.  It's no longer a perfunctory "How Did We Do?" at closing; you've initiated full-scale dialogue. And, that's the type of communication that will generate referrals!

Find out how we can help you integrate SurveyMonkey into CPS' construction and warranty software!

We're All in the Customer Service Business!

Not that long ago, many organizations didn't necessarily think they were in the customer service business. Doctors, for example.  They treated illness, set bones and the like. Home builders, possibly.  Their business: homebuilding.

Get Proactive! Offer 24/7 communication channels

Today, with the advent of social media and culture changes, interaction with customers needs to be top of every organization's mind. Whether its Twitter, Facebook or an organization's own web page, customers have plenty of opportunities to speak their mind about product, service, followup... just about everything!

And, satisfying expectations for "good service" has expanded, as well.  It used to be a "thank you" card was considered thoughtful and enough.

Today, a continued conversation needs to accompany a homebuyer from purchase to closing and throughout the warranty period. BuilderIQ notes that buyers "start to regret" the purchase when they don't hear from their builder during the post-sale process. That's a fairly radical thought!

One solution: get proactive! Setup processes and systems that enable your buyers (and homeowners) to engage with you in a consistent, straightforward manner. Timing is everything: when an item is top of mind, people want to be able to communicate!  And, communication doesn't have to mean conversation.

Take a look at CPS' FieldCollaborate and WarrantyWatcher Portals as examples of proactive and effective customer service. Are you a homebuyer that doesn't live in the immediate area but is interested in seeing the latest stage of construction images? How about a schedule summary or a list of selected options? It's all there -- available via desktop, phone, tablet!

Maybe you're a homeowner with a disturbing leak, leak, leak in the master bathroom shower. No need to wait until 8am, Monday to contact your builder's customer service department. Log-on Sunday night and submit your warranty request -- and then check status on Monday when the office opens.

And, remember: the primary driver of new home buyer referrals is a homebuyer satisfied with their builder's communication process!

Home Builders: Interested in a Referral Win?

Had a chance to read an earlier Solutions Blog: Homebuilder #1 Referral Driver: Keeping Buyers Informed? You can read it here.

Communication is the Driver!

Not surprisingly, that Blog is one of our most read posts as it summarizes Eliant CEO Bob Mirman's comments in Builder and Developer, that the single largest referral driver for homebuilders is how well the builder keeps buyers informed regarding the status of construction. 

Mirman suggests: think of the homebuying process as similar to a hospital stay.  Both are stressful -- yet, the stress can be mitigated by information.  No one, basically, likes to be in the dark.  And, with today's social media, bad experiences can be broadcast all too easily.

The same can be said for good experiences, suggests Mirman in the June 2017 Builder and Developer. He notes the #1 driver of buyers' Willingess to Refer a Friend is the ability to keep them informed of their status.

Importantly, Mirman notes, you don't need conversation -- just communication! CPS' software Portals take information developed by Field Collaborate's construction users and WarrantyWatcher's customer service teams and make it available to buyers and home owners via the Internet.

No additional work required: the construction schedule is available for buyers to view. Warranty requests, status and appointments can be seen, as well, via mobile or desktop. In both cases, 24/7, anywhere/anytime!

#1 Customer Care Trend: Self Service

Today, it seems that it doesn't matter the industry when looking at customer service. As a recent Radial article notes, in the age of Amazon, consumers have sky-high expectations.

WarrantyWatcher: mobile self-service!

Homebuyers aren't any different when thinking about their post-closing warranty service.  Consumers want convenience and quick issue resolution -- in addition to an environment that is proactive with personalized service.

Self-service is reported as one of the hottest trends in customer care. Consumers love the idea of being able to quickly and easily meet their objectives from submitting a warranty request to checking status to being able to review their warranty history.

Innovations and advancements in technology enable builders to meet these expectations. Take a look at CPS' WarrantyWatcher software  -- particularly the Portal -- as an example. Homeowners are able to log-in, 24/7, to submit requests. No more waiting until Monday morning! And, they're able to check status at any time - no more calling, voicemail or missed calls.

