Builders: Tips for Migrating Buyers/Owners to Your Self-Service Options

Self-service is a Preference for Many

We've been blogging recently about the paradigm shift in the self-service concept.  Frankly, it wasn't that long ago that self-service wasn't popular -- for either businesses or customers.

However,  attitudes, preferences and expectations change quickly. One reason is changing demographics; another is technology.

Self-service is one of those quickly evolving expectations.  Today, self-service is not only a solution but a preference for many -- regardless of age. Take a look at the 55+ community in the photo!

It's About Customer Experience and More!

Good self-service platforms can both improve the customer experience and save businesses money.

And, effective organizations are pushing forward with new customer paradigms as they recognize the need to engage customers amidst the current digital clutter is a way to enhance their brand.  

Get Proactive About Offering Self-Service 

It goes without saying that it doesn't much sense to just drop a self-service function into an organization.  The result would probably be similar to that of Coke Classic back in the day!

There are a few ideas that will make self-service work more effectively for your customer and your organization:

1. Make Self-Service Visible (and Visual, when possible): Sales offices have been challenged to enhance the home shopper experience.  Jonathan Wilhelm suggested, in a recent Builder article, that interactive kiosks provide an enhanced buying experience. Not everyone considers them to be self-service; yet, they're a tool to engage your home shoppers and provide all sorts of sales/marketing capabilities. CPS SalesTouch starts with interactive floorplans and goes from there with drag and drop furniture, local area maps, etc. Design is critical to engagement -- as well as functionality.
2. Offer Features that Will Maximize Use -- and Solve Problems: Self-service platforms are like any other product -- the more they satisfy a customer's needs, the more they'll be utilized.  Take a look at CPS WarrantyWatcher, as an example.  Not only do homeowners have 24/7 access via a builder-branded Portal to submit requests, they're able to see request status and history. No more calling, voicemail messages, emailing!
3. Get Employees On Board: Increasing employee buy-in involves showing how your new self-service platforms provide more streamlined processes -- for everyone.  Sure, a phone call might resolve a specific issue for one homeowner but.. help your team focus on how the new self-service platform adds customer value (such as allowing homeowners to submit photos illustrating their warranty issue) as well as business value (employees are better able to focus on "high touch" situations).

Use CPS' Self-Service Tool for More Info!

We try to practice what we write: reach out through our Portal to schedule a discussion or demo here!

Homebuilder CRM Top Performer Tips

Top Sales Performers Are Frequently Top CRM Users

A local Northern CA homebuilder's top sales performer (he's retired now; let's call him Jack for this Blog) was probably the single best sales agent user of CPS CRM.

Jack certainly knew how to work with home shoppers, using CPS CRM loan information to discuss financial alternatives to facilitate the home purchase and taking advantage of the one-stop Contract Wizard to quickly generate purchase agreement documents.

Consider CRM Database as "Your Team"

But, the reason we're suggesting he was the "best user" was his persistence with follow-up.  Because Jack sold homes for about 10-years, he built-up a considerable CRM database of home shoppers and buyers.

Jack kept in touch with what he called "his team" -- sending announcements of new releases to home shoppers and new communities to previous buyers.

He went the extra step to make sure his data was useful so he could send out "Happy Home Anniversary" messages based on their Close of Escrow date. There were no doubt other personalized emails celebrating birthdays, children, college graduations and the like!

Of course, Jack used the "system" to auto-generate all of this followup; he created templates for his followup activities and relied on CPS CRM to keep in touch with his team.

Consistent CRM Use = Top of Mind and Consistent Referrals

The result? Jack was "top of mind" for anyone on his team thinking about a new home -- and he was the recipient of many referrals as friends and relatives started their home buying journey.

Recently, Jeff Shore completed a new sales training series; his latest is Prospecting for the Long Haul (always informative; watch it here). His message: top performers work the small things over and over.  

Ryan Taft is a sales trainer on Jeff's team; he has a great Blog and recently included 3 tips reinforcing the small and consistent message:

1. Do it!
2. Personalize the Heck Out of It!
3. Be Consistent!

Didn't Jack take those tips to heart and play them out, every day? He took the tools provided to him in CPS CRM and was persistent! As Jeff mentions in his Prospecting session, it's the small things that, when practiced daily, generate results.

IBS2019: CPS is Persistent! We're Celebrating 25+ Years!