Self-service channels consistently outperform other channels in terms of consumer satisfaction.  Think about it, for a minute: does anyone snail mail or fax over a list of issues any longer?  How about calling?  Consumers love self-service because it reduces friction and provides answers immediately and consistently.

And, the Portal provides for a personalized, omnichannel experience, as well.  In other words, the Portal can fit into your business operations, seamlessly. Make it available from your website, skin it with your logo and colors, include photos of your team members.  It's all about winning and sustaining loyalty.

Remember: the #1 referral reason for homeowner referrals is keeping buyers informed during construction and post-closing.

Marketing Doesn't End with the Purchase!

Super interesting Forbes article recently by Alan Murray: Four Forces Revolutionizing Marketing.

Murray summarizes discussions encountered at a recent Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference noting marketing executives face a world that is radically different from it was just a decade ago.

CPS WarrantyWatcher: Facilitating the process!

On one hand: don't we all face a world radically different from 10 years ago?

On the other, Steve Lucas with Marketo offers today's marketing dilemna: the number one challenge facing marketing today is complexity. There are pop-up events, campaigns designed to last a week, increased content access via mobile phones & tablets and, as JB Osborne, Red Antler CEO notes, trends are condensed over a period of a couple of weeks or a month.

What really stands out in Murray's article however, was the consensus that marketing doesn't end with a purchase. In today's social media-driven world, the marketing process doesn't stop with today's encounter or the purchase -- there's a need to generate ongoing enthusiasm for the brand, project or community.

Isn't that what we've been talking about regarding functionality provided by CPS' CRM and WarrantyWatcher software? Today's homebuyer becomes tomorrow's homeowner -- and their brand influence can be considerable given social media reach from the moment they walk into the sales office. Providing a Portal to get in touch, keep in touch and communicate quickly can be as important to homeowner perceptions as resolving an issue.

After all, it has been reported that the staying in touch and keeping buyers/owners informed drives referrals (and isn't that a marketing objective?) far more than any other source!

Builders: Mobile, Proactive Customer Service & Referrals

Today, we're building on thoughts developed in a Solutions Blog How to Improve Your "Refer a Friend" Rate (read it here) and by Eliant's Bob Mirman regarding the referral impact associated with keeping customers informed.

Both articles focus on the value of what we call "proactive customer service" -- that is, not waiting for an event to offer specific, customer-focused attention.  

Mobile Enables Proactive Customer Service moments!

A recent Innovative Retail Technologies article sparked a new thought: the value of mobile relative to proactive. 

Have you heard of the "First Dibs Opportunity" study suggesting 46% of mobile usage sessions start with no real aim? Author Christine Kern also mentions 70% of respondents use their mobile devices to "kill time." 

The study concludes "if smart phones were smart, they'd do a better job of giving us something useful!"

On the other hand, software can help builders turn mobile time into proactive customer service moments! Your homebuyers can grab a minute or two, while waiting in line at the store, to check out stage of construction photos. And, can't you see your buyer getting excited to see a completed roof and turning to the next shopper and saying, "Check this out! My new home's roof was just finished!"

That's a refer a friend moment! Or, how about the impact of a homeowner browsing their service requests while getting a hair cut and seeing a completed service request complete with photo?  Wouldn't that be a "Wow! My builder is letting me know the bathroom repair is complete!" moment?

CPS' FieldCollaborate and WarrantyWatcher Portals can help you easily create these proactive customer service events --  and help your referral rate jump! We're happy to show you how!

Homebuilder #1 Referral Driver: Keeping Buyers Informed

Eliant, the home building industry's largest firm specializing in managing the consumer experience, notes in a recent Builder & Developer article that the single largest referral driver is how well the builder keeps buyers informed regarding the status of construction!

Keeping Your Buyers & Homeowners Informed 24/7

That statistic is part of a very interesting article by Bob Mirman, Eliant's founder/CEO, as he points out similarities between hospitals and home builders.

Hospitals & home builders, you might ask? Drill down a bit: patients and home buyers are anxious, worried, confused and scared as they're involved in an unfamiliar environment. Not for the same reason but.. still concerned. Mirman suggests empathy goes a long way towards making everyone feel comfortable.

Mirman's second point is the value of contact when delays are encountered -- or anticipated.  He suggests asking: do your employees proactively reach out -- and how?

The third and most critical point is the impact of status updates -- and isn't that the case with most consumer-facing businesses? Mirman noticed and appreciated the daily calls from the assigned staff internist.  He knew he'd get the latest information and didn't need to worry about voicemail, missed calls or miscommunication through a 3rd party.

Think about your operations: how do you keep buyers up-to-date? 

We'd like to suggest taking a look at CPS' FieldCollaborate with its Portal.  Your buyers have access, 24/7, in real-time, to stage-of-construction photos and schedules.  It's their "piece of the pie" automatically generated from use of FieldCollaborate's construction scheduling application.  Tie it to your website and other than taking photos, no extra work is needed on your part.  Status updates are automatic, always visible and right there, 24/7 -- on their desktop, laptop, phone or tablet! 

Referrals can be a key sales driver; we've just learned that status updates are the #1 key referral driver!

Home Builder Customer Service: Another Referral Source

Did you catch our blog titled Keeping Buyers in the Loop is #1 Referral Driver? You can read it here!

Status updates: 24/7 availability!

We noted that Eliant, home building's largest firm specializing in managing the consumer experience, said in a recent Builder & Developer article that the single largest referral driver is how well the builder keeps buyers informed regarding the status of construction!

That statistic is part of a great article by Eliant's founder/COE, Bob Mirman, noting similarities between hospitals and home builders.

At first, you could think such a comparison is silly; yet, there are striking similarities: patients and home buyers are justifiably anxious, worried, confused and scared as they're involved in an unfamiliar environment. Not for the same reason but.. still concerned. Mirman suggests empathy goes a long way towards making everyone feel comfortable.

Doesn't the same thought apply to your homeowners? They've just made their single, largest purchase and... now, there are some issues!  Empathy coupled with good indicators that progress is being made will go a long way in making the homeowner feel satisfied.

Another Mirman point: the value of contact when delays are encountered -- or anticipated. Are you keeping homeowners in the loop as to status of their service request? Are your employees proactively reaching out?

Then there's the third and most critical point that is striking almost in its simplicity:  impact of status updates. Mirman really appreciated the daily calls from an assigned staff internist. He knew he'd get the latest information and didn't need to worry about voicemails, missed calls and miscommunication through a 3rd party.

Take that thought, apply it to your home builder warranty/customer service department and ask:  how well do we keep your homeowners up-to-date? We'd like to suggest taking a look at CPS' WarrantyWatcher and its Portal.  Homeowners have access, 24/7 and in real-time, to submit a request, view the scheduled vendor visit and review previous requests.  It's their "piece of the pie" automatically generated from use of WarrantyWatcher's customer service software. Service request status is automatic, always visible and available 24/7 -- on your homeowner's desktop, laptop, phone or tablet! 

Homeowners like to feel they made a good decision -- and will talk about it when given a chance. Referrals can be a key sales driver; we can help you make sure your post-sale status updates are one of your referral drivers!

Your Home Shoppers Want to Hear from You!

Interesting article recently in Realtor suggesting agents might want to reassess their follow-up efforts with home shoppers.  Keeping in contact not only puts you "top of mind" with active home shoppers but can also be a referral source, as well.

The key thought is many home shoppers don't have a "specific" interest in mind when they first start looking at homes and staying in touch is possibly the most underrated and underused sales process in the industry.

Software facilitates staying int ouch!

Of course, all of us have many, often competing priorities for our time.  Yet, 36% of home owners say they find it beneficial to receive communications -- even if they aren't in the market for a home, today.