Take a look at the IBS2019 Buyer Guide: CPS is listed as a member of the 25 Year Exhibitors Club! We're thrilled to be included and invite you to join us at Booth SU631 as we talk about our award-winning CRM, construction scheduling, warranty management software and interactive kiosks! See how our persistence can help you sell more homes, build more profitably and provide responsive customer care.

What Does Friction Have to Do with A Builder Sales Office?

Why Are We Talking About Friction?

Actually, we're going to discuss the lack of friction -- meaning ease and less hassle during a transaction.

How Many Frictionless Features Do You See?

The term "frictionless" as it relates to customer experience has gone through several evolutions according to a recent retailcustomerexperience.com article by Sheryl McKenzie.

Today, the definition has moved beyond less hassle (everyone expects that now!) to greater personalization and wow! experiences. It also means anticipating -- not just meeting -- customer needs.

Customers Expect Great Experiences & Leave When Friction Appears

Consumer expectations regarding friction impact their level of engagement and their brand experience.

A recent Rules of NextGen Loyalty suggests consumers expect a great experience -- and will won't stick around a brand that doesn't deliver.

McKenzie suggests, "Consumers who encounter friction will run the other way fast, and second chances don't come easily."

What's Next?

McKenzie suggests brands need to create experiences that stay one step ahead of the consumer.

From a builder standpoint, Jonathan Wilhelm says in a recently BuilderOnline article, "builders have the opportunity to distinguish themselves in (today's) challenging period." 

One way, Wilhelm suggests is to stand out with a state-of-the-art sales center that can enhance the buying experience and make a lasting impression.

Isn't that the definition of frictionless!?

Let's Get Interactive!

Wilhelm goes on to say builders should create an experience that engages and informs home shoppers. He explains the necessity of detailed, visual and concise information, the value of interactive presentations, comfortable workstations, etc.

Take a look at the CPS SalesTouch interactive kiosk at a Minto sales center above. Home shoppers are able to review the community, select floorplans, drag 'n drop furniture, mix and match structural options -- basically, start dreaming about their new home and putting the pieces together to make it happen!

That's a competitive edge that helps you, the builder, make a frictionless homebuying experience! 

More? Look for CPS at IBS2019

CPS will be at IBS2019; contact us for an onsite demo.  If you're unable to attend, we can provide a one-on-one online demo, starting now!

Homeowner Customer Service: SST Preferences Change Quickly

Have you run across Urban Airship? They've just released 2019 Insights & Predictions into Customer Engagement (you can check it out here). 

Customer Engagement Strategies: There are Brand Impacts

Urban Airship suggests the new year is a good time to take a look at current strategies - and that we can never get too comfortable thinking we know what our customers want. Attitudes, preferences and expectations change quickly.

Self-service is one of those quickly evolving expectations.  Today, self-service is not only a solution but a preference for many. 

Urban Airship reports: 

"78% of customers say poor customer service makes them lose trust in a brand"

Take a Look at Mobile and Website Options

How does customer experience, self-service and a good brand image fit together?

Offering your customer mobile and website options, reports Urban Airship, provides an easily accessible solution for questions and support.  Your homeowners want access 24/7, anywhere, anytime!

Access means you're able to provide a more consistent and reliable brand image.  Gone are the missed calls and voicemail exchanges; now, you're communicating directly and resolving issues!

CPS WarrantyWatcher Provides Accessible, Personalized Access for Your Homeowners

Now, take a look at CPS' WarrantyWatcher Homeowner Portal and how it streamlines the builder's customer service process and provides the digital experience that today's homeowners want.

WarrantyWatcher: Accessible, Personalized, 24/7

24/7 access and personalization is critical! Your homeowners have a unique location to report a service issue, receive confirmation of the problem and and appointment for repair.  They're also able to view all previously reported issues and their resolution. All convenient; all 24/7; without any additional work for your customer service group.  In fact, probably less work!

Communication doesn't always have to mean conversation!

Looking to improve your brand image through enhanced digital experience?

Talk to us! CPS will be at IBS2019.  Not able to attend?  Let us know and we'll schedule a one-on-one demo to show you how CPS can provide you with a more efficient customer service process and an improved brand image! 

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.

Adding an Emotional Connection to Your Sales Office

There's a lot of details to take into consideration during the homebuying process: beds & baths, square footage, mortgage rates and a down payment. It's frequently your buyer's largest financial decision. Yet, there's an element of emotion to consider and kindle in every person's home shopping (and buying!) experience.