Topics of interest range from what's for sale to home maintenance pointers.  Why not have a set of pre-established emails that go out on a periodic basis to everyone in your prospect file?

CRM systems are designed to facilitate this process -- from registering your prospects to creating a set of followup emails to actually sending them on a scheduled basis.  Once you have the followup details down, your home shoppers will receive tips and pointers from you on a regular basis -- without any additional work needed.

And, why not apply the same process to your home buyers?  Here's a group of people living in a new neighborhood, using different appliances and concerned about their new home.  Remind your homeowners that you're available for warranty questions --  and encourage the "warm and fuzzy" by sending out an email with the closest restaurants (coupons might be a possibility, too) -- or a trail guide to local recreation hot spots. There's always room for info regarding the new appliances, HVAC systems and electronics, too!  After sale communications are another key referral source!

Not quite sure how to get started with this process?  Contact us to discuss CPS•CRM and WarrantyWatcher customer service software -- easy-to-use and cost effective ways to communicate with prospects and buyers!

How to: Build in Quality in New Home Construction

 A recent Carl Seville blog, Desperately Seeking Quality, was featured in Green Building Advisor.

Associate QI with task to achieve Milestone

Great title!

Seville bemoans a shortage of skilled labor and current high volume of work combining to create knowledge and communications gaps in the field.

Seville asks: "Where is the quality control?" He says inspectors are finding a significant amount of deficient work and that field superintendents tend to rely on their subcontractors to monitor their own work.

Most would agree: quality needs to start early in the process. While it can be reviewed or measured at the end of a job, that's really too late to be effective.  At that point, quality problems mean rework is the solution -- and that's both costly and inefficient.

Having your home buyers walk their new home to discover problems doesn't build the type of relationship home builders need in today's market.   Facebook is only too happy to post photos and comments submitted by unhappy homeowners.  And, referrals are too good of a source for future business to ignore.

One effective way to build in quality is to develop Quality Inspection measures at meaningful points throughout the construction process.  Don't wait for a  builder walk check list, in other words! Your Quality Inspections don't need to measure at every milestone although that might be a reasonable initial starting point.

QI templates drill down for specifics

Are you using automated scheduling software? Make a Quality Inspection the last task of a milestone in the schedule.  In other words, the milestone can't be complete until every task -- including the Quality Inspection -- is complete. That way, your superintendent or field manager is reviewing work in a timely manner and schedules stuck at a milestone with an open QI task are easily identified within schedule progress.

CPS offers construction scheduling software providing Quality Inspection processes -- contact us and see how FieldCollaborate lets you build in quality during the construction process! And, you'll be doing it on the jobsite, in real-time with results available for your vendors, anywhere/anytime, using the Vendor Portal.

Tweets and Facebook posts: Today's version of a referral?



Sharing the experience: Lyon Homes' San Carlos Court

This week there have been two articles with seemingly divergent themes: CCES' article, "9 Purely Business Reasons to "Green" Your Company" and Dawn Sadler's "Creating a Legacy Brand" on http://www.jeffshore.com/. 

But..are they actually related?

CCES suggests there are 9 purely business reasons why "green" benefits a company's bottom line.  Sadler notes that the only marketing program that will continue to drive homebuilder business is referrals. CCES doesn't mention referrals; Sadler doesn't mention green.

We'd like to suggest there are a number of similarities -- and that an interactive touchscreen can enter this discussion, as well.  Do you remember an earlier discussion about "helicopter friends"?  Today, shoppers Tweet, Facebook and otherwise share information, recollections, and experiences with their friends based upon all sorts of events...including shopping.
Isn't sharing today's version of a referral?  

Put a shopper-friendly (and "green" with paper-saving and/or print on-demand features) interactive touchscreen in your business -- and you'll see not only positive feedback from your potential buyers but "sharing" amongst friends!  And, there are the "green" business benefits (cost savings, improved efficiencies, employee morale) that tag along, as well.

As Dawn Sadler notes, " it's not how much you intended the experience, it is how your buyer experienced it!"