Imagine the conversations in front of this SalesTouch kiosk!

Jeff Shore notes in his book, Buying the Experience, that home buyers desperately long to be emotionally engaged with the home of their dreams.

Your mission: to maximize that engagement!

Your Sales Office is Often the Start of  the Journey

Emotions are part of our nature -- and it's worth considering, analyzing and evaluating how to add an emotional component into your marketing propositon as sales/leasing offices are frequently the first place visitors encounter the full range of your brand and product.

Storytelling Initiates Emotional Connections

Storytelling is one of the best content strategies for creating an emotional connection. Stories are tactile and create a visual picture. 

No doubt you've heard stories and imagined yourself within that context.  That's what makes a good story: it pulls listeners in and actually makes them a co-creator of the message. Stories make content more interesting and more memorable. 

Stories can also open up the discovery process to address the "why" your home shopper is in your sales office!

Incorporate Social Proof

We've mentioned, in previous Solutions Blogs, collaborative consumption when discussing today's consumers.  Home shoppers like company -- just like always: friends, relatives, work buddies. But, today, in many cases, they're "cloud" friends! These advisors are available through social media -- giving feedback, offering reviews, providing info as to sales and trends.

Your story needs to be part of this social cloud.  One of the easiest ways to provide social proof, if you aren't displaying social media on-site, is to incorporate testimonials. 

Get Interactive

Scroll back to the top -- emotion is tactile.  Take a look at Cornerstone Communities' interactive touchscreen kiosk: can you imagine the conversations when home shoppers walk into the sales office and see it? Wow! What a gorgeous view! I used to run but...I could get back into it with that path! 

Interactive touch presentations encourage emotional connections.  Did you know using touch generates entirely different (and more positive) brain activity than using a mouse? Take a look at Bob Musa's book, Creating Customers with Interactive Touch Screen Digital Signage, for more on the power of touch!

IBS Gives You the Opportunity to Touch!

CPS will be at IBS2019 the week of February 18th; we're in Booth SU631. Not going to be able to make it but interested in the power of touch as a sales tool? We can schedule an online demo here!

Customer Service 2019: A New Paradigm for Builders

Customer Service is Now the Customer Experience

No doubt you've heard: business is moving faster than ever -- and the customer experience is becoming more of a top priority for all types of businesses.

But...what does that mean for you as a builder?

There seem to be 2 important components to today's customer service concept:

1. Customer service is critical to competing effectively.  It's not all about price, in other words. Check Yelp or Google restaurant comments if that doesn't resonate. 
2. The customer process has expanded to be the customer experience -- not just service after the sale.  That means every touch point from prior to the sale, during the sales process and post-sale. 

What Makes a Great Customer Experience?

How "convenient" is your sales center?

Shep Hyken just released The Convenience Revolution and is recognized for helping businesses deliver great customer experiences. Ideas include:

1. A quick response time can help generate that remarkable WOW! moment you wish every customer experiences with your business.
2. There are many ways to be convenient for your customer.  Think about your sales center, as an example: are the hours convenient to your buyer demographic? Is there seating? Is it comfortable? How available is your team to answer questions; address issues? After hours?
3. Digital transformation is personalizing; too many think it is static.

Using Personalized Technology to Enhance the Customer Experience

You might be asking yourself: so....they're telling me that customer service needs to be quick, convenient and personal? How does that play out for a home builder?

1. Provide convenience -- from the website to sales center to sales process, closing and post-sale. Innovative ways include: interactive kiosks to engage and inform your home shoppers as soon as they walk into the door. Use e-brochures; keep the paper weight down!
2. Self-service is not only acceptable; it's expected. Your buyers want information -- and they want it now! Add web-based Portals to disseminate information about their home, your process and status updates. Self-service reduces friction -- providing the desired convenience, as well!
3. Make your operation consistent and predictable.  Let home shoppers, buyers and homeowners know what to expect -- and deliver to that expectation. Home shoppers and buyers gets anxious about the unknown; letting people know what is happening is critical; use web Portals to deliver construction and customer service information that's already available in your organization. You're not doing more work; just making access more convenient!

Interested in Enhancing Your Customer Experience?

CPS will be at IBS2019 in Las Vegas the week of February 18; visit us at Booth SU631 -- or start your journey now! Or, use our contact form and we'll schedule a demo that fits your schedule